AXIS SUMMIT 2017–EDUCATORS IMBIZO LIBERATING LEARNING THROUGH POSITIVE DISCIPLINE BY MARGARET BALAZI GIRLS AND BOYS TOWN TRAINING INSTITUTE CONTACT NO: 011 482-2655 EMAIL: gptr@gbtown.org.za

AXIS SUMMIT EXTRACT… Exploring multiple ways learning can be liberated to create a generation of Adults who act as global agents of change in our communities and in society as a whole…

Introducing Girls and Boys Town Training Institute Education Model It is a training programme that enables educators to help learners manage their own behavior. It is a “strength based” approach to teach pro-social skills. The Model focuses on skills,strategies and techniques to manage difficult behaviours posed by learners.

What is Discipline? School discipline is a required set of actions by a teacher towards a student/students after the student behaviour disrupt the ongoing educational activity or break a pre-established rule created by the school system ( Wikipedia) GBT defines discipline as Training, Education and Instruction. What is your definition of discipline?

Positive Discipline Is a comprehensive approach that uses discipline to teach rather than punish, as a result helps students succeed and thrive in school When children fail to succeed, the whole community is harmed. Keeping students engaged in the classroom is fundamental to academic success. The use of punitive discipline practices that rely on suspension, expulsion, and other harsh consequences—often applied disproportionately to minority students—undermine the goal of success for all. ( EDC- Education Development Centre: 2013)

Building and maintaining healthy relationships Learners spend nearly 13,000 hours in school between the ages of 6 and 18 and the majority of those hours are spent with the educator inside a classroom Relationship is build on : Mutual understanding Respect Communication

“An Ounce of prevention” The most effective classroom teachers use proactive teaching on a daily basis to achieve smooth running classrooms. Do you believe this to be true? Why or why not?

Say what you Mean, Mean what you say!

REASONS TO BE SPECIFIC WITH KIDS Reduces confusion/anxiety Clarifies expectations/tolerances Helps to clearly teach new skills What Else?

Approaching your interaction with learners positively Praise – powerful tool to change behaviour –use it! Corrective teaching- consequences ( school code of conduct) Handling any crisis situation calmly “Arguing with an angry child is like wrestling with a pig in the mud. After a while, you realize the pig is enjoying”. Avoid threats!  

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