As mentioned in previous blog posts, ACA is excited to be partnering with Responsibility Centered Discipline for the 2023-2024 school year. This is a program that focuses less on timebound consequences for student behaviors, and more on students owning and taking responsibility for their behavior. This includes students reflecting on their behavior and the actions that they will take to prevent these behaviors from happening in the future. This is all done with the support of ACA staff. Ideally, this occurs in the classroom between the student and the teacher, but if needed, when students prove to not be coachable, this occurs in the Solutions Room.
The Solutions Room is ran by Mrs. Gore and Ms. Johnson. When students go to the Solutions Room they have time to think about their behavior, cool down, and come up with a plan. The plans have to be unique to the student and should ultimately be driven by the student. For example, a student that was having difficulty managing his awareness around shouting out and interrupting the class came up with the plan to do square breathing when he started feeling the need to shout out. Square breathing is when he would inhale for 8 seconds, hold his breath of 8 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds, and hold his breath of 8 seconds. He said he would do this 3 times as it helps calm him down and helps him reset. He then shared his plan with an administrator who approved the plan. Once students have their plan approved they then go back to class. An administrator then facilitates a Close the Loop conversation between the student and the teacher so all parties are aware of the plan and are working together to help coach the student in the future as the student starts to take responsibility and control of their behavior.
We have found this to be incredibly helpful and have shared out success with the Solutions Room with other school leaders in the Surprise area. We are noticing a change in student behavior that is palpable in the classroom and on our school campus. As we continue to work through Solutions with students we expect to see a continued increase in positive student behaviors on campus.
