1 “The diagnosis of the current situation in the formal education sector with emphasis on how education processes are being used to foment and promote.

1

“The diagnosis of the current situation in the formal education sector with emphasis on how education processes are being used to foment and promote a democratic culture in basic education.”

Action Plan for School Discipline

Senator Hazel ManningMinister of EducationTrinidad and Tobago

April 12, 2004

2 Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education

A School Discipline Initiative.

Background

A Ministry of Education initiative

Project Peace

A School Intervention Strategies Project

was launched in March 25, 2003



Project formulation informed by:

Reports

Newspaper articles

Feedback from students

Teachers

Parents

Teachers union.



It was decided that there needed to be

better coordination of all contributing programmes

deemed to be suitable for reducing violence and indiscipline in schools.


Violence and Indiscipline

Incidents in which there is verbal or physical abuse, threats, attacks, or harassment by a pupil, parent, member of the public or any other person.

Any statement or action that causes fear for ones safety, the safety of another, the school or personal property


Violence and Indiscipline

Manifestations:

Disruptive behaviour

Smoking

Fighting

Extortion

Obscene language

Drug use

Gambling

vandalism,

Possession of weapons

Explosive devices


SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTING PROGRAMMES IN PROJECT PEACE

STUDENTS Crisis reduction intervention strategies programme (14

schools)

Pre-Carnival programme

Out of school suspension

Peer mediation (24 schools)

Homework centres

Mock trials

School time-out programme (12 schools)

Driver responsibility education (Ministry of Works and Transport)

Student Councils


SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTING PROGRAMMES IN PROJECT PEACE

TEACHERS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY

Peace, Love and Understanding for Students (PLUS)

Reclaiming the Classroom (Dep’t of Gender Affairs, UWI)

Parent education

Together We Light the Way (Self-Esteem programme)

Ancillary staff training

Public Awareness programmes


OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT PEACE

To establish the practice of peer mediation To acquaint students with the consequences of undesirable

behaviour To provide reflective and rehabilitative education for

suspended students To promote responsibility in young drivers To give students a voice in the life of the school To enhance the spiritual growth of students To develop teachers personally and professionally To enhance the social and emotional development of students To develop a program based on meritocracy for students and

teachers


OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT PEACE

To develop a code of conduct for teachers and students

To assist in the development of a system of substitute teachers

To educate parents about their responsibilities regarding their children

To develop the skills of ancillary staff of schools and other personnel like Community Police and bus and Maxi taxi drivers

To ensure that the public is aware of all programs and projects associated with Project Peace

To conduct research to determine the causes of violence and indiscipline in schools

To develop curriculum to stem violence and indiscipline in schools


RESULT: COORDINATION OF CONTRIBUTING PROGRAMMES WITH ADDITIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES

The implementation of the School Discipline Initiative, a joint project of the Ministry of National Security and the Ministry of Education.



Structure

JANUARY 2004

A Strategic Committee was established to:

− Oversee and advise on School Intervention Programs to curb violence and indiscipline in schools.

An Operations Team was established with a mandate to:

− Formulate a Joint Action Plan for implementation


The Action Plan for School Disciplineis a joint partnership

It is a coordinated approach, and involves the pooling of key resources from:

The Ministry of Education, and

The Ministry of National Security

− Police Services

− Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force

− Prisons


The Mission is to Improve the Climate and Discipline in our Schools by Creating a Culture of Peace through planned interventions.

This will provide our students with a comfortable and achievement-oriented environment so that the focus can be on teaching and learning

The partnership will intensify work in schools towards creating a Values Promoting school environment that is: Peaceful Disciplined and

Safe


A fundamental tenet is that there is Shared Responsibility in achieving this Mission

Improving the climate and discipline in our schools directly serves the interests of students, teachers, parents and the community.

Shared Responsibility requires the commitment and participation of all stakeholders

Parents Teachers

Working Together

Students

Community


“The last freedom is to choose

ones attitude in the face of any given circumstances.”

From Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl


The Action Plan seeks to provide measurability, accountability and awareness to the initiative

Goals are to: Develop a current profile of the level of discipline in schools

that will enable future comparisons

Increase awareness of the initiative within schools and in the wider community

Promote community involvement for social interactions and to take care of law enforcement issues

Contribute to the safety and security in schools including the use of technology

Increase quality of service provided by Security Firms


Coordinators will be used to facilitate the execution of the Action Plan

The Coordinators are specifically responsible for:

Monitoring and evaluating the progress of the plan, document best practices and successes and propose modification where necessary

Coordinating the implementation of strategies between the two principal agencies as identified in the plan

Providing reports to the Strategic Team

Managing the collaborative efforts to ensure compliance and that procedures are fair and reasonable to both side


Success requires the support of a multi-disciplinary team working towards clear objectives for promoting good citizenship.

Objectives include: Fostering parent involvement in the education process

Facilitating education for parents on their rights and responsibilities

Increasing Community Policing

Promoting a comprehensive, school-wide anti-drug campaign

Developing and implementing techniques in Conflict Resolution and Problem Solving

Strengthening and enhancing the security systems in and around schools

Achieving quality service from Security Firms

Facilitating the nurturing of good citizenship


We are currently reviewing a number of specific programmes to begin this transformation

Parents/NPTA/PTAs. Establishing: Mechanisms to provide regular information to parents

Partnership programmes with parents including Parent Education

Homework centers

Teachers/Security Teams. Training: Deans: Laws pertaining to Violence, Drugs and Sexual Abuse

Principals and Security Team: ADR, Mediation and Conflict Resolution

Students/Student Councils. Expanding: Junior Achievement in Secondary Schools

Youth Training Centre Mentoring Programme

Military led academic training programmes and Youth Programme of Apprentiship


An end result should be an increase in the quality of interactions within the school environment

Students who are: Independent Innovative Inventive Creative

Teachers who are:

Committed Willing to engage Caring Respectful and Trustworthy

Parents and other stakeholders who are:

Involved Problem solvers Communicators Supportive Encouraging Participative Spiritual

We envision a Values Promoting school environment with -


In creating a Values Promoting School, we are reminded that we should:

1. Create who we are

2. Involve parents

3. Promote fitness

4. Support clubs and service groups

5. Foster peer support

6. Discuss our plans

7. Stimulate community participation

8. Encourage reading

9. Promote spirituality

10. Model virtues


The Last Freedom

“Facilitating students to choose attitudes and to display appropriate behaviours in the face of any given circumstances”

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End of Presentation

1 “The diagnosis of the current situation in the formal education sector with emphasis on how education processes are being used to foment and promote.

Documents

rehabilitative education

basic education

education processes

project peace teachers

uwi parent education

formal education sector

school discipline initiative

suspended students