Key Element 4: School-wide behavioural expectations

Table of Contents

Using a step-by-step approach

Following is an example of a step-by-step approach to communicating and teaching a specific hallway behavioural expectation: Maintaining a reasonable noise level.

Post school-wide behavioural expectations in the hallways. For example: “Use quiet, ‘inside’ voices.”
Discuss the behavioural expectations in the classroom.
Demonstrate “loud voices” and “quiet voices” so students learn to identify the difference.
Model and practise this behaviour in the hallway.
Encourage and reinforce this behaviour in the hallways throughout the school day. Correct students as necessary.
Measure the impact of the systematic intervention by comparing baseline data (e.g., noise levels before intervention) with current hallway behaviour.

Consider developing a template that all staff can use to communicate about behavioural expectations. Tool 2: School Settings Template in Appendix A describes a way to organize this information. An Alberta school developed a similar organizer and included it in its school handbook.

School-wide Behavioural Expectations

	Be organized	Be cooperative	Be kind	Be safe
Playground	Respond promptly to bells Bring in equipment and belongings	Listen to all supervisors Respect others’ space, property and feelings Take turns Choose teams fairly Follow game rules	Use encouraging words instead of teasing words Include others	Follow playground rules Stay in perimeter Think before you act Hands to yourself
Hallway/ Bootroom	Eat in assigned areas and at assigned times Keep boot racks, cubbies, hooks and lockers neat Lock up personal property	Enjoy hallway displays, but don’t touch	Use positive language Be courteous	Keep hands, feet and objects to self Walk Older students yield to younger students Walk to your right
Classroom	Be on time and prepared for class Keep desk area tidy Complete assigned tasks in a timely manner	Talk and work quietly Work as a team Ask permission to leave Listen to all supervisors Let others learn without interruption Respect school property and the property of teachers and other students	Use positive and encouraging language	Wear shoes Walk Keep hands and feet to self
Cafeteria	Be prepared to place order Have money ready Sit where assigned Keep eating area clean	Use table manners Clean up after yourself Treat cafeteria workers with respect	Use polite language	Eat your OWN lunch Use microwaves safely Throw away your garbage Clean up spills
Computer Lab	Only print school-related material Leave your area neat and tidy	Use Internet only as directed by supervisor Share equipment as directed Respect equipment and other people’s work Keep food and/or drink out of lab Wear headsets when sound is on	Use appropriate language when communicating with others	Only visit appropriate Web sites Use lab only when supervised by an adult
Gym	Be ready on time Return equipment to proper location Wear proper gym clothes	Include others Show good sportsmanship Wait for directions	Be encouraging Be kind about both winning and losing	Play by agreed-upon rules Use equipment properly Follow directions
Library	Push in chairs Keep food or drink out of library	Return materials to shelf Use computers properly	Use a quiet voice Respect property Return borrowed material/equipment	Walk Use only when supervised

One school that wanted to reduce noise in the hallways used decibel meters to measure baseline noise and then posted intervention results throughout the school and in the school newsletter. At another school, students prompted each other to be quiet in the hallway and staff reported perceptions that hallway noise was significantly reduced.

Communicating behavioural expectations

We made a floor plan of our school and used office referral data and teacher observations to identify problem areas or “hot spots” such as the boot rooms, washrooms, hallways, playground, library and telephone area. The team went to those areas, walked around and noted the types of things that could happen. The team then developed behavioural expectations and tips for teaching these expectations.

We used the acronym STARS as a framework for talking about and teaching the behavioural expectations:
S for Safe and caring
T for Teamwork
A for Accountability
R for Respect
S for Success.

The team also developed sample lesson plans to help classroom teachers share and practise these expectations with the students.

We encourage teachers to review the rules for common areas throughout the year. Now our students will tell you that STARS are the school rules.

– Team leader, urban elementary/junior high school

Striving for consistency

Consistency makes a difference. Students need to know that:

behavioural expectations are consistent from one class or setting to another
if a behaviour is unacceptable in one school setting, it is unacceptable throughout the school
all adults in the school will reinforce similar positive behaviour and correct similar negative behaviour.

Reactive approaches that rely on reprimands and punishment actually make problem behaviour worse, because staff are giving most of their attention to inappropriate behaviour. Communication needs to be clear and all staff need to have the skills and commitment required to consistently and proactively support positive behaviour throughout the school.

Page 2 of 2

Next page >