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The Golden Rules:The Golden Rules: a school wide behavioral

management plan

Dr. H. H. Davis Elementary School

Camden, NJ

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Contents of the Golden Rules presentation

• 1. Defining our school’s needs• 2. What we plan to accomplish• 3. Overview of Golden Time (with examples)

• 4. Friendship Squad/Conflict Resolution• 5. Evaluating the Program• 6. Discussion questions• 7. Reasons to be sent to the office• 8. Teacher behaviors• 9. Letters and forms

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1. Defining Our School’s Disciplinary Needs

• School-wide support system • Classroom support system• Teacher to teacher support system (buddy teacher)

• Individual student support system • Clearly defined behavioral expectations • Consistent disciplinary practices• High rates of pro-social adult-child interactions• Positive and timely rewards for appropriate

student behavior

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2. What we hope to accomplish by using the Golden Rules

• More positive student-to-student interactions• More positive teacher-to-student interactions• More teachers dealing with most student

discipline on their own • To decrease the amount of students sent to the

office each day • Give teachers a system for classroom

management • Raise test scores (focus is more on learning)

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3. Overview of the Golden TimeA. Golden time runs from 2:00 until 2:50 every Friday.

The first 20 minutes will be spent in their homeroom playing an educational game. During the last 30 minutes, students will be given the opportunity to go to the activity of their choice based on the amount of Golden Time they’ve earned.

B. Based on the Golden Rules, students can lose and earn back “Golden Time.” Every child starts fresh each week (time does not carry over into the next week).

C. Golden Rules are posted throughout the building and classrooms. They are to be your classroom rules as well as the school rules.

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3. Overview of the Golden TimeD. Teachers/Specialists will keep track of student

behavior during the week/day. This will be handed in weekly so we can keep track of our school’s progress.

E. Golden time will be on Fridays, from 2:00 until 2:50E. Assemblies will be held at least monthly by the

principal to tell everyone how Golden Time is working in our school.

F. Teachers and students will complete a questionnaire several times during the school year to evaluate the Golden Rules program

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A. Golden Time ActivitiesStudents will be given opportunities to go to the activity of

their choice based on those activities posted. We will begin the program by only switching between teachers on your

grade level plus one or two more activities.

Teacher Activities

Mr. DeJesus Chinese Hand Ball

Mrs. Greene Sign Language

Ms. Ollio Playing House

Mrs. Pannone

Mrs. Ricketti

Puzzles

Movie in the cafeteria

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A. Golden Time Activities (continued)

If a student is not to receive Golden Time or has to miss part of their Golden time:

- They will stay with their homeroom teacher where they can finish work that was not been completed, put their head down, etc.

- If they give you a hard time, then send them to another person’s class to do the same thing

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B. Students can lose and earn back “Golden Time”

• For example: When a student breaks a Golden rule in computer class, 10 minutes will be taken away from their of Golden time on Friday

• A student can only earn back Golden time only from the teacher that took it away

• A student can only earn back Golden time by showing positive behavior for the same rule they broke (teacher discretion)

• Students lose time in increments of 10 minutes but they earn back time in increments of 5 minutes (meaning students must work twice as hard to get back their Golden Time)

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•It is Wednesday and your student already has lost 50 minutes of their Golden Time. The student decides to give up

for the remainder of the week. What do you do?-Try your best to create opportunities for that child to earn

back Golden Time-Talk to that child privately and tell them that you are going

to give him/her a signal indicating you have witnessed the child behaving appropriately means this is a good time for them to

earn back some time.-Keep the child afterschool or have them come in early to

earn back some time (depending on the rule they broke).-Remember, we want Success For All our kids!

B. Students can lose and earn back “Golden Time” (a scenario)

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Golden RulesGolden Rules• Do be Kind and Helpful• Do Listen to People• Do Try Hard• Do Be Honest• Do Look after Things

• Do not Hurt Anyone• Do not Interrupt• Do not Waste Time• Do not Cover the Truth• Do not Damage Things

C. Golden Rules are posted throughout the building

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D. Specialists will keep track of student behavior during the week and give the golden slips to the

teacher at the end of each class

Be Kind and Helpful

Listen to People

Try Hard

Be Honest

Look After Things

Name

Teacher Week Of:

5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50Minutes returned

10 20 30 40 50Minutes lost

Total Time Lost _____– Total Time Returned _____= Total Golden Time + / - ______

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D. Teachers will keep track of student behavior during the week

Student Name10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 Total Golden Time

Atkins, Phaaron GBowman, Rondilyn ADavis, QuantajeDouglas, CornealGriffin-Chisolm, NiacynHutchinson, Shatera SJohnson, Jesse EJones, James DJosephs, SameikaLashley, AmaniMceachern, Rasheed DMombo, Nanegea ENeal, Toral DNickson, Sion TPatterson, IjanaePeppers, Tabree DReyes, Carlos HSackie, Deenia CTemeh, EmmanuelTorres, Jean KarlosWashington, JavoneWilliams, KaleyiaWorthen, Kayron

Ms. Kandrac's Golden Rules (Time Lost) Week Of:__________Look After

Things LostKind and

Helpful LostListen to

People LostTry Hard Lost

Be Honest Lost

September 9th, 2002

These students would not share with team members.

