Good behaviour rewarded at Breifne College

The teachers in Breifne College have come up with an innovative way to promote positive behaviour, and counteract the negative behaviour that can lead to bullying, among the 200 first and second year students. The Positive Behaviour Programme is a system of recording notes in students' journals, and rewarding those that do well. The staff say students have enjoyed the competitive element of the programme and, more importantly, appreciate that the teachers focus on their achievements. Some of the good comments concern courteous, co-operative, respectful and helpful attitudes at school. The students work in teams, each of which is identified with role models, such as Sean Gallagher from Dragons' Den, who visited Breifne College on Wednesday of last week to impart some words of wisdom and the rewards of positivity at work, rest and play (see story on the news pages). Tony Riley, the special needs co-ordinator at the college this year, has worked on the behaviour support programme for the last few years. "The whole school decided to be pro-active and look at good behaviour instead of negative behaviour," he said. "We all worked together and developed a system to firstly monitor the behaviour in class via the school journal. The seven behaviour patterns include turning up for college on time, doing homework properly. When the teachers recognised these patterns, they noted codes in the students journals and all the number one marks added up in the students' favour." Stephen McCabe from Crossdoney, a first year at Breifne College, found the positive behaviour programme helpful because it encouraged the students to behave better - there was an incentive in the shape of various trips on the horizon. He agreed that it was also a way of discouraging any bullying that might arise. Anthony McDonald from Ballyhaise is in second year and his favourite subject is woodwork. He said the innovative programme "makes you feel better about yourself and you have more confidence". He was of the view that the college should continue with the programme. Saibhe Smyth from Cavan town, whose favourite subject is home economics, said the Positive Behaviour Programme encouraged the students and was also of the view that it does eliminate bullying and leads to a much better atmosphere behaviour in the classes in general. The Positive Behaviour Programme teams are colour coded and all have prominent, successful people as their mentors: Dragons' Den star Sean Gallagher was chosen by the Blue team; Catherina McKiernan is the patron of the Red team; President Mary McAleese, the green team, and Bill Cullen, the Yellow team. The president has invited the Green team to meet her in Áras an Uachtaráin and Bill Cullen and Catherina McKiernan will be visiting Breifne College in the coming weeks. Brenda Lynch, who teaches behaviour support and geography, said there were more than 2,000 good notes during the last term among the first and second year students. Teachers and students are working together with a positive approach to reach the same goal of good behaviour and success in studies and exams. Teresa Clerkin, who also teachers behaviour support, pointed out that there is a community aspect as well, and Sean McKiernan, who is involved in the Home School Completion Programme, has taken students on trips to such places as Killykeen for a treasure hunt and on a bowling adventure.