Discipline

QUESTION:

The Raise Responsibility System discipline approach is referred to as simple-to-implement. I find that I continually have to be aware of being positive, offering choices, and asking reflective-type questions. I wonder if others find using these three practices and implementation of the system “simple.”

RESPONSE:

SIMPLE does not mean EASY (at first). It is simple in that ONLY THREE principles—not a dozen or so—need to be practiced. In addition, the Raise Responsibility System has only three parts; TEACHING the concepts, ASKING reflective questions, and ELICITING a procedure to redirect impulses.

Learning how to drive an automobile is SIMPLE, but it only becomes EASY after you have driven for awhile.

Deciding ahead of time not to eat dessert at a … >>>

QUESTION:

After a presentation in Bermuda, the question was asked whether I am a traditionalist or a progressive.

RESPONSE:

Interesting question! I had never been asked this before.

My guiding mission is to foster responsibility. This is the foundational characteristic of those values and practices necessary for a civil, enlightened, and democratic society. Therefore, if you desire to label me, you would call me a traditionalist. But then consider the following.

W. Edwards Deming was the American who brought quality to manufacturing while simultaneously reducing costs. The most prestigious manufacturing award given in Japan is the Deming Award. Yet, Dr. Deming used a nontraditional approach—collaboration, rather than domination.

In this regard, traditional approaches for promoting responsibility are not successful enough … >>>

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About the Book,

"DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS, PUNISHMENTS OR REWARDS
How Teachers and parents Promote Responsibility & Learning"
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"This book should be required reading for student as well as credentialed teachers."

Dr. Don Brann, Superintendent
Wiseburn School District, Hawthorne, CA
Co-Founder, California Small School Districts Association

A descriptive table of contents, three selected sections, and additional items of interest are posted at Sample Chapters.… >>>

Kerry continues her post:

Teachers DO make a difference. THE TRICK IS TO BECOME MORE CONSCIOUS OF THE THINGS WE SAY AND DO IN EACH NEW MOMENT BECAUSE WE NEVER TRULY KNOW WHICH OF OUR “SEEDS” ARE TAKING ROOT.

Several times now I have had the privilege of teaching some of the children of the children I taught myself as a beginning teacher. This has been a wonderful “lesson” for me in terms of letting go of worry and simply concentrating o the moment at hand.

As it turns out, these particular parents who have returned to me now were children that caused me endless worry twenty years ago—ones that I felt I just couldn’t help, ones that I felt … >>>

The Raise Responsibility System is not a magic strategy and you won’t necessarily see dramatic improvements occurring overnight in the more challenging children, but I do believe there is always a “response” inside the child. It’s just that we don’t always see that response.

Kerry continued by sharing several passages from a particular chapter in the book, “Gentle Roads to Survival” by Andre Auw. The chapter most encouraging is Chapter Six entitled, “Seed-Planting and Harvesting.” The main idea is about the importance of maintaining a “seed-planting mindset” in any work with people, as opposed to always being on the lookout for “the harvest.” Although this book is not about teaching, the thoughts expressed can be applied very well to … >>>

The Raise Responsibility System will work with anyone who has achieved enough cognitive development to reason. Asking a student for assistance because you need that person’s help, or asking, “What would an extraordinary person do in this situation?” or employing any of the other techniques described in the book prompt changes in behavior for those who are behavioral challenges.

QUESTION:
There will always be the one student (or more) who will not respond to the Raise Responsibility System . Is there something different that should be done to encourage that student to understand the system? Will time and persistence take care of the problem?

KERRY RESPONDED:
I think that the answer to this question you have asked is very much … >>>

“With thirteen years experience as a secondary principal and over twenty years in education, I couldn’t agree more that coercion is a faulty approach in working with students. Dr. Marshall’s Discipline Without Stress is what students need to take control of their lives and will instill in them the skills to be happy, productive citizens. Personally, I believe his presentation to our staff was one of the best I have seen in twenty years.”

