Transcript Document

“The diagnosis of the current situation in the formal
education sector with emphasis on how education
processes are being used to foment and promote a
democratic culture in basic education.”
Action Plan for
School Discipline
Senator Hazel Manning
Minister of Education
Trinidad and Tobago
April 12, 2004
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A School Discipline Initiative.

Background
A Ministry of Education initiative
Project Peace
A School Intervention Strategies Project
was launched in March 25, 2003
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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A School Discipline Initiative.

Project formulation informed by:

Reports
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Newspaper articles
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Feedback from students
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Teachers
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Parents
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Teachers union.
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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A School Discipline Initiative.
It was decided that there needed to be
better coordination of all contributing
programmes
deemed to be suitable for reducing violence
and indiscipline in schools.
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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Violence and Indiscipline

Incidents in which there is verbal or
physical abuse, threats, attacks, or
harassment by a pupil, parent, member
of the public or any other person.

Any statement or action that causes
fear for ones safety, the safety of
another, the school or personal
property
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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Violence and Indiscipline

Manifestations:
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Disruptive behaviour
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Drug use
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Smoking
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Gambling
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Fighting
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vandalism,
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Extortion
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Obscene language
Possession of
weapons
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Explosive devices
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTING PROGRAMMES
IN PROJECT PEACE

STUDENTS

Crisis reduction intervention strategies programme (14
schools)

Pre-Carnival programme
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Out of school suspension
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Peer mediation (24 schools)
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Homework centres

Mock trials

School time-out programme (12 schools)

Driver responsibility education (Ministry of Works and
Transport)

Student Councils
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTING PROGRAMMES
IN PROJECT PEACE

TEACHERS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY

Peace, Love and Understanding for Students
(PLUS)

Reclaiming the Classroom (Dep’t of Gender
Affairs, UWI)

Parent education

Together We Light the Way (Self-Esteem
programme)

Ancillary staff training

Public Awareness programmes
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT PEACE

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To establish the practice of peer mediation
To acquaint students with the consequences of undesirable
behaviour
To provide reflective and rehabilitative education for
suspended students
To promote responsibility in young drivers
To give students a voice in the life of the school
To enhance the spiritual growth of students
To develop teachers personally and professionally
To enhance the social and emotional development of students
To develop a program based on meritocracy for students and
teachers
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT PEACE

To develop a code of conduct for teachers and students

To assist in the development of a system of substitute teachers

To educate parents about their responsibilities regarding their
children

To develop the skills of ancillary staff of schools and other
personnel like Community Police and bus and Maxi taxi drivers

To ensure that the public is aware of all programs and projects
associated with Project Peace

To conduct research to determine the causes of violence and
indiscipline in schools

To develop curriculum to stem violence and indiscipline in
schools
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RESULT: COORDINATION OF CONTRIBUTING
PROGRAMMES WITH ADDITIONAL YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES
The implementation of the School
Discipline Initiative, a joint project of
the Ministry of National Security and
the Ministry of Education.
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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A School Discipline Initiative.

Structure
JANUARY 2004
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A Strategic Committee was established to:
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Oversee and advise on School Intervention
Programs to curb violence and indiscipline in
schools.
An Operations Team was established with a
mandate to:
−
Formulate a Joint Action Plan for implementation
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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The Action Plan for School Discipline
is a joint partnership

It is a coordinated approach, and involves the pooling of
key resources from:
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The Ministry of Education, and
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The Ministry of National Security
−
Police Services
−
Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force
−
Prisons
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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The Mission is to Improve the Climate and Discipline in
our Schools by Creating a Culture of Peace through
planned interventions.
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This will provide our students with a comfortable and
achievement-oriented environment so that the focus can be
on teaching and learning
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The partnership will intensify work in schools towards
creating a Values Promoting school environment that is:

Peaceful
Disciplined and

Safe

Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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A fundamental tenet is that there is Shared
Responsibility in achieving this Mission


Working Together
Improving the climate and
discipline in our schools
directly serves the interests
of students, teachers, parents
and the community.
Students
Shared Responsibility
requires the commitment and
participation of all
stakeholders
Parents
Community
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
Teachers
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“The last freedom is to choose
ones attitude in the face of any
given circumstances.”
From Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
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The Action Plan seeks to provide measurability,
accountability and awareness to the initiative
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Goals are to:
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Develop a current profile of the level of discipline in schools
that will enable future comparisons
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Increase awareness of the initiative within schools and in the
wider community
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Promote community involvement for social interactions and to
take care of law enforcement issues
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Contribute to the safety and security in schools including the
use of technology
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Increase quality of service provided by Security Firms
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Coordinators will be used to facilitate the
execution of the Action Plan
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The Coordinators are specifically responsible for:
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Monitoring and evaluating the progress of the plan, document
best practices and successes and propose modification where
necessary
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Coordinating the implementation of strategies between the
two principal agencies as identified in the plan
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Providing reports to the Strategic Team
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Managing the collaborative efforts to ensure compliance and
that procedures are fair and reasonable to both side
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
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Success requires the support of a multidisciplinary team working towards clear
objectives for promoting good citizenship.
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Objectives include:
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Fostering parent involvement in the education process
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Facilitating education for parents on their rights and
responsibilities
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Increasing Community Policing
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Promoting a comprehensive, school-wide anti-drug campaign
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Developing and implementing techniques in Conflict
Resolution and Problem Solving
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Strengthening and enhancing the security systems in and
around schools
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Achieving quality service from Security Firms
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Facilitating the nurturing of good citizenship
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We are currently reviewing a number of specific
programmes to begin this transformation
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Parents/NPTA/PTAs. Establishing:
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Mechanisms to provide regular information to parents
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Partnership programmes with parents including Parent Education
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Homework centers
Teachers/Security Teams. Training:
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Deans: Laws pertaining to Violence, Drugs and Sexual Abuse
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Principals and Security Team: ADR, Mediation and Conflict
Resolution
Students/Student Councils. Expanding:
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Junior Achievement in Secondary Schools
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Youth Training Centre Mentoring Programme
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Military led academic training programmes and Youth Programme of
Apprentiship
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An end result should be an increase in the quality
of interactions within the school environment
We envision a Values Promoting school environment with 
Parents and other
stakeholders who are:
 Involved
Students who are:
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Independent
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Innovative
Inventive
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Creative
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Teachers who are:
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Committed
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Willing to engage
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Caring
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Respectful and Trustworthy
Trinidad & Tobago Ministry of Education
Problem solvers
Communicators
Supportive
Encouraging
Participative
Spiritual
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In creating a Values Promoting School, we are
reminded that we should:
1.
Create who we are
2.
Involve parents
3.
Promote fitness
4.
Support clubs and service groups
5.
Foster peer support
6.
Discuss our plans
7.
Stimulate community participation
8.
Encourage reading
9.
Promote spirituality
10.
Model virtues
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The Last Freedom
“Facilitating students to choose
attitudes and to display
appropriate behaviours in the
face of any given circumstances”
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End of Presentation
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