The prompt
Score 10 of 10, Excellent
Use it when Something happened in your class that you must document for the school, and the record needs to be factual, neutral and complete enough to act on.
- {{record_readers}}
- {{notes}}
- {{when_where}}
- {{people}}
- {{actions_taken}}
- {{form_fields}}
- {{word_limit}}
Full prompt and why it works
Prompt
Write a record of the behavior incident below from my notes, for {{record_readers}} to read and act on, so that anyone reading it later knows exactly what happened, in what order, and what was done, without my opinions mixed in. Records like this can be read by families, administrators or outside agencies, so accuracy matters more than style. My notes, written soon after the incident: """ {{notes}} """ Date, time, place and class: {{when_where}} Students and adults involved, named as school policy requires (initials or names): {{people}} Actions already taken (removed from class, family contacted, first aid): {{actions_taken}} Our school's incident form fields, if there is a set form: {{form_fields}} Use these sections, or the form fields above if given: 1. Summary: two sentences on what happened. 2. Before: what was happening just before, as far as my notes say. 3. The incident: a numbered sequence of events in the order they happened, each with the time if known. 4. Words used: direct quotes in quotation marks, only where my notes record the exact words. 5. Response: what I and other adults did, in order. 6. Outcome: any injuries or damage, and how the students were afterwards. 7. Follow-up: actions taken and actions still needed, with who is responsible for each. Keep it under {{word_limit}} words, in the past tense. A good record is one that someone who was not in the room could read and know exactly what happened, in order. Describe what was seen and heard, not interpretations: write "J. pushed the chair over and left the room", not "J. had a tantrum", and do not guess at motives or feelings. For example, the form of one numbered event: "3. At about 10:15, A. stood up, said 'Give it back,' and took the calculator from B.'s desk." This example shows the form only. Never add events, times, quotes or names that are not in my notes. Leave out other incidents or a student's history unless my notes say they belong in this record. Where my notes are unclear about the order or about who did something, write [unclear in my notes: what is missing] rather than choosing a version. If the notes mention an injury, a disclosure of harm or a possible safeguarding concern, put a line at the very top saying it must also be reported under the school's safeguarding procedure today.
Variables
- {{record_readers}}
- Who will read the record, for example "the assistant principal and the student's counselor".
- {{notes}}
- Your notes from soon after the incident, as written.
- {{when_where}}
- For example "Tuesday, about 10:10, Room 14, 3rd period science".
- {{people}}
- Who was involved and how to name them, for example "use initials: J., A., B.; adults by role".
- {{actions_taken}}
- What has already been done. Write "none yet" if nothing.
- {{form_fields}}
- The headings on your school's form, if there is one. Write "no set form" if not.
- {{word_limit}}
- The maximum length, for example 400.
Why it works
- What good looks like. A before-and-after pair shows the difference between what was seen and an interpretation of it, which is the line a good incident record never crosses.
- If unsure. Gaps in the notes are marked as unclear instead of filled in, because a confident wrong detail in a record can follow a student for years.
- What to avoid. Nothing is added beyond the notes, past history stays out unless relevant, and any safeguarding concern is flagged for same-day reporting.