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PROXIMITY MANAGEMENT
- safe supervision is the name of the game -
in the classroom, on the playground, on the bus, on field trips,
wherever safe and effective supervision is required

Catch students doing the right thing, reward immediately.

When queried about priorities at their child's school, parents consistently put "safety" at the top of the list. "Academic achievement" usually comes in about number four or five. The priority list usually looks like this:

1. Safety / Supervision
2. Moral environment / Strong discipline program
3. Values
4. Athletics / Friends
5. Academics
6. Extra curricular activities

Proximity Management is a style of student management and supervision that requires staff to interact closely with students. It focuses staff's attention on behavior, and is, hands down, the safest and most effective style of supervision available.

Unfortunately, by the time teachers, and other supervisors, are out of the classroom, they are ready for a break. Very often, instead of being allowed time for a moments relaxation, they are required to supervise a transition, a lunchroom, a playground, a bus ride, an assembly.... Tired, and in need of some peer contact, adult supervisors tend to cluster together to talk -- often failing to keep their eyes on their charges in a manner that truly provides safe supervision. Some children, sensing this laxity in supervision, search out those blind spots on the playground, on the bus, on the field trip, in the auditorium, and use these out-of-sight areas as safe havens for a wide range of poor and unsafe behavior. I certainly did.

In order for Proximity Management to work effectively there must be immediate rewards, immediate penalties, and a way to handle tattling. Supervisors must be assigned very specific areas to supervise that allow full-view of the area under supervision. Supervisors must be supervised themselves, trained, and reminded to keep their eyes up, and scanning. Supervisors must stay on their feet and keep moving from student to student, constantly scanning for good behavior and safety violations.

Supervisors must constantly scan, keeping their eyes open for appropriate behavior, continually mentioning appropriate behavior to the responsible students.

Supervisors must severely limit getting personally involved in games to 15 seconds. When involved in a game, supervision decreases dramatically.

REMEMBER: When asked what they want at school, parents consistently answer:

1. Safety / Supervision
2. Moral environment / Strong discipline program
3. Values

Safety can not be adequately monitored when supervisors are clustered together, talking, or playing games. Supervision is the most difficult and responsible job there is. Sorry folks, no rest here.

Supervision cannot be left to parent volunteers who have neither accountability or training. Parent volunteers will, almost always, go immediately off task and start finding those children who are doing something wrong. The ability to find children doing something right is a specially trained talent; knowing how to reward children immediately is another great talent. Both require ongoing training and supervision. Supervisors must be trained and constantly supervised.

THE FOLLOWING MENUS SHOULD BE PRINTED OUT AND KEPT IN POCKET FOR QUICK REFERRAL:

Immediate rewards. On the behavior adults focus, is the behavior they will get.

• smile
• eye contact, eye contact, eye contact
• "Hello."
• "Good to see you."
• "Were you absent yesterday? I missed you."
• one minute extra recess
• help "clingy" students get involved
• special job (trash detail)
• thumbs up
• high five
• handshake
• touch on the shoulder
• appoint a line leader
• use the child's name in a positive way
• "Good job helping Amy, Bill."

Immediate penalties - implement calmly, make them short and mild, avoid talking with the student.

• Drill all rules to mastery. Catch the "trouble makers" before trouble starts. See, Rules: http://www.brainsarefun.com/Rules.html
• redirection (take students back to "Ground Zero" and walk him/her through the entire procedure again)
• "Stay where you are."
• "Stay with me."
• time out (clearly marked area, one minute)
• verbal reprimand (Be very clear, "Here's what I want you to do..."
• restrict choices ("Report directly to me. Stay within this exact area.")
• time owed against some other event
• student taken out of line and placed at end
• incident reports (3X = Referral)
• behavior improvement form (have student read form and fill out)
• call parent immediately on cell phone, "Your son is welcomed to continue participating in our activity, just as soon as all three of us have a face-to-face conference. How soon can you be here?"
• Ask, "Tell me what happened immediately before the event."

Tattling - four types and how to handle

Tattling is so serious because you, as the supervisor, usually did not witness anything directly. Events you have not witnessed directly run the risk of turning into, "He said... She said..." Remember, you are a supervisor, not a court of law, and in order to continue your supervising you may not allow yourself to get involved in a full-blown inquisition about minor issues. Serious violations require separating the offenders immediately, "You, go get the principal, Now!)

1. Social responsibility: "He stole some candy."
Your response, "Thanks, I'll take care of that." Go and speak with the student directly. If you don't know what happened simply let the student know the rules. Have the student repeat the rule, "The rule is, you don't touch other people's property without permission."

2. Minding someone else's business: "Bill and Sam are arguing."
Your response, "I think they can work that out." Keep a close eye open to insure no fighting.

3. Telling about a rule someone broke: "Bill said a bad word."
Your response, "I didn't see that happen, but I'm glad you know how to behave."

4. "Bill and Samantha just did something to me."
Your response, "How do you think you should handle that?"

Are students allowed to defend themselves? They certainly are. The way students are allowed to defend themselves against bullying, teasing, name calling, and other personal violations, is by getting an adult involved.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: PROXIMITY MANAGEMENT © July 2001 by Rory Donaldson. All rights reserved. In order to help reverse the tide of academic failure and optimize school success, parents and teachers may copy articles, tools and software for individual, non-commercial use at no charge. Contents may not be sold or repackaged in any manner without the written permission of Rory Donaldson. Since all material is copyrighted, please ensure that this entire copyright notice and contact information continues to be attached to each article you download. Mr. Donaldson appreciates the feedback. Additional academic-success articles and tools may be viewed and downloaded at no charge by logging on to brainsarefun.com. New titles are being released regularly. Suggestions and comments encouraged, email: roryd@brainsarefun.com.

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