PRINCIPLES OF AUTHORITATIVE INSTRUCTION
Augsburg Fairview Academy ascribes to a conceptual framework called the “Circle of Courage.” This framework is based on Western psychology and the common practices of Indigenous cultures throughout the world in the upbringing of young people. As such, AFA expects that the principles of authoritative instruction and best practices will guide its students, teachers, and staff.
The Academy’s policies regarding instruction, student management, interpersonal relationships, and discipline are grounded on the following principles that apply to every member of the school community:
Be caring, kind, and honest to myself and others, always;
Do nothing that brings harm to myself or others, ever;
Take responsibility for any harm I cause and heal it.
- I will seek to protect the safety, interests, rights, and dignity of everyone and will try to avoid even the appearance of being hurtful, demeaning, confrontational, or blaming in what I say or do to anyone.
- When faced with challenging behavior, I will avoid being drawn into conflict or resorting to coercion to control behavior. I will, instead, be responsive to the problems underlying the behavior and provide positive support and guidance to help the person work through the issue at hand.
- I will be a role model of engaged learning: demonstrating the habits of mind that make it possible to acquire knowledge, understanding, and skills; and reinforcing the lifelong value to be gained by strengthening these habits.
- I will be a role model of good behavior: showing students, by word and deed, the virtues that they will need to practice to be successful citizens, parents, friends, neighbors, and workers for the rest of their lives.
- I will provide help and instruction that captures each student’s interest, be highly engaged every time I interact with a student, and demonstrate a high level of professionalism in the preparation, execution, and assessment of everything I do.
- I will make myself available to students and their families to build strong relationships and deal with issues or concerns as they occur.
- I will not give up on any student, no matter how much the student may resist or how challenging the student’s behavior may be.
AFA District Discipline Policy