MAKE YOUR DAY is based on a philosophy that promotes development of an internal locus of control in students. The basic tenets of this philosophy are built on human dignity and responsibility. Students understand that their actions result in fair, logical, and predictable consequences that are enforced in a manner that preserves their dignity. When one internalizes the philosophy inherent in Make Your Day; the structure and how to utilize it become obvious. There is no need for a ?cookbook? that covers all possible actions and reactions within the school environment.
Free will and choice are important components of Make Your Day that enhance the students? ability to develop an internal locus of control. However, understanding this concept can be the most difficult transition for school staff who would like to ?help? students make ?correct? decisions. Allowing students to make choices provides them with opportunities to learn through their successes and failures. Make Your Day affords students the opportunity to assess their academic and behavioral performance frequently so that there is time for error and recovery. The Make Your Day philosophy supports each student?s right to succeed or fail. Students who choose to take part in the learning environment put forth a distinctly higher level of effort. Those students who choose to ?opt out? are given the opportunity to do it in a way that does not affect the learning of others.
According to Webster?s Dictionary, a consequence is defined as the ??result of an action.? (p. 127) This differs from Webster?s definition of punishment, which is a ??penalty or harsh treatment.? (p. 462) Students perceive and understand the difference between consequences and punishment. Although ?fairness? is an ambiguous personal experience, there is a consensus among students that a consistent environment, a high regard for privacy, and an understanding of individual needs result in a feeling of being treated fairly. Make Your Day allows students to make decisions that result in fair, reasonable, predictable, and (for the teacher) enforceable consequences, which immediately follow a behavior that interferes with the learning or safety of others.
An important construct of Make Your Day is that the staff expectations of student behavior and academics are explicitly stated. Empowering students by allowing them to participate actively in the implementation of Make Your Day results in the students? acceptance of the cooperatively established limits. Only then can assessment and consequences be perceived as fair and positive. Whether the instructional expectations are individual or group oriented, quiet, or highly interactive, an underlying consistent structure must exist. Removing ?payoffs? such as overt emotionality, an audience, or attention for negative behaviors minimizes the drive many students have to misbehave. Following the steps of this program without variation will alleviate these ?payoffs? for the disruptive student. When students take ownership in the parameters necessary for optimal learning, teachers can teach and students can learn.
If June of ?Leave It To Beaver? taught us one great lesson, it was ? always wear your pearls when moving furniture and never let them see you sweat. We are educators, not babysitters or police officers. Expect your students to learn and they will respond to your expectations.
MAKE YOUR DAY is no more than the understanding that EVERY STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO LEARN IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
