ACS Norm

Dear Parents and Carers,

As communicated last year, one of our primary aims for 2024 is to enhance the structure and effectiveness of our learning environment. A pivotal step towards achieving this goal has been the development of the Armstrong Creek School Norms. These norms encompass a set of common behaviours and routines aimed at fostering positive, predictable, orderly and safe learning experiences for our students. Anchored in our core values of Care, Collaboration, and Commitment, these norms serve as guiding principles for our entire community. We are pleased to announce that following the soft launch of Norm #1 in 2023, all eight ACS norms were introduced and have been implemented from the beginning of this academic year.

Our ACS norms serve several important purposes:

• Supporting a disciplined, safe, and predictable environment conducive to learning.
• Facilitating the automation of certain behaviors and routines, thus allowing cognitive resources to be directed towards learning (in accordance with Cognitive Load Theory).
• Reducing stress, anxiety, and uncertainty among our students.
• Promoting successful coexistence and mutual respect within our diverse and cohesive community.
• Cultivating a sense of belonging and connectedness for all students within our school community.

In keeping with this initiative, we are deeply committed to the ongoing professional development of our staff. Our educators are actively engaged in a diverse array of professional learning opportunities, focusing on best practices in wellbeing including the Berry Street Education Model, School Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS), Cognitive Load Theory, and Behavior Management.  Recently, our educators engaged in professional learning sessions led by renowned school behaviour expert, Tom Bennett. With his expertise and research in classroom management, these sessions have effectively equipped our staff with the necessary knowledge and skills for the successful implementation of our school norms

Additionally, we have seamlessly integrated the Berry Street Education Model framework and further strengthened our SWPBS framework. This ensures that we are continually enhancing our ability to support the holistic development and wellbeing of our students.

We are also thrilled to introduce Wellbeing Lead Teachers, one per learning community, in 2024. These dedicated individuals are prioritising the further enhancement of our whole school wellbeing practices for all students and staff, highlighting our unwavering commitment to student wellbeing.

Armstrong Creek School Norms

Our staff are diligently and explicitly teaching, reinforcing, and revisiting with students the expectations of these norms, along with the skills necessary to adhere to them, both within individual classrooms and throughout the entire school.

The skills that underpin each norm have been derived from various areas of the Victorian Curriculum, including English, Personal and Social Capability, and Health, spanning from Levels A to Level 1.

For example, ACS Norm #2 “Move from one space or activity to another in a quiet, calm, and orderly way as directed by a learning adult” entails moving from one space or activity to another in a quiet, calm, and orderly manner as directed by a learning adult. To achieve this, students are explicitly taught the following two skills:

1. Participating as part of a school group under teacher direction: This involves demonstrating simple social skills such as attending to others, greeting, and following adult directions 
2. Following directions to move through and around a space: Students learn to identify their pathway through a space and use vocabulary associated with movement to describe how their body moves in relation to space, objects, and people 

By explicitly teaching these skills, we ensure that our students have the necessary tools to successfully demonstrate to our norms and contribute to a positive learning environment.  Congratulations to all staff and student members of our school community for their individual and collective efforts in upholding our ACS Norms. 

Thought provoking insights 

You might have observed the recent surge in news coverage across Australia addressing a national crisis concerning student behaviour within schools. There's a growing emphasis on the explicit teaching of behaviour, including aspects such as entering and exiting classrooms quietly, proper listening etiquette, and effective questioning techniques - practices that we have already begun implementing at ACS. Below are excerpts from Australian news headlines and evidence-based research that further validate our school's approach:

Article 1: Aussie students will be taught old-school discipline in a bid to rid classrooms of bad behaviour

Recent reports reveal plans to reintroduce traditional disciplinary practices in Australian classrooms, focusing on teaching students fundamental behaviours like entering classrooms quietly, sitting attentively, listening attentively, and asking questions respectfully. These strategies may vary from school to school.

(Source: Herald Sun 2024) 

Article 2: Calls for schools to bring back more traditional disciplinary methods

Calls for the return of traditional disciplinary methods highlight guidelines such as students lining up quietly before entering classrooms, maintaining attentive listening rather than engaging in free conversation, standing behind chairs at the end of class until excused, and adopting "super walking" procedures for orderly movement around the school.

(Source: 9 News 2024) 

Article 3: High Expectations for student behaviour: Their role in student management 

The significance of behaviour expectations in the classroom cannot be overstated, as they provide students with clear guidelines for appropriate conduct, fostering a positive and productive learning environment. Clarity in expectations instils a sense of security in students, as they know precisely what is expected of them (DeNobile, 2021). Additionally, maintaining high behavioural standards not only instils hope for success in students but also conveys care and support, ultimately promoting achievement for all (Bennett, 2020; McDonald, 2019).

Research indicates that when teachers set high expectations for students' behaviour, it often results in increased effort from the students themselves (Goss et al., 2017). In instances where students struggle with a task due to its perceived difficulty, rather than simply demanding completion and outlining consequences for non-compliance, teachers can engage in discussions to address concerns and provide necessary support, facilitating successful task completion (Sarra et al., 2018).

Furthermore, establishing high expectations for students not only increases the likelihood of meeting or surpassing those expectations but also encourages learning, fosters accountability, and promotes an understanding of the consequences of behaviour (Australian Government Department of Education, 2023; Wong & Wong, 2018). Such high expectations are associated with numerous positive outcomes, including improvements in behaviour, self-esteem, motivation, attendance, and academic achievement (Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation [CESE], 2020)

(Source: Australian Education Research Organisation 2024)

These insights and evidence-based research reinforce the importance of our commitment to teaching behaviour effectively, as it not only cultivates a conducive learning environment but also empowers students to excel academically and socially.

Upcoming Information Sessions

We recognise that parents/carers may be interested in learning more about our ACS Norms. Therefore, we will be conducting an information session dedicated to the norms prior to the end of Term 2.  Further details regarding the session will be communicated through Compass.

Thank you

Katrina Broadhead and Steph Taylor