Discipline Answers

Without rewards, how can I encourage neat work habits?

On April 11, 2009   /   Creating desire, Discipline Answers, Improving Academics  

 

QUESTION:

I don’t want to use stickers to motivate my primary students to print more neatly.  Any suggestions to encourage them to take more care with their school work?

RESPONSE:

Here are some things that my teaching partner and I do in order to help build neat work habits over time:

1.  We talk a lot about neatness.  I’m a great believer in the idea that whatever you put your focus upon will increase!

2.  We talk proactively.  In other words, before a  lesson begins we discuss what a great job would look like.  This helps the kids who really have no idea of what a good job looks like and it helps the other kids who might not … >>>

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Using the Discipline without Stress Impulse Poster

On April 10, 2009   /   Discipline Answers, For Middle Schools, Impulse Control  

First posted on the Teachers.net site. Permission was  granted from the author to re-post here:

6th and 7th graders are very impulsive creatures — they have been taught to be impulsive by adults. Don’t believe it? Just go to a teacher training session and observe how the teachers behave while the speakers are presenting!  As a society we have become more impulsive, less respectful and less willing to listen to others.  Just watch the adults, who come, presumably, to watch a student performance at school; they often talk right through it!

So, I guess my point is that until students are taught and learn self control, are disciplinary consequences really the answer? Is giving them Detention Hall going to … >>>

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Some “evidence” that Discipline without Stress really gets kids thinking!

On December 7, 2008   /   Creating desire, Discipline Answers, Improving Academics, RRSystem in Action  

This week I had a neat experience while teaching a grade 7 student at my newest job at the middle school. I just thought I’d share.

For those who don’t know me, I have three teaching positions, all of which are shared with the same partner. Darlene and I share a grade 1 classroom, each working one end of the week, and on our other days we share two literacy positions, working with individual students at an alternate high school and a regular middle school. It’s hectic but we love it!  At our high school and middle school jobs, we work with a great range of students, some struggling with courses like English 10, but most with much lower skill … >>>

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Sharing My Latest Discipline without Stress Success!

On October 7, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, RRSystem in Action  

Posted by J.E., a member of the Discipline without Stress mailring.

Here is my latest success:
Last Friday, three third graders left their homeroom in route to my class (science) and on the way, chose to yell and scream and play an impromptu game of tag. (At my school, we don’t walk the kids from class to class, and all the classroom doors lead outside, so they were coming across the playground.) Upon hearing the commotion, their homeroom teacher flew out of her room and wound up in front of mine, fuming at the gall of these kids.

Since she got there first, I let her handle it. She said, nearly yelling, “Which one of you children decided to … >>>

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Using Discipline without Stress in Preschool with Students Who Have Special Needs

On October 7, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Procedures in the Classroom, Special Challenges  

Posted by Teri Gibson, a member of the Discipline without Stress mailring.

I have just begun using DWS this year with my 4 yr. old special needs preschool classes.  I absolutely love it.  No, my class is not perfect. No, DWS does not solve all behavior problems.  What it does is this: For the first time, I am able to “reward” my kids that are being good, while helping the kids that are not!   It makes me view everything as a teachable moment, rather than a child’s attempt to undermine.  I love the way it stresses the positive and actually encourages me to pay more attention to the children who are doing the right thing.  I still have much … >>>

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Focusing on the positive!

On September 28, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Teaching the Hierarchy  

It seems that every year my teaching partner and I introduce the DWS Hierarchy a bit differently from the year before.  As we’ve become more familiar with the bigger picture of using DWS throughout the course of an full school year, we worry less and less about the initial introduction.  Over the years, we’ve experienced that the beginning lesson is not something we need to view as a “make or break” situation.  Our young students in grade one need many many “introductions” to the Hierarchy in order for all of them to really understand it, so we know that the the first lesson will simply be one of many to come.

This year though, our introduction of the Hierarchy came … >>>

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Primary/Intermediate Book – “Snowflake Bentley”

On August 24, 2008   /   Connections to Literature, Discipline Answers  

I’d like to share a picture book by Jacqueline Briggs Martin that connects wonderfully to many different types of lessons.

Cover illustration

Snowflake Bentley won the Caldecott Medal in 1999.  It could be integrated into science, literature, a snow and winter theme, a study of biographies, symmetry, art and beauty, and in addition could be used to highlight Level D of the DWS Hierarchy.

Martin’s award-winning book tells the story of Wilson Bentley, who is sometimes referred to as “The Snowflake Man.”

By learning about the life of Wilson Bentley, students have the opportunity to think about someone operating at a very high level of autonomy.  This is always an inspiring thing to do!  Being a picture book, it is best … >>>

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Primary/Intermediate Book – “Capyboppy”

On August 22, 2008   /   Connections to Literature, Discipline Answers  

Everyone knows the whimsical fantasies of Bill Peet, but you may not be familiar with his less well-known non-fiction book, Capyboppy. It’s one of my all time favorite children’s books!

Cover illustration

Capyboppy is the true story of a South American capybara that was brought into the Peet home by Bill’s oldest son, a natural science major in college. Capy––who eventually grew to be 75 pounds––lived with the four members of the Peet family as a much loved and much spoiled pet!

Capyboppy is a great two-day read-aloud for younger children. With a large black and white illustration on every one of its 62 pages, it’s also the perfect book for transitioning older students into reading … >>>

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High School/Adult Book – “The Paradoxical Commandments”

On August 19, 2008   /   Connections to Literature, Discipline Answers  

I just got a book out of the public library titled, ANYWAY – The Paradoxical Commandments; Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World by Kent M. Keith.

