To Drop Its Suspension Rate, One School Instead Tries Push-Ups, Timeouts, and Wall Sits as Punishment [kqed.org]

Traditional disciplinary approaches to student discipline are grounded in fear and control. To lower out of school suspensions rates with punishment and humiliating consequences, will have the same negative outcomes as putting kids out of school.  When we allow disruptive behavior in our schools and classrooms to drop our suspension rate, we are failing the students who need us the most.  

A Trauma-informed approach to student discipline, is grounded in positive caring adult relationships.  When a staff locks arms in a circle around their students, and intentionally seeks positive student interactions with ALL of their students ... The school culture begins to have a positive impact on student behavior and student learning.  Being a trauma-informed school is not what you do...but it becomes who you ARE.  We move away from traditional practices of "reacting and telling", to an approach where we "ask and respond".  

Punishment is to hurt.... Discipline is to teach.  When we begin to ask our students about their stress, their behavior, and what is going on in their lives, it opens the door for us to respond with empathy and compassion.  We validate their voice and their feelings... we don't validate the action.  Punishment escalates the student and the adult... Discipline teaches students strategies and options to learn how to self-regulate through an adult who is modeling staying calm.  When we help the student back to being in a calm emotional state, that is the time in which we hold them accountable for the behavior, and we share the consequence with empathy and compassion.  Punishment = lost opportunity to build relationship and help the student begin to change their behavior.  Discipline = a teachable moment to build positive relationships and influence positive changes in behavior.

Political mandates and policy around out of school suspensions without funding for staff development for becoming a trauma-informed school, will have very little impact on student outcomes.  Mandates are what you are required to do... they aren't a trauma-informed guide to transform "who you are as a staff member and as a school." This is how we take care of one another.