“How often do we stand convinced of the truth of our early memories, forgetting that they are assessments made by a child? We can replace the narratives that hold us back by inventing wiser stories, free from childish fears and, in doing so, disperse long-held psychological stumbling blocks.”
Benjamin Zander - The Art of Possibility (2000)
The Positive Behaviour Programme is a strengths-based approach on disciplining and guiding children and youth.
The programme is strongly influenced by the Circle of Courage that draws on a strengths approach to responding to misbehaviour and that behaviour is motivated by unmet needs. The ecological systems theory and the external realities of people are shaping forces in the lives of all people and youth at risk adopt their labels in these spaces. Trauma informed care practices are essential in establishing reclaiming environments within school contexts where children spend most of the time.
The Policies for positive behaviour practices are captured in the letter and the spirit of various policies and guideline documents. Some of the policies that form the basis for Positive discipline practices are enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Some of the policies that guide the practices and attitudes to promote positive behaviour in schools are:
Positive Behaviour Support Pathway
Support needs can arise from any factor that causes a barrier to learning, whether that factor relates to social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic, disability, or family and care circumstances. For instance, additional support may be required for a child who has learning difficulties; is being bullied; has been bereaved; has sensory or mobility impairment; is at risk of school dropout or has behavioural barriers to learning. The effect they have varies from child to child, but it is how these factors impact on the individual child’s learning that is important and this impact determines the level of support provision required. The organizing principle for the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) process is that every child should have the right to receive quality basic education and support within his or her local community and the right to receive reasonable accommodation in an inclusive setting.
This support pathway for behaviour is guided by the principles of Inclusive Education (WP6, 2001, p 6)
- Acknowledging that all children and youth can learn and that all children and youth need support.
- Enabling education structures, systems and learning methodologies to meet the needs of all learners.
- Acknowledging and respecting differences in learners, whether due to age, gender, ethnicity, language, class, disability, HIV or other infectious diseases.
Decisions about the child should always be in his or her best interests and managed in a restorative manner with consideration to all legislation and policies related to children.
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Resources for Teachers
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Positive classroom discipline practices must acknowledge fact that behaviour is a barrier to learning that is motivated by unmet needs. Restorative discipline practices must respond to incidents of bullying behaviour, trauma motivated behaviour, violent and conflict in the classroom and on the playground. The central practitioner that is required to respond to such incidents are teachers. The resources aim to provide knowledge and skills to teachers that confront these realities every day.
- Preventing Classroom Bullying: What Teachers Can Do
- Addressing bullying in schools: Reader | Trainer's manual | Workbook
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Education Strategies
- Helping Traumatized Children Learn
- Positive Discipline and Classroom Management
- Restorative Discipline Best Practices
- School violence in South Africa - Report 2012
- Teaching Your Child to: Identify and Express Emotions
- The child in transition - from Grade 7 to Grade 8
- Why Schools Need to be Trauma Informed
PowerPoints
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Resources for Parents
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The emotional well-being of children is the primary responsibility of parents. Bullying, anger management and positive parenting techniques are vital for the modern day parent to know.
- Alternatives to Corporal Punishment
- Tips for parents and schools - Bullying at School
- Disciplining at home during COVID-19 school lockdown
- Parenting Today
- Dealing with Anxiety during COVID-19 school lockdown
- 7 Steps to Establish a Routine
- Bonding with your children
- Psychological First Aid - A Guide for Parents
- Opportunity to show Generosity - Kindness
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Resources for Learners
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The child is the expert on his own life. The most important participant in the correction of behaviour is the child that needs correction. Children that misbehave don't enjoy their 'negative' behaviour, because the consequences are rarely enjoyable. Participation of children in the programme for correction is most important. Its after-all their life, their future. They must be motivated to be the superhero of the change that must be made.
Behaviour does not come from nowhere. All behaviour is a response to unmet needs. Understanding what motivates the behaviour that children risk to share with the world; allows the positive behaviour practitioner to enter the unique reality that the child is living and to experience the beautiful meaning that the behaviour represents. Our response to the behaviour will impact on both the child and the persons that risks to engage the child in crisis.
Aim of this page
This page aims to engage positive behaviour practitioners that find themselves in responsible roles as teachers, parents, community workers and health care practitioners.
About Us
The Positive Behaviour Programme is a strengths-based approach on disciplining and guiding children and youth.
The programme is strongly influenced by the Circle of Courage that draws on a strengths approach to responding to misbehaviour and that behaviour is motivated by unmet needs. The ecological systems theory and the external realities of people are shaping forces in the lives of all people and youth at risk adopt their labels in these spaces. Trauma informed care practices are essential in establishing reclaiming environments within school contexts where children spend most of the time.
Feature Focus
#Matriculants are facing major challenges in 2021 to conquer the biggest examination in their school career. #Matric2021 #GRIT
Neville Goliath says in the attached presentation that , "Matriculants, you are not running a sprint. You’re in a marathon. To be successful in any marathon you must have GRIT. If a marathon runner lacks perseverance and passion, he would ask the question: “Why am I here? Why am I in this race?” Grade 12 learners you are in your own marathon that started about 12 years ago and you can’t give up now! Persist, persevere and face this Examination. Its not an obstacle, its but your next challenge that you can conquer."
The Circle of Courage
Video: Lakeview's Circle of Courage
Resources
- How does bullying make you feel? - Posters to emphasize school policy on bullying.
- Checking In Activity - Afrikaans - Waves for Change (W4C) #Surftherapy is partner to Education psycho-social support programmes
- Positive Relationships foster Positive Discipline - Children are inherently good
- Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support 2014 (SIAS) - Inclusive Education was born into policy with the White Paper 6 on Inclusive Education. The inclusive policies were expanded into the various sectors of Education through additional policy guidelines