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D. Teachers will keep a log of Time Returned. Add this time to Time Lost log and compute Total Golden Time

Student Name

5 10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Atkins, Phaaron GBowman, Rondilyn ADavis, QuantajeDouglas, CornealGriffin-Chisolm, NiacynHutchinson, Shatera SJohnson, Jesse EJones, James DJosephs, SameikaLashley, AmaniMceachern, Rasheed D

Ms. Kandrac's Golden Rules (Time Returned) Week Of:__________Kind and Helpful Returned

September 9th, 2002

Pharon gains back 10 minutes of Golden Time

Sameika gains 5 minutes of Golden Time

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D. Teachers will compute Total Golden Time for each student at the end of each week

Student Name10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 10 20 30 40 50 Total Golden Time

Atkins, Phaaron GBowman, Rondilyn ADavis, QuantajeDouglas, CornealGriffin-Chisolm, NiacynHutchinson, Shatera SJohnson, Jesse EJones, James DJosephs, SameikaLashley, AmaniMceachern, Rasheed DMombo, Nanegea ENeal, Toral DNickson, Sion TPatterson, IjanaePeppers, Tabree DReyes, Carlos HSackie, Deenia CTemeh, EmmanuelTorres, Jean KarlosWashington, JavoneWilliams, KaleyiaWorthen, Kayron

Ms. Kandrac's Golden Rules (Time Lost) Week Of:__________Look After

Things LostKind and

Helpful LostListen to

People LostTry Hard Lost

Be Honest Lost

40

September 9th, 2002

Phaaron Lost 20 minutes 50 minutes- 20 minutes 30 minutes

Phaaron then Gained 10 minutes 30 minutes+ 10 minutes 40 minutes Total Golden Time

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Sample Friday• During homeroom, students will be able to

sign up for the activity of their choice for Golden Time. The ones with the most Golden Time will sign up first. Each classroom should not exceed 15 students.

• At 2:00 PM an announcement will be made telling the staff/students that Golden Time has begun. All classes are playing an educational game from 2-2:19 (Flashcard math, hangman, Around the World, Spelling Bee, Bingo, etc.)

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• A little before 2:20, all staff goes to their door and lines their kids up. At 2:20, an announcement will tell everyone that it is time to switch classes so the teacher will let her students who have GT go to the room they chose. Students who are missing all or part of their time are on the wall by the door so the teacher can see them.

• Students who are coming into your room to do an activity will line up outside your door until everyone has arrived (you will have a list of names).

• Activity will take place from 2:20-2:50. • An announcement will be made at 2:50 telling everyone

that GT is over. All staff will be at their doors again to watch the hallways.

A Sample Friday “Golden Time”

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E. Assemblies will be held frequently to tell everyone how Golden Time is working in our

school.

• The principal will go over the Golden Rules at the beginning of each assembly.

• Based on computer analysis, he will tell the school which rule(s) we improved on and which one(s) we need to improve on.

• Awards will be given out for kindness by the Kindness Awareness Committee.

• Skits will be put on by fellow student/teachers/administrators to demonstrate positive discipline for the Golden Rules.

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• Example question:

I behave so I can have more Golden Time.

Yes No Sometimes

F. Teachers and students will complete a questionnaire several times during the school year to

evaluate the Golden Rules program

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4. The Friendship Squad

• This squad will consist of students who are willing to help other students use the peace path to work out their problems.

• The Friendship Squad will be in session everyday during the three lunches. We might add afterschool sessions if needed.

• It will be run by the paraprofessionals during the first lunch, 3rd graders during the second lunch, and 4th and 5th graders during the third lunch. Our security guard will oversee this process, too.

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4. The Friendship Squad (con’t)

• If your students are having a problem, put their names on a list and tell them you did this. At lunchtime, put the list in the Friendship Squad Box that will be in the cafeteria. Someone will do the Peace Path with those kids during their lunch time.

• If there was not enough time to do the peace path that day, they will be first on the list to do it the next day.

• This should not be used for every single discipline problem that arises.

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4. Conflict Resolution Squad

• This squad will be made up of some of the same kids from the Friendship Squad.

• These meetings will take place after school.• This squad will be trained how to help student(s)

who are constantly having problems with the same classmate or with a variety of other students.

• A teacher will be there to run/oversee these meetings.

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5. Evaluating the program

• Student and teacher questionnaires will be given several times a year to evaluate the effect of Golden Time. Feedback will help us fine tune the program.

