STUDENT DISCIPLINE:
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Foundational Discipline Information
RCDS's Perspective on Discipline
Background information regarding discipline:
Riverside Christian Day School desires to minister continual support to Biblical parental authority in the home according to the command, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." The teachers' discipline of children should be viewed as a direct support to the parents' God-given task to "bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:1-4)
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:11, NIV).
The disciplining of children is a sorrowful experience at home and at school. Though discipline is not pleasant, it is a necessary part of growing in Christian character. When parents and teachers remain faithfully and lovingly firm in this training process, the children who yield to the training will reap a "harvest of righteousness and peace."
The Book of Proverbs from the Bible is a sensible textbook on child discipline. Proverbs tells us what God's wisdom is, how we can be wise, and how to train a child's heart in wisdom. Proverbs says wisdom begins with an awesome respect for our Creator. Wisdom comes from God's thoughts and ways which are higher than man's thoughts and ways.
God wants each of us to become like the WISE MAN of Proverbs and He warns us of three negative attitudes that resist His wisdom. (See Proverbs 1:22)
The WISE MAN listens and obeys God's wisdom. His intellect, emotions, and will are tuned to God's wisdom. However,
The NAIVE SIMPLE ONE manifests an uninstructed intellect.
The SILLY BABBLING FOOL is captive to his foolish emotions.
The HAUGHTY SCORNING MOCKER shows a defiant untrained will.
God deals personally with us on these issues and He uses us to reprove and correct the children's negative attitudes in order to guide them to His wisdom. The ultimate remedy for our ignorance, foolishness, and rebellion is for each of us to receive God's forgiveness, cleansing, and new life by trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)
The School's perspective on student discipline is as follows:
Discipline of any kind should be related toward bringing one's life into subjection to Christ and be well-pleasing to Him. The extent and type of discipline will vary according to the child and related circumstances. In any event, a single standard of control is essential in order to facilitate the child's proper view of the teacher's image and authority. Where there is no respect, the learning process is hindered. Therefore, the standard of control is the same for all children. A teacher must have the right to deal equitably with all the children.
Correction is to be used with extreme care, not indiscriminately. Corrective discipline may be very effective when given at the right occasion, but discretion must be used to determine this. It is necessary to get to know the students to determine what discipline is most effective.
When possible, discipline should be immediate and completed without delay. Long-term hangovers are detrimental to effecting a positive ministry in a child's life.
The School's procedure on student discipline includes the following:
* INSTRUCT the students in wise choices that lead them to love God and to love people.
* WARN the students that we are committed to helping them learn to make wise choices.
* REPROVE the errant child with words that identify wrong choices and repeat instruction.
* CORRECT the resistant child with action that reinforces words of reproof and instruction.
Parents are contacted and a written discipline notice is sent for children who receive corrective action at school. Parents are encouraged to call the School for a conference with the teacher if there are questions about the discipline. The ultimate corrective action the School has taken is to suspend or terminate enrollment.
"Discipline and love are not antithetical; one is a function of the other... children thrive best in an atmosphere of genuine love, undergirded by reasonable consistent discipline." -Dr. James Dobson, Dare to Discipline.
RIVERSIDE CHRISTIAN DAY SCHOOL
3612 ARLINGTON AVENUE, RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA 92506
(951) 686-1818