Pupils should set classroom rules: expert

·6 Jan 2016

A British teacher, who has been shortlisted for a Global Teacher Prize, says that learners can be trusted to “come up with sensible decisions” regarding classroom rules.

In an interview with the Telegraph, Sean Bellamy, teacher and co-founder of a school in Devon, said that students should be able “to choose how they are educated” with adults acting rather as “facilitators”.

Bellamy, who is up for the major international prize worth $1 million, said that some rules should be fixed including those relating to smoking, alcohol and drugs.

“What about if the disciplinary procedures were designed by students? Why don’t we create judicial councils, in which young people are resourced and skilled up in order to come up with solutions?

“I would be aiming for non-punitive solutions,” he said. “Our experience is that punishment doesn’t lead to reflection.”

He continued: “If a child is more than 10 minutes late [to class], the group decides whether the child is allowed in. If you eat lunch in the school then you have to wash up; if you forget, that’s fine, but if you refuse, you can’t eat lunch for a week. A child could then appeal to the school council, who will find a reasonable way forward.”

Bellamy said that young people are ‘really wise’ adding that “part of that comes out of making decisions, making mistakes. It’s about understanding the consequences of their actions”.

“My sense is that schools should be places where people are able to make mistakes, allowing pupils to develop compassion and wisdom. When everything is teaching to the test, you end up with a two dimensional anaesthetised education.”

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