Q: What do we do about tardies?

A: There are two ways to handle tardies. In both cases, we recommend that teachers utilize the Tardy Book located on pages 47-48 in the Effective Behavior Management manual.

Option 1: Follow the plan. Most schools have adopted the rule "Come on time" in one form or another. If a student is late, not only do they sign the tardy book, but they are entered into the Classroom Behavior Log with a consequence. Remember, being tardy is a choice and a behavior. The teacher simply follows the plan and treats the tardy as any other mischievous behavior.

Option 2: The tardy policy mirrors the classroom behavior plan such that tardies are documented in the tardy book and consequences are issued in a similar five-step progression to the classroom plan, i.e.:

1st tardy: Warning
2nd tardy: Classroom consequence issued by the teacher
3rd tardy: Classroom consequence issued by the teacher
4th tardy: Parent phone call
5th tardy: Administrative consequence (potentially progressing from lunch detention to after school detention and/or Saturday school)

Q: How might we adapt steps 2 and 3 for P.E.? The challenge is that we have tried to send students to a particular area before, but a teacher must police them or the students leave and wander or play.

A: As with any situation, the students must be taught how to behave in a time out or buddy room situation. Regardless of whether it is in a normal classroom environment, in P.E., on the yard, it is crucial that the behavior be taught, in this case, how to behave in time out. They must also know the consequences for misbehaving while serving a consequence. We can not expect students to do anything that we have not taught them.

Q: What if I make multiple attempts to contact the parents, leave messages, but cannot reach an adult on the phone?

A: It is the teacher's responsibility to make their best effort to contact the parents in the event that the student has reached that level in the consequence hierarchy or any similar situation. That means to make several attempts to call the numbers they have and the numbers on the office emergency card and leave messages when possible.

If unsuccessful, it is my recommendation that the teacher go to an admistrator and say, "I need help getting in touch with the parents of this student. I have done everything I can to get in contact with these parents. I can not be successful with this student unless I have the cooperation of these parents. I need your help." At that point it is the responsibility of the administration to assist the teacher in getting in touch with the family, either by involving a translator, community liason, parent volunteer, assisting them with a home visit, or any other means necessary.

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