If we believe in active student learning, we must consider the variety of ways in which students are encouraged to participate

– Barrie Bennett & Peter Smilanich, experts in classroom management

Education at Ruby Park Public School (RPPS) does not just entail delivering lessons to cover the curriculum. The institution lays utmost stress on holistic education, including the enforcement of disciplinary measures, under the umbrella of Positive Behaviour Management strategies.

What is Positive Behaviour Management?

By definition, it involves ‘evidence-based, proactive approaches to change challenging student behaviour’. This management encourages one to see behaviour as a form of communication. A couple of examples of Positive Behaviour Strategies include pre-correcting, prompting and non-verbal signals. Grounded in the philosophical and scientific foundations of behavioural analysis, it also shares the methods of prevention science, implementation science and more recently, positive psychology. It underscores the philosophy that human beings thrive in predictable spaces where there are clear expectations, new skills are taught and positive behaviours are richly enforced. All in all, they help to hone a trusting relationship between the teachers, students and the parents.

Enforcing Positive Behaviour Management techniques

At RPPS, the Positive Behaviour Management techniques are aimed at reinforcing life skills and values among all the students. Some of the measures employed by the institution for the same include:

• Gender Sensitivity Counselling: All the students are taught to adapt to behaviour that avoids discrimination. They are taught to accept and respect the multiple differences between the different genders. The counselling process identifies and acknowledges gendered structures and processes in society as well as how they affect the lives of different men and women.
• Life Skill Activity: Life skills are ‘abilities that help us to adapt and behave positively so that we can deal effectively with the challenges of everyday life. Some of the key life skill activities that are emphasized at RPPS include self-awareness, empathy, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, decision making, interpersonal relationships as well as coping with issues like stress and emotions. The experienced teachers use different methods like class discussions, brainstorming, discussions, role-plays, audio-visual activities, arts, music, theatre, and dance to hone the life skill-sets of all the students.
• Inclusion and diversity: The school embraces inclusion and diversity as part of its curriculum for all its students in a bid to prepare civically engaged citizens and create an atmosphere that recognizes the contribution of individuals representing all walks of life. Teaching for inclusion signifies embracing differences while teaching for diversity refers to acknowledging an array of differences in the classroom.
• Regular workshops for students and teachers to re-instate finer qualities of behaviour management:  These workshops prove to be a melting pot for promoting effective learning and teaching the finer nuances of behaviour and decorum.
• Sensitizing students with issues regarding safeguarding their vanity: The students are educated and sensitized about the perils of child trafficking, sexual abuse and sexual exploration.

For more information on the institution and its unique curriculum, visit www.rubypark.com