Second Step - our Discipline & Respect Policy

The Westside community strives to treat one another with honesty, respect and generosity of spirit, to respect one another, the school, the community, and the environment. Westside’s discipline policy follows the same respectful guidelines. Discipline is preventative and positive. Teachers and staff speak and interact with children in a way that preserves and enhances self-esteem.

At Westside, our teachers believe that every child can succeed, and teach their curriculum in a way that meets individual differences. Children feel safe, and can try new things and test new ideas in an environment that encourages investigation. Children start out in preschool and kindergarten and learn that school is fun, and they graduate from the 5 th grade with the knowledge that they can and will succeed in their next steps. They have met high academic standards and graduate prepared for middle school, and they know that they will meet challenges with open minds and enthusiasm.

Second Step Overview
The Second Step program is a multi-grade, research-based curriculum, designed to assist students in developing strong social and emotional skills as well as the skills needed to constructively address conflict. The curriculum is based on four essential competencies: empathy, impulse control, problem solving, and anger management. Most behavioral limits are set in the classroom according to the developmental level of the children in each class.

Here is a summary of skills taught at Westside and you can reinforce at home.

EMPATHY SKILLS:

• listen

• recognize and acknowledge others’ feelings

• let the person know how you feel about their behavior. (“I feel” messages.)

IMPULSE CONTROL

Learn to manage emotions by recognizing strong reactions and the need to be calm when trying to solve a problem. Some ways to calm down:

• taking deep breaths

• counting

• thinking calming thoughts

• talking to yourself

• doing something physically active

• doing something quiet by yourself

• getting support from an adult

HOW TO SOLVE PROBLEMS

What is the problem?
What are some solutions?

For each solution, ask yourself:

• Is it safe?

• How might people feel about it?

• Is it fair?

• Will it work?

Choose a solution and use it.

Is it working?
If not, what can I do now?

FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN:

• How do I feel?

• What is the problem?

• What can I do?

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY

How does my body feel?

Calm Down:

• Take three deep breaths

• Count backward slowly

• Think calming thoughts

• Talk to yourself

• Think out loud to solve the problem (Use the problem-solving steps)

• Think about it later