Try to take a more positive and proactive approach to discipline, rather than a punitive one.
More often than not, our first reaction when a child misbehaves or harms another child is to raise our voice and punish the child for her actions. However, evidence shows that using a more proactive and positive approach, rather than a punitive approach, is more effective at promoting good behaviour.
Being proactive and positive means taking the time to explain to children what unacceptable behaviours are, why they are unacceptable, and what the consequences of unacceptable behaviours will be. This can be done both at home and at school and it needs to be reinforced on a regular basis.
At Centennial, teaching our students effective learning behaviours is integral to what we do. Effective learning behaviours enhance not only a child’s personal learning experience, but also create a classroom environment that is more pleasant and more conducive to learning as a whole. We also encourage our students to be more mindful, respectful, and to take responsibility for their actions.
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more we reinforce and reward appropriate behaviour, the less we have to consequence inappropriate behaviour.