What is Positive Discipline?

Positive Discipline weaves the teaching of social-emotional skills and character development into the fabric of each and every school day. Adults model the skills they are teaching and integrate them into the discipline system used by the school. The result is a campus-wide approach for effective discipline and a school which systematically and intentionally cultivates a positive school culture and climate.

Positive Discipline is different from conventional discipline. It has little to do with punishment and everything to do with instructing, educating, preparing, training, skill-building and focusing on solutions. The principles of Positive Discipline will help you and your students feel encouraged and empowered through non-punitive methods which develop valuable social and life skills based on:

• Mutual dignity and respect
• Making sure the message of love gets through
• Providing a foundation of kindness and firmness at the same time
• Seeing mistakes as wonderful opportunities to learn
• Getting into the child’s world- understanding that a misbehaving child is a discouraged child, and the importance of dealing with the belief behind the behavior
• Helping children explore the consequences of their choices and learn to make amends
• Class meetings that build community and empower students to solve individual and group problems

Five Criteria for Discipline that Teaches:

1. Does it help children feel a sense of connection?
2. Is respectful and encouraging (kind and firm at the same time)?
3. Is it effective in the long-term?
4. Does it teach valuable social and life skills for good character?
5. Does it invite children to discover how capable they are (encourages the constructive use of personal power and autonomy)?