I really hope Elisheva isn’t a teacher.
The examples you’ve given - of the bobble causing low level disruption because the teacher has to stop and explain why they’ve broken the rules is utterly laughable. In that instance, can’t you understand that it’s the TEACHER disrupting the learning rather than the child? What possible need is there to start publicly shaming a child when they are otherwise engaged in the lesson but just writing with a different coloured pen? It is the Head Teacher that sets the ethos for a school and a zero tolerance policy works for nobody except possibly teachers with poor classroom management or poor relationships with their students.
Just have a green and red pen in your bag and a spare? Ok, what about the kids whose parents can’t afford it or who don’t give a shit whether their kids have the right kit? Let’s punish the child for their unfortunate circumstances! Why not simply remove that battle altogether, and the teacher has a couple of pen pots around the room where the kids know they can borrow one and get on with the work?
My teens are allowed to wear black Air Force Ones to school as part of uniform policy - weird, but there’s never been anarchy because of it!? A lot of uniform and hair policy is outright discriminatory. Boys and girls wearing different uniforms? Discriminatory. Afro hairstyles not allowed - discriminatory. Neither of these things have an affect on learning.
Nobody is suggesting at all that children should not behave or not take responsibility for their actions - of course they should. But let the sanction be a natural consequence of their actions and proportionate. Covered yourself in pen and missed the task? Well then obviously you’ll have to go and wash it off then stay behind after class to finish it. Punched someone in the playground? Well obviously we can’t let you out at lunchtime until you’ve proved you’re not a danger to other pupils and done some work around the reasons why you lashed out. Restorative practice, emotional literacy, these are the policies that work. Isolation, where they are sent to work in a cubicle and not allowed to interact with anyone all day) is disgusting - it is exclusion.
Do you know how many children in a class of 30 have had social care involvement or are not neurotypical? Do you understand what Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) are and how they effect people? The bedrock to good learning for these pupils is good relationships with adults and mental well-being. Zero tolerance policies are traumatic and disproportionately disadvantage groups of pupils who have SEND, social care involvement, ethnic minorities, etc. School needs to be a protective factor for these pupils and not somewhere where they don’t feel safe. This should be mandatory training for school staff.
A good, trauma aware school only really needs two simple rules.
- Come to school ready to learn (right kit, right attitude).
- Treat yourself, others and property with respect at all times.
What else is there?!