Pillar II - Do No Harm

1. When it comes to the concept of Do No Harm, I believe
When it comes to the concept of Do No Harm, I believe it sounds like the educational equivalent of the Hippocratic Oath!  On the surface it sounds so obvious, but there do seem like there might be some instances when schools may in fact do unintended harm to students.
2. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in discipline policies and practices?
As a future school leader, I like the idea of reviewing all the rules to determine “is this rule a teaching tool?”  If it looks like a rule is simply inflicting punishment, I would want to reconsider it to see if it could be improved to become more of a teaching tool.
3. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in program practices and initiatives?
With regards to programs, as a future school leader I would want to build a culture early on that built relationships between students.  The better that students know each other (and their teachers), the less likely they will willingly inflict harm on each other and the school environment.
4. Future sphere of influence, as the school leader, how would my beliefs be reflected in our professional development as a community of learners?
As a future school leader, I would stress the PD that helps teachers implement the absolute best pedagogical practices.  While this may not seem related to the “do no harm” concept; it is.  The more engaging the curriculum, the less likely that students will resort to inappropriate behavior, and the amount of harm being done will certainly decrease.
5. Is the concept of teaching students to “first do no harm” integrated into the culture of your school (or workplace)?
The motto at our school is “Trust, Respect, Responsibility.”  I believe this is an attempt to get beyond simply not doing harm, and reaching for even loftier goals when it comes to behavior.
6. How does your answer to the previous prompt sit with you?
I agree with this approach, as I think the vast majority of people (teachers and students alike) already know they should “do no harm.”
7. Current sphere of influence: Commit to 5 things you are willing to do this semester that will make your school a more positive restorative place.

1. Re-emphasize the building of relationships between me and my students.
   
2. Revisit my most often invoked rules/consequences when it comes to behavior, and double-check them to see if they are indeed “teaching tools” or not.
   
3. At the next staff-wide review of the student handbook, introduce the idea about rules being “teaching tools,” and encourage the use of that lens while we revise/update the handbook.
   
4. Research the level of safety that our students say they feel at our school.
   
5. Try really hard to “separate the deed from the doer” when it comes to rule violations.  When you have that mindset, it’s much less stressful when dealing with a misbehaving student!