Thoughts on developing character and our discipline policy

Tuesday, September 15, 2015 12:06 PM

This summer, our faculty read How Children Succeed, by Paul Tough.  In crafting his argument about the importance of personal traits in success, Tough distinguished between two types of executive function: cognitive flexibility and cognitive self-control.  He writes, "Cognitive flexibility is the ability to see alternate solutions to problems, to think outside the box, to negotiate unfamiliar situations. Cognitive self-control is the ability to inhibit an instinctive or habitual response and substitute a more effective, less obvious one."  He also suggests that success may be less determined by the amount of information and academic skills we teach our students than the persistence and self-control that we can help them develop.  (Excerpts from the book are available in several different publications. Here is an article in the NY Times about the development of these qualities in schools.)

Research confirms to use that a strong approach to discipline includes carefully designed classroom environments, a curriculum that is accessible and engaging to the full range of students in the school, time to have physical activity, and clear expectations around behavior.  It is a given that our students have lapses in judgement. It is our job to help them learn to navigate a variety of social situations from starting school to the complexities of adolescence, learn to manage their emotions around frustration, disappointment, and anxiety, and learn to make better choices and take responsibility for their actions. 

We believe that it is our job as a school to help our students develop both the cognitive flexibility and cognitive self-control that Tough writes about. While it is relatively easy to read about the importance of perseverance and grit, it is not always so easy is to put these ideas into practice. Each child presents us with unique opportunities for learning and unique challenges.  At Battery Park City School, our staff is very thoughtful in how we respond to individual students.  We seek out advice from other educators and read a lot.  And we have to think about how we apply this information to the unique circumstances of the children we are working with. We appreciate the opportunity to work with families and our colleagues to help our children grow into strong, resilient, and confident adults.

More information on our approach to discipline will be shared at a our Town Hall Safety meeting on October 9 from 8 to 8:30 (right before the PTA meeting).  If you have specific questions, you can pose them to me here so that I can be sure to answer your questions.