Responding to Unproductive Behaviour

​​​​​​​Even with our positive approach to teaching and supporting appropriate behaviour, some problem behaviour will still occur. 

To correct behavioural “errors”, we have a system in place that enables staff to efficiently and effectively respond to a range of inappropriate behaviours. 

These are behaviours are categorised as: 

*Minor unproductive behaviours 
*Chronic persistent minor behaviours 
*Major unproductive behaviours 

As with all strategies to address inappropriate behaviour, they are  done privately with dignity and with a focus on teaching or re-teaching the correct behaviour. 

There are three evidence-based approaches that we use at St William’s School to respond to unproductive behaviours and examples of the strategies used are listed in domains in the table below: 

De-escalation  

Problem-solving  

Restorative 

*Supervised time out in a safe space in the classroom.  

*Supervised time out in a safe space outside of the classroom. 

*Removal from environmental triggers 

*Teacher – Student conversation 

*Reteaching expected behaviours.

*Additional Support provided by SLT and/or SST. 

*Student – Leadership Conversation. 

*Teacher – Parent conversation. 

*Student apology – Verbal or Written.

*Student – Student restorative conversation. 

*Student – Teacher restorative conversation. 

*Giving back to the community through acts of service

 

* The above table shows examples of the ways in which we respond and are not designed as a list of prescribed approaches to unproductive behaviours. The responses may include exmaples from one or all domains. 

For major unproductive behaviours, when the behaviour is a more serious or chronic disruption to learning and there are concerns for safety for the student or others, or it is a potentially illegal behaviour there may be responsive actions taken by the School Leadership Team that include more intensive teaching, restitution activities and intervention strategies to help the student respond appropriately tofuture situations. It may be that the student requires a period of time away from the class learning environment. 

Crisis prevention and student support strategies may include giving a student time away from their regular program to decrease demands at that point in time in a separate area in the classroom, in another supervised classroom or in the office. The intent of the ‘time out’ is for a student to regain control of their own behaviour. ​

St William's has a flowchart to outline the processes followed in the event of major and minor unproductive behaviours. This is currently in draft form and is being trialled throughout the school. 

SWS PB4L Flowchart Wolfpack Way.pdf

Formal Sanctions 

Under the BCE Student Behaviour Support Policy – Procedures and Regulations, formal sanctions include:

  1. Detention

  2. Suspension

  3. Exclusion

  4. Negotiated

  5. Change of School

Under the BCE SBS Procedures and Regulations, it is expected that formal sanctions will be imposed only when all other reasonable steps to deal with the situation have been taken, unless the situation is serious and immediate. 

The proposed sanction should appropriately address the best interests of the student and the security, safety and learning environment of other members of the school community.  

Formal sanctions must be enacted in consultation with Brisbane Catholic Education leadership staff. ​