In this book, the author tells the story of how the Paradoxical Commandments came to be written. They are sometimes attributed to Mother Teresa but were in fact written by an American, Kent Keith. As a 19 year old in 1968, he wrote them to inspire young people to leave their mark on the world by making it a better place.

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.… >>>

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Using DWS to deal with younger siblings visiting in the classroom

On August 17, 2008   /   Choice, Creating desire  

Throughout this summer, I’ve been emailing back and forth with one teacher in my province who wants to learn how the reading program my partner and I have developed, works in our grade one classroom. She is also quite interested in a program our K-6 school has instituted called “The Whole School Read,” in which every class reads for the first 30 minutes of the day and parents are encouraged to join us as helpers.

She recently asked me the question posted below and I share my response here because it includes an explanation of how this discipline approach can be used to help children take responsibility for their own behavior by understanding the concept of Choice-Response Thinking. In … >>>

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Choice-Response Thinking – In a Poem!

On August 16, 2008   /   Choice, Connections to Literature, Discipline Answers  

Recently I came across this poem by Portia Nelson.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS

 

by Portia Nelson

 

I

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost … I am helpless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes me forever to find a way out.

II

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place
but, it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

III

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.… >>>

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An example of developing procedures proactively to avoid discipline problems.

On August 12, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Procedures in the Classroom  

The more I use the Discipline without Stress approach, the more I appreciate that Step One of Dr. Marshall’s Teaching Model is key to the whole plan.

We’ve just started a series of swimming lessons at our local Community Center for all the primary students in our school. This year I decided to be more proactive than in previous years. Instead of just talking for a couple of minutes–just prior to getting on the bus on the first day–about what behavior is expected at the swimming pool, I decided to plan for a time to discuss it the day before.

As soon as I really started thinking to myself in an organized way about what procedures we would need … >>>

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The most effective procedures are those that are carefully planned and explicitly taught.

On August 11, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Procedures in the Classroom  

Recently, the following post was shared on the Kinderkorner mailring by Marybeth Quig-Hartman, who generously allowed me to reprint her ideas here. Note the amount of “teacher thinking” that Marybeth puts into developing her routines and the amount of class time she devotes to the teaching of procedures in the beginning of the school year.

Such diligence pays off! Not only does Marybeth ensure that every child in the class has the opportunity to be successful in learning how to work independently with the various art materials and tools available in the classroom, but by being proactive, she avoids many unnecessary problems for herself, as teacher.

Marybeth explains:

“I find that many “problems” with kids are actually the result … >>>

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What is a Level B TEACHER?

On August 10, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Guided Choices, Teaching the Hierarchy  

QUESTION:

I understand what a Level B student is but sometimes I hear teachers asking, “Do you want me to become a Level B teacher?” Can you explain what this is all about?

RESPONSE:
One important understanding students receive when the teacher introduces the Discipline without Stress Hierarchy in the beginning of the year is that people can in effect, choose the type of relationship they wish to have with other people, including the authority figures in their life.

Good relationships are created by operating on Level C. For those who choose to operate on Level D–the highest level–relationships will be even better and more satisfying. Students are also introduced to the understanding that frequent operation on Level B … >>>

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What if a student won’t acknowledge Level B?

On August 8, 2008   /   Checking for Understanding, Discipline Answers, For High Schools, For Middle Schools, Reflection  

QUESTION:

I once had a grade 8 student who said, “It doesn’t matter what level I say I’m on, you’re always going to find a way to tell me that I’m on an unacceptable level.”

I’m wondering what a teacher might say in response to something like that?

RESPONSE from Tammy, shared on the DWS Mailring:

I’d probably ask, “Can you show me, then, how the behavior fits into a higher level?… >>>

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Primary Book – “The Little Red Hen”

On August 8, 2008   /   Connections to Literature, Discipline Answers, Teaching the Hierarchy  

Just like people, book characters often operate on more than one level!

Very often, the author has at least one character learn something about the discouraging outcomes of operating at the lower levels. In many cases, the character is transformed in some way during the course of the story.

Whenever I read such a book to children, I highlight this transformation by connecting it to the DWS Hierarchy.

  • What did this character learn as the result of experiencing or observing the outcomes of operating on a lower level?
  • What can we learn from this character’s experiences?
  • How might what has happened in this situation, affect how this character chooses to act in the future?
  • Have you ever had a
… >>> READ MORE >>> →
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How do students benefit from operating on Level C or D?

On August 4, 2008   /   Discipline Answers, Understanding The Hierarchy  

QUESTION:
Dr. Marshall says that we should teach students that in this system of discipline, operation on Levels A and B “automatically invites the use of authority” by the teacher. My students understand that continued operation on the lower levels will result in the use of authority. They see this as a good reason for raising the level of their behavior to something higher.

Now I’m wondering: Is there anything that “automatically” accompanies behavior on Levels C and D?

RESPONSE:
Yes! Firstly, it should be understood that operation on any one of the four levels of the Hierarchy is accompanied by logical and predictable results related to:

• self-esteem and;
• the quality of relationships that are created with authority … >>>

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4 Benefits of Using the Levels of Development

On July 30, 2008   /   Discipline, Discipline Answers  

FOUR (4) PROGRAM ATTRIBUTES of the LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT

Using the Levels of Development separates the act from the actor, the deed from the doer—irresponsible behavior from a good person. Separation is critical so people don’t feel the natural impulse to defend themselves, their behavior, or their choices.

Using the Levels of Development brings attention to the fact that people are constantly making choices.

Using the Levels of Development fosters intrinsic motivation so that young people WANT to behave responsibly and WANT to put forth effort to learn.

Using the Levels of Development fosters character development without mentioning values, ethics, or morals.

To understand how the Levels of Development are used, click on Levels of Development.… >>>

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