The Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver

By Mr. Sam

Strategies presented in the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver will improve discipline, reduce referrals, increase safety, increase parental involvement and improve both the recruiting and the retention of school bus drivers. Everyone having an interest in public education should read the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver. The Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver addresses important issues of driver and student retention as well as student safety. The number one reason people refuse to become a school bus driver and the reason many bus driver's quit is their inability to effectively deal with student discipline. Others who quit were unable to reconcile school bus driver compensation with the rigors of managing student discipline. The truth is school bus drivers are paid way less to transport the “precious cargo” than other commercial drivers are paid to transport gravel, junk cars, and soda. After reading the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver everyone will know what it takes to be an effective big yellow school bus driver in the real world. Students refusing to follow school bus safety rules create an avalanche of time consuming issues not only for school bus drivers but for school administrators and parents as well. Student distraction from the safe operation of the big yellow bus is the number one safety concern of school bus drivers everywhere. Seeing drivers quit out of frustration moved me to write this book using real world strategies that effectively deal with student discipline in today's public schools. School bus drivers want students to succeed. We work very hard to set them up for success. We work all the time at keeping them on the bus while some students work just as hard trying to get kicked off. The Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver explains why you should do this and not something else using real world examples of commonly encountered student issues. Solutions are based on easy to understand reasoning for solving discipline problems. From this approach you understand how to work through the issue when given the facts and the rules to reach a real world solution. While many students comply with bus safety rules others simply refuse to act safely requiring a more robust and real world strategy. A strategy that keeps more students riding to school every day on the bus. The Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver is unique in providing real world solutions to real world issues.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mr. Sam
• Release date: Jan 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301104857

Mr. Sam

I started driving the byb out of my love of operating large vehicles and as a public service before formal retirement set in. Today, I am not only a byb driver, which I love doing, but a behind-the-wheel trainer of future byb drivers seeking their commercial driver's license as well as a safety instructor. I have also become a fan of school discipline techniques and have read many learned articles on the subject. For myself, I need to know why something is the way it is in order to learn it. My primary goal was helping more byb drivers continue driving. I've seen excellent drivers quit out of frustration with student discipline issues and compensation. It bothered me to see such good people give up. Often key points of how to do something and why you should not do something else were to blame. I saw a need to publish a real world how to book about managing students aboard the byb. Again, driving is the easy part, dealing effectively with student discipline, school administrators, parental development and bus managers were the real world challenges. Real world challenges that were quiet honestly rarely addressed until this book. After the first week of driving the byb I became aware of the real learning curve for new drivers. Especially when dealing effectively with students, parents and school administrators. Drawing from my professional background in continuous process and quality improvement coupled with years of training adults on complex processes this book presents usable and important strategies that solve many issues facing byb drivers on a daily basis. Moreover, I immediately recognized informational and application short-comings of typical byb driver training that failed to focus on real world strategies and examples of dealing effectively with student discipline today. This book came about to help new byb drivers become not only successful but a happy byb driver. This book will fast-forward your skills and remove a lot of the pain and suffering from trial and error learning. It should also lift your morale and address the looming issue of poor compensation given all the physical and mental skills required to safely transport the “precious cargo.” To my knowledge this is the only book that discusses real world issues using case examples then explains why you should do this and not something else when managing student discipline in today's public schools. Teaching adults the why's and wherefores are critical to understanding. To this end the book was crafted to be both readable and informative. In summary, be proactive not reactive. The fundamentals of organization, consistency and fairness create an environment aboard the byb that will keep students safe and following the rules way more often than not. And do ask for help from the school and parents. Don't be fearful that someone may not immediately respond to your request for help. School principals are over loaded. Whatever you do, don't give up.

Book preview

T

HE REAL WORLD BIG YELLOW BUS DRIVER

Written and Published by Mr. Sam

SmashWords Edition

Copyright 2012 by Mr. Sam

12/2013 Revision

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite online bookstore and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

***

Publishing an Ebook affords more control over the writing and publishing process than traditional publishing channels and all savings go directly to the cost of the book. Ebooks are way better, faster and so much lower-cost to write and publish. It's a win-win situation for authors and readers.

