Peace follows Texas Child Care Licensing minimum standards regarding Discipline and Guidance. These standards are as follows:

Discipline must be:

• Individualized and consistent for each child;
• Appropriate to the child's level of understanding; and
• Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.

A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:

• Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon unacceptable behavior;
• Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements;
• Redirecting behavior using positive statements; and
• Using brief supervised separation or time out from the group, when appropriate for the child's age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per year of the child's age.

There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child. The following types of discipline and guidance are prohibited:

• Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment:
• Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training;
• Pinching, shaking, or biting a child;
• Hitting a child with a hand or instrument;
• Putting anything in or on a child's mouth;
• Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child;
• Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language;
• Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed; and
• Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time for the child's age.

In addition to the Discipline and Guidance Policies specified by Child Care Licensing, Peace incorporates specific guidance methods with the children. Our ultimate goal in child guidance is to teach self-discipline. In order to learn self-discipline, children must abide by specific behavior expectations or guidelines. These guidelines must be consistent and understood by each child. If a child exhibits inappropriate behavior, the teacher will use one or more of the following guidance techniques:

Redirection: guiding a child into acceptable options when engaged in an unacceptable activity

Restating Limits: boundaries, or "limits," are developed by the teacher and restated when inappropriate behavior occurs

Ignoring: ignoring some inappropriate behaviors, with more emphasis given to appropriate behavior

Positive Reinforcement: using encouragement

Problem Solving: encouraging children to discuss with each other the problem they are having and possible solutions, and guiding them to choose an appropriate solution

Modeling: demonstrating appropriate ways of interacting

Providing choices: outlining appropriate choices and encouraging children to make decisions for themselves

We communicate with parents so we can work together. If a problem seems to be developing, we may ask parents to come observe in class. We want to be an inclusive school, so we may have students with various needs, including behavioral needs. We hope that families celebrate all children's steps toward self-discipline. In some instances, however, staff, family, and possibly outside resource people may come to the conclusion that our school setting is not the appropriate one for a particular child.