Level 5
Treating discipline like a one-size-fits-all situation is silly. The reality is that discipline, both positive and negative, are extremely fluid and individualized. Wraparound support offers individualized plans to help students maintain positive environments and attitudes.
1. Teacher-student contracts - We have already established that behavioral expectations can be set forth in agreed upon, democratized, classroom norms. This creates a baseline behavior guideline, but sometimes students need more direction, leeway, or scaffolded support. This can take the form of teacher-student contracts, wherein student specific behavioral norms are established. It cannot be understated that a contract is a two-way form of conflict resolution. The contract should be a dialogue between the teacher and the student, not a monologue from the teacher. It is a healthy give and take that sets forth an agreed upon behavioral relationship between a teacher and a student. In the contract itself, best discipline practices should be established by both parties, in order to create the best possible outcome (Student Behavior and School Success, 2014).
2. Student-Parent-Teacher conference - While parent-teacher conferences are a traditional method to mediate classroom conflict, the teacher is primarily dealing with the student on a day-to-day basis, which is why in the event of parental intervention, the student should be present as well. Creating trust in the classroom is an important aspect of conflict resolution, so anything that is said to a parent should be transparent and should also be said in front of the student. This allows for greater accountability as well as greater autonomy in the student's behavior (Sprague, 2014).
3. Student study team meeting - An SST meeting is a very powerful tool that can be used to support a student. Requesting an SST meeting is an acknowledgment by the instructor that a student's needs are not being met by the instruction, and instead of neglecting the student, together they are going to figure out a solution to better meet the students needs with the help of outside resources. SST meetings allow for a greater understanding of the student's learning needs, emotional habits, and behavioral norms (Long, 2013).