Schiesher School Introduces Paws Laws Shuffle

from District 202

students are integrating new behavioral skills into their everyday life with the Schiesher “Paws Laws Shuffle.” Teachers are emphasizing the importance of respect, readiness and responsibility.

In the classroom teachers spend a majority of the first week of school teaching the kids about classroom expectations, how to work together cooperatively, what we expect in classroom discussions, and precisely what to do in many situations.  However, in the past students have been sent in the hallways, to the bathrooms, out to recess and lunch without these specific directions and expectations about what is acceptable behavior in those places and what is not.

That is not the case anymore.  Schiesher support teachers and staff put together a schedule where every class shuffled from the bathroom, to the hallway, out to recess, lunch and to the building entrances.  In each setting, students learned and then discussed the 'three  B’s': how to be respectful, responsible and ready in that specific environment.  You’d be surprised how many hands flew up to answer Mrs. Neustadt’s question about how to be responsible in the bathroom! 

“Don’t lock the doors to the stall and then climb out underneath.” 

“Go in, and then come right back out quickly.” 

“Don’t peek over the stall to look at someone else.” 

“Don’t swing on the stall doors.” 

The expectations were made clear, “Enter the bathroom, do your business, wash your hands with one pump of soap, and then head back to class immediately.” 

Research shows that teaching children expectations in a very direct and specific manner helps improve behavior across all school settings.  Time will tell for Schiesher students, but one thing is for sure: the students working in their classes were much less distracted by students walking by in the halls this week, as they were clearly maintaining a “Volume 0” in the hallway; no talking at all.  And less distractions equals more learning.