Philosophy:
Garden City: Plant Knowledge, Grow Community
- With an atmosphere of acceptance where students, staff, family and community feel they belong.
- Where all students and staff are respectful of each individual and their unique qualities.
- Where students and staff consistently pursue excellence in behavior and learning.
Garden City Elementary believes in consistent and appropriate academic behaviors which foster a positive and successful school environment. We nurture the following:
- Positive social skills
- Development of a positive self image for everyone
- High Academic Standards
- Respect and acceptance of all people and their right to learn
- Development of individual potential
- Development and usage of conflict resolution strategies
Community Building:
Purpose: To develop a sense of community within our school by continuing to teach and reinforce Respect, Responsibility and Belong. Garden City does this by:
- Nametags: Each student and staff member will wear a badge bearing their name
- Classroom morning meetings
- Cooperative learning: group or partner classroom learning
- Cooperative games
- Academic choices
- "Take a break": self monitored or teacher directed time to reflect on student's own behavior.
- "Circle up": school-wide signal to line-up
- Universal quiet sign - school-wide signal for quiet and attention to adults.
- Opportunities used to celebrate classroom success include activities with a buddy class, classroom and/or grade level celebrations, and school-wide sharing and recognition.
Conflict Resolution:
Students are issued checks when they are not following the expectations of Respect, Responsibility and Belong. After the 3rd check, a problem solving/infraction slip is issued:
- The student is sent to the office with the infraction slip, or the Intervention Specialist is called to pick up the student.
- The Intervention Specialist waits until the student is calm.
- Student states the expectation they need to follow, and develops a plan to return to class.
- The infraction slip is to be signed by the parent(s) and returned the following day.
Mediation is a process. Students are encouraged to use mediation on their own when there is a conflict. Mediation is used when two or more disputants agree to use this process to solve their problem.
Process:
- Disputants agree to use the mediation process and its rules.
- Each person describes what happened and their feelings.
- Each person repeats the other person's concerns and feelings.
- The disputants brainstorm possible solutions.
- All agree to solutions that are fair, balanced, specific, and workable for everyone involved.
We see this as a progression of skills:
- The problem solving process described above.
- Mediation: a process of conflict resolution facilitated by an impartial third person.
- Negotiation: Conflict resolution without a mediator
Stop, Walk and Tell:
- Student forcefully tells the "harassing student" to STOP that behavior.
- If the "harassment" continues, student should WALK away from the situation.
- If the "harassment" persists, student should TELL an adult about the situation.
To learn more about Responsive Classroom®, click here.
