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Policy on Disruptive Social Behaviours, Aitchison College
33
Annexe 8: Terminologies & Comparisons
Sanctions vs Punishments
In the policy on disruptive behaviour at Aitchison College, the term sanctions will be preferred over
punishments as they:
1. Focus on rehabilitation and growth
2. Encourage reflection and accountability
3. Address underlying causes of misbehaviour
4. Foster a positive and supportive school culture
By using the term sanction instead of punishment, we aim to create a more constructive and effective discipline
policy that promotes positive behavioural change. Even though the terms punishments and sanctions are often
used interchangeably in most discipline policies, there is a subtle difference between the two:
Punishments
Sanctions
1. Focus on retribution or revenge for misbehaviour
1. Focus on correcting or changing behaviour
2. Aim to inflict discomfort, pain, or suffering
2. Aim to hold individuals accountable for their
actions
3. Often arbitrary and not necessarily related to the
misbehaviour
3. Typically related to the misbehaviour and intended
to prevent recurrence
4. Can be perceived as punitive, rather than corrective
4. Can be perceived as fair and corrective
5. May not address the underlying causes of the
misbehaviour
5. Address the underlying causes of the misbehaviour
6. Can lead to resentment, anger, and decreased
motivation
6. Can lead to reflection, learning, and positive
behavioural change
To illustrate the difference
Punishment: A student is given a time-out for being
late to class without considering the underlying reasons
for their tardiness.
Sanction: A student is given a warning and required
to meet with a counselor to discuss strategies for
improving their punctuality after being late to class
multiple times.
Time-out and Detention
In the policy on disruptive behaviours at Aitchison College, both time-out and detention will be used. These are
two common disciplinary strategies, but they serve different purposes and have distinct differences:
Time-out
Detention
1. Immediate removal: Temporary removal from the
classroom or activity to calm down and reflect.
1. Post-incident reflection: A scheduled period of
reflection and consequence, usually after the
incident has occurred.
2. Short duration: Typically lasts from 1-5 minutes,
depending on the situation.
2. Longer duration: Typically lasts from 15-60
minutes, depending on the school's policies.
3. Focus on calming: Aims to help the student calm
down, regulate their emotions, and regain self-control.
3. Focus on accountability: Aims to hold the student
accountable for their actions, provide an opportunity
for reflection, and complete missed work or
assignments.
4. Minimal supervision: May be supervised by a teacher
or other staff member, but the focus is on the student's
self-reflection.
4. Direct supervision: Usually supervised by a
teacher or other staff member, who monitors the
student's behaviour and ensures they complete
assigned tasks.