Special thanks to Ms. Bird and Ms. Calhoun for all their time and advice. Thanks to the parents, byb drivers and educators who spent time listening and answering questions about how best to deal with student discipline issues and why. Without your help the time to master student discipline issues would have taken a lifetime.

And, thanks to both Mr. Shaw and Mr. Woodley for their individual inspiration and motivation without which this book would not have been possible.

Cover Art by Rita Toews

Bus Photo by Mario Spann

PREFACE

Strategies presented in the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver will improve discipline, reduce referrals, increase safety, increase parental involvement and improve both the recruiting and the retention of big yellow bus (byb) drivers. Everyone having an interest in public education should read the Real World BYB Driver.

The Real World BYB Driver addresses important issues of driver and student retention as well as student safety. The number one reason people refuse to become a byb driver and the reason many driver's quit is their inability to effectively deal with student discipline. Some believe schools simply failed to provide sufficient support regarding student discipline issues. While others were unable to reconcile byb driver compensation with the rigors of managing student discipline. The truth is byb drivers are paid way less to transport the precious cargo than other commercial drivers are paid to transport gravel, junk cars, and soda. After reading the Real World BYB Driver everyone should begin to appreciate what it takes to be an effective byb driver in the real world of public schools today.

Once you realize how student discipline uses an inordinate amount of time and resources then you begin to understand the byb driver's reality where her focus may be more on students who refuse to act safely than operating the byb. Such students create an avalanche of time consuming issues not only for byb drivers but for school administrators and parents as well. Student distraction from the safe operation of the byb is the number one safety concern of school bus drivers everywhere. Seeing drivers quit out of frustration moved me to write this book using real world strategies that effectively deal with student discipline in today's public schools.

The strategies dealing with student discipline on the byb produced a paradigm for keeping students in school and graduating on-time. Thinking about all the up-to-the-minute interaction and information a driver receives from students and parents, I began to understand how supporting the byb driver adds value to schools. The byb driver's knowledge base about students and their specific situation should lead to contemporaneous and relevant revisions on how best to work toward that student's success. Whether aboard the byb or in the class room, an opportunity exists for public schools and big yellow bus driver collaboration. With the pressure to produce more on-time graduates, the demand for public schools to think outside the box is reaching critical mass. This book provides real world strategies to manage student discipline while suggesting a paradigm where the byb driver's role goes beyond commonly held strategies of typical transportation practices.

Byb drivers want students to succeed. We work very hard to set them up for success. We work all the time at keeping them on the byb while some students work just as hard trying to get kicked off. From a tactical standpoint, the Real World Big Yellow Bus Driver explains why you should do this and not something else. The book uses real world examples of commonly encountered student issues. Solutions are based on easy to understand reasoning for solving discipline problems. From this approach you understand how to work through the issue when given the facts and the rules to reach a real world solution. A solution that supports the byb driver, student safety, student success and the success of the school.

While many students comply with byb safety rules others simply refuse to act safely requiring a more robust and real world strategy. A strategy that keeps more students riding to school every day on the byb. The Real World BYB Driver is unique in providing real world solutions to real world issues.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: HONEST AND PRACTICAL ADVICE

STRATEGY

INSIDE THIS BOOK

LOVE IT OR HATE IT. IT'S HERE

BASICS

CAUTION

BALANCE

CHAPTER 2 ORGANIZATION, CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS

WHY ORGANIZING THE BYB IS IMPORTANT

SCHOOL VERSUS BYB

IT'S IN THE DETAILS

SECTION 2.1 ENVIRONMENT MATTERS

WE CARE AND IT SHOWS

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

CHAPTER 3 BYB DRIVER AS LEADER

ORDER EQUALS SAFETY

SUMMARY, CLEANLINESS AND ORDER

CONSISTENCY

INSERT BYB DRIVER

SECTION 3.1 AUTHORITATIVE TEACHER PARADIGM

CORRECTING MISBEHAVIOR

AUTHORITATIVE DRIVER

SECTION 3.2 PENALTY BOX

CHAPTER 4 ASK PARENTS FOR HELP. DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY

