Common Philosophy and Purpose

Effective schools commit their philosophy of discipline to writing through their beliefs, mission and vision. This philosophy creates a sense of direction that gives coherence to diverse activities. It also serves to clarify to others outside of staff how the school operates regarding discipline, and protects and helps sustain the work. Time spent examining what staff truly believes about student discipline and creating a shared philosophy is a wise investment in lasting change (Missouri SW-PBS, 2019).

Learner Objectives

By the end of this course, you will…

• explore beliefs about discipline and establish your building’s “why”.
• review and/or create a mission statement to verify that it addresses the development of student social competence.
• review and/or create a vision statement to verify that it addresses the development of student social competence. gain and document staff commitment to SW-PBS.

Recommended Prerequisites

Read Section 1 Overview in MO SW-PBS Handbook.

Reflective Questions

• What is your building’s “why”?
• How does your staff view discipline?