• Individual, class, and school tallies of which rules were broken will be tracked to see where our strengths and weaknesses lie (these will be dealt with through small group counseling sessions and during assemblies).

• The office will keep track of how many students were sent to the office and for what kind of problems.

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6. Sample Problem Behaviors for discussion

A. Student is constantly tapping his pencil while you are teaching a lesson.B. Student is talking excessively talking instead of

doing their work.C. Students are pushing each other in line.D. A student arguing/using profanity to another

student.E. A student totally shuts down and refuses to do

any work.F. A student slams their book down on the desk.

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1.

A. Student is constantly tapping his pencil while you are teaching a lesson.

• While you’re teaching, walk up to the student and look at them or put your hand on their shoulder. This is usually a sign to the student that something is wrong. Most students tap without even realizing it.

• Tell the students that they do not need to have their pencils out at this time.

• As you’re talking and teaching, walk by the student and slowly take the pencil away. Keep on talking and teaching. When it is time for the student to write, give it back and have a short conversation about it.

• If the student refuses to do their work then you can tell them they can do it as homework, afterschool or during their Golden Time.

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B. Student is talking excessively talking instead of doing their work.

- If students are working independently, you need to walk around the room to check on their work. Stop at the student’s desk that is talking and stay there a few seconds.

- If talking persists, walk over again and quietly tell the students that you had to stop there once already and that should’ve been a hint. Now, they need to get their work done.

- If talking persists, separate the talkers. It might be best to put the most talkative one close to where you are working.

- If they get mad and refuse to do their work, then they can get it done for homework, afterschool or during their Golden Time.

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C. Students are pushing each other in line.

• Remind the students of the hallway rules while looking at the students who are pushing. Use the same ones all year long such as look ahead, hands at your sides and no talking.

• Walk over to the kids and tell one or both of them to switch places in line.

• Have the one who is pushing walk with you.• Have those two practice walking down the hall

again.• Take away 10 minutes of Golden Time.

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D. A student is arguing/using profanity to another student

• If it’s during a lesson, separate the kids until you can talk to them alone so the class doesn’t hear your discussion.

• Put their name on the list so they can do the Peace Path with the Friendship Squad.

• Call the parents of the child who used profanity and take away 10 minutes of Golden Time (if you can prove they said it).

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E. A student totally shuts down and refuses to do any work.

• Ignore the child and give them time to cool off. Many times they will start to work again when they feel better.

• Give the child’s unfinished work as extra homework, have them finish it afterschool or during Golden time on Friday.

• Send the child to another room with their work.

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F. A student slams their book down on the desk.

• Have them pick the book back up and place it down properly.

• If they still refuse, then take the book away until they tell you they are willing to try again. They can make up the work for homework, afterschool or during Golden Time.

• If they become disruptive, send them out of the classroom with work.

• Take away 10 minutes of their Golden Time.

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7. Real Reasons to be sent to the Principal’s office

• Violent fighting– Hard punching, pushing that seems like it will lead to

more without the principal’s intervention, etc. (Not a little tap, push or trip)

– If child is hurt, they go to the nurse first with a note• Terroristic threats

– “I’m going to kill you!” (teacher discretion)• Unprovoked profanity• Destroying school property

– Throwing a desk, chair or book– Slamming a door/book or kicking a desk

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8. Positive Teacher Behaviors• Be consistent• Be kind yet firm• Set boundaries, have routines and schedules so your students

know what to expect• Have a good rapport with your students – show them you care, be

fair, and listen to them• Talk to your students and explain why things need to be the way

they are• Set high expectations for your students• Be prepared – a well planned lesson leads to a positive student

behavior (no time to be disruptive)• Be positive – tell the kids what they did well, what you liked or how

they can improve• Focus on the positive in each child• Have a teacher “Buddy” to help you out in times of need

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8. Negative teacher behavior

• Humiliating/belittling a student in front of their peers by yelling and screaming at them

• Telling a student to “shut up”• Threatening students, especially if you won’t back it up• Getting on a student’s level when they’re mad• Excessive yelling (so other’s hear you through the walls)• Continuing to yell at a child when you know the best

thing to do is separate from each other to cool off• Being physical with a student• Not practicing what you preach• Not being consistent and fair

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9. Letters and forms that go with this program

• Introductory letter to parents about the program that is sent home in the August mailing

• Letter home to parents in September introducing the program and asking for them to volunteer time on Fridays to help out during Golden Time

• Contract for the students - it explains the Golden Rules and makes them accountable for their actions

• Letter for teachers to read to the students to determine who is interested in joining the Friendship Squad/Conflict Resolution Squad

• Permission slip that parents need to sign to allow their children to participate in the Friendship Squad/Conflict Resolution Squad

• Golden slips for specialists and teachers to keep track of behavior

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End