PARENTS LOVE THEIR KIDS

SECTION 4.1 DON'T BE THE WEAKEST LINK

SEE FOR YOURSELVES

SET 'EM UP FOR SUCCESS

EXAMPLE OF MOTIVATED PARENTS AND SCHOOL

UNCOOPERATIVE PARENT

CHAPTER 5 REFERRALS. THE REAL STORY

SECTION 5.1 REFERRALS CLOG-UP THE SYSTEM. PRINCIPALS & REFERRALS

GET ADVICE

BYB REMOVAL

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE

CHAPTER 6 COACHES HELP

EXPLAIN TO PARENTS CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING SAFETY RULES

THE CHOICE IS CLEAR

CHOKING

SAFETY LINKAGE

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND (NCLB) & STUDENT SAFETY

EXCLUSION OF BYB DRIVER'S

DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH BYB EDUCATION

SECTION 6.1 SHAPING STUDENT PERCEPTIONS: BYB ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

THE MESSAGE

SECTION 6.2 THE EFFECT OF INCONSISTENCY

THE EFFECT OF CONSISTENCY

CASE EXAMPLE: EFFECT OF ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

SECTION 6.3 INCONSISTENCY AND NO ORDER. CASE EXAMPLE

CHAPTER 7 DO AS YOU SAY AND SAY AS YOU DO

LEAD BY EXAMPLE. GOOD EXAMPLE THAT IS

DRIVER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION

SECTION 7.1 ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS STUDENT SAFETY

ORDER AND CONSISTENCY EQUALS DRIVER SAFETY

BYB DESIGN DOES NOT SUPPORT ORDER AND CONSISTENCY

NO BYB STANDARDS FOR CLEANLINESS AND SANITATION

CHAPTER 8 THE TEACHER AND BYB DRIVER ROLES. COMPARE & CONTRAST

TEACHERS ARE GREAT

HANG IN THERE BYB DRIVER

CONSEQUENCES FOR THE BYB DRIVER

OTHERWISE, SAFETY IS NO MORE THAN A DUMB WORD

FLYING WITHOUT A NET

CEDAT FORTUNA PERITIS

CHAPTER 9 ORGANIZING THE BYB

KEEP IT CLEAN

SECTION 9.1 HOW TO CLEAN

SERIOUSLY, A VACUUM

SECTION 9.2 DON'T KEEP IT A SECRET

CONSEQUENCES OF A DIRTY BUS

NO ONE CARES

SECTION 9.3 GARBAGE BEGETS GARBAGE

EXPLAIN THE RULES

EXAMPLE

PASS THE TRASH

SECTION 9.4 BACKPACKS

KEEPING THEM ON THE BYB. NO FOOD. NO DRINK

SECTION 9.5 CANDY FROM TEACHERS

EXAMPLE

SOLUTION

SECTION 9.6 WINDOWS

WHY WINDOWS

HEADACHES

LEAVE THOSE WINDOWS ALONE

MOLD ISSUES

BLOOD BORNE STUFF

VOLUNTEERS WELCOME

CHAPTER 10 ASSIGN SEATS. FOR SAFETY'S SAKE

HOW TO ASSIGN SEATS

SETUP SEATING

ARRANGING

BACK OF THE BUS

NO GIRL-BOY SEATING

JUST START SOMEWHERE

SECTION 10.1 CHANGE IS REQUIRED

HOW TO LEARN NAMES

WORK PAYS OFF

ACCOUNTABILITY

NOTECARDS. WINDOW OR AISLE?

SECTION 10.2 PAIRING STUDENTS. COMPARTMENTALIZATION

WE PROMISE, WE'LL BE GOOD

WELL BEHAVED ON AISLE

SECTION 10.3 PEAS AND CARROTS

EXCESSIVE NOISE

SECTION 10.4 SCHOOL REQUESTS FOR SEATING ASSIGNMENT

NOT BEHIND ME

SEATING CHART

SECTION 10.5 REVISE, REVISE, REVISE

COVER DRIVER

CHAPTER 11 CONSISTENCY AND ORDER

OH, MAN!

SECTION 11.1 SAFETY DRIVES THE BYB RULES

SAFETY

SECTION 11.2 COMPARTMENTALIZATION

NO STANDING

RETURN TO THE SCHOOL

SECTION 11.3 DRESS CODE

SLOWING DOWN TRANSPORTATION

CHAPTER 12 BYB FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

BE FAIR AND CONSISTENT

SECTION 12.1 UNDERSTAND STUDENTS

ELEMENTARY

INTERMEDIATE

JUNIOR HIGH

HIGH SCHOOL

POWER KID

POST RULES

FAIRNESS

SECTION 12.2 FAIRNESS EXAMPLE

WHY

REASONING

TERRORISTIC THREATS AND FIGHTING

CHAPTER 13 ADHD

SECTION 13.1 THOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS

SECTION 13.2 STRATEGIES FOR STUDENT DISCIPLINE BEFORE DOING A REFERRAL

TALK

SECTION 13.3 PREEMPTIVE MOVES

SECTION 13.4 DISENGAGE AS TO DISCIPLINE ISSUES

NO THREATS. JUST THE FACTS

INCLUSION

PARENTS

ON THE BYB

EXAMPLE

SECTION 13.5 DIRECTIVES

WRITTEN ONLY

SECTION 13.6 CHAIN OF CUSTODY

EXAMPLES

EXCEPTIONS TO DIRECTIVE

EXAMPLE

LIABILITY

REFERRAL

FOLLOW THE RULES FOR RIDERS

RULES KEEP US SAFE

FOLLOW THE RULES

CHAPTER 14 EFFECTIVE REFERRALS

PRINT PRINCIPAL'S NAME

REFERRAL PRIVACY

RULES KEEP US SAFE

WRITING REFERRALS

JUST THE FACTS

SECTION 14.1 INCLUDE

DON'T

TIED TO SAFETY

SECTION 14.2 WRITE THE REFERRAL

TRANSLATION

IT'S ALL ABOUT SAFETY

SECTION 14.3 DISRESPECTING THE BYB DRIVER

BULLYING AND UNWANTED ATTENTION

SECTION 14.4 REFERRALS COMPLETED

CHILD PROTECTIVE AND WELFARE SERVICES

CHAPTER 15 MCKINNEY-VENTO ACT

SECTION 15.1 LEAD BY EXAMPLE

QUIZ

NO GRAFFITI

COMPLY OR ELSE

SAFE PLACE PULL OVER

IF YOU HEAR MY VOICE

STATISTICS

PRACTICE EVACUATIONS

MEET AND GREET

CHAPTER 16 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS

FEMALE VERSUS MALE BYB DRIVERS

PREGNANCY

SECTION 16.1 DEATH

CHAPTER 17 IN CLOSING

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CONTACT MR. SAM ON-LINE

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION HONEST AND PRACTICAL ADVICE

This book is about the realities of driving a school bus. This is an honest look with honest advice of how to be a safer and more efficient driver of the big yellow bus (byb) by managing student discipline issues. This is not a book with generalizations and advice that is outdated, out of touch and, so vague as to leave the reader wondering how to accomplish something. All the witty sayings and catchy phrases will not make the byb a safer experience. Yeah they're cute, but I live in the real world. I need real world advice and how-to's that I can apply today. I also want to know why I should do this and not that.

STRATEGY. We have to employ a strategy of managing students enroute and getting on and getting off the byb to ensure the student is none the worse for the wear and tear of growing up in America today. A strategy for every morning and every afternoon. Most byb drivers get up at 4:30 am, are on the byb around 5:45am, leave to get the first student by 6am and is doing her best to ensure the precious cargo arrives safely and on-time. My goal in writing this book is to make it even better. God bless the byb driver!

INSIDE THIS BOOK you will find specific methods, steps and words you can use to deal with everyday byb driver concerns and issues. The techniques and strategies contained in this book are taken from many driver experiences, personal observations, long discussions with educators and trainers and good old trial and error. Lots of trial and error from a lot of drivers and educators. After reading this book you should not have to go into a lot of trial and