Kent Bunderson, Principal
Vernal Junior High
Vernal, Utah… >>>

An example of how one school implemented Discipline Without Stress is reproduced with the writer’s permission:

Dear Dr. Marshall,

I’m writing to let you know what a powerful influence your work has had on our school community. After reading your article, “Using a Discipline System to Promote Learning,” in the March 2004 Phi Delta Kappan, our staff had a strong reaction. Many of us immediately identified with your struggle to maintain discipline and to find a way to do so that was not punitive but increased student learning opportunities and responsibility.

A committee formed and met over the summer of 2004. Their hard work resulted in a small group of teachers piloting your approach during the 2004-2005 school year. … >>>

Jamie Turner of Fair Haven, New Jersey, forwarded me information about her school’s website. I share it with you below.

SICKLES SCHOOL RAISE RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM

What is the Raise Responsibility System? Marvin Marshall’s Raise Responsibility System was designed in order to promote responsible behavior within the school  community. This simple system focuses on promoting the internalization of responsibility rather than on only promoting external obedience. The foundation of this system is the Hierarchy of Social Development, which supports students in learning how to make responsible choices.

Why are we implementing this system? As a teaching and learning community, there was a  consensus among our staff that we needed to find a better way to help students make independent choices … >>>

“I am teaching a graduate course in social studies.

I have experienced teachers and they are loving your book – absolutely loving it. Of course, with grad students the perspective is different. They know a truly good thing when they see it when it comes to practical ideas in the classroom. You can’t fool them.”

Dr. Suzie McBride
California State Polytechnic University
San Luis Obispo, California… >>>

The following is from a  communication to me about self-discipline:

I added "Bugging" and "Breaks classroom procedures" to Level B. I also added "A piling on" to Level A because I use a football analogy. Some students choose to tease other students. This is hurtful behavior.

I explain to my students that in order to learn, they must: 1) follow classroom procedures and 2) meet behavior standards.

I use the levels to teach the importance of establishing a procedure each morning to get to school on time. I give an alarm clock analogy:
—Level D – You set your alarm clock, wake up, and get to school on time.
—Level C – You depend on your parents to wake you … >>>

I had the pleasure of  presenting in the Gold Coast, Sydney, Newcastle, and Adelaide, Australia hosted by Judy Hatswell, a senior faculty Member of the William Glasser Institute of Australia.

While being hosted by Judy and her husband, Gerry, a retired school principal, I was admiring their various collections when I read a postcard sent to Judy by one of her clients. I share it with you:

Happiness is not a state to arrive at
but a manner of traveling.

The William Glasser approach of noncoercion and taking responsibility for one’s actions is growing in popularity across the country/continent. Partial credit toward a masters degree is being planned at the Gold Coast campus of Griffith University for those who have … >>>

QUESTION:

I am starting DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS next week. I have the DCBA poster on the wall. But what I need is a list of verbal prompts for me to post, such as “Oops, what shall we do now?” Otherwise, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns of telling—instead of asking—or imposing, instead of eliciting a solution. Anybody have such a thing? I am so excited to try this—but nervous, too.

RESPONSE:

From a post by Kerry:

One of the most challenging things about moving to DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS is remembering to use the three principles of being positive, asking (rather than telling), and empowering by giving choices.

It doesn’t happen overnight, and I don’t think anyone will tell … >>>

“All of my students can now recognize their own chosen level and label it appropriately. They know almost instantly when they need to make a better discipline choice. This takes much less time away from instruction and keeps the classroom climate stress-free and positive.”

Dianne Capell, Department of Defense Primary Music Teacher
Formerly of Ikego Elementary School, Zushi, Japan
Currently using  Discipline Without Stress in Naples, Italy… >>>

"Building Classroom Discipline" by C.M.Charles is perhaps the most widely used college text in courses preparing prospective teachers for necessary classroom skills, especially in the area of discipline. The Raise Responsibility System was included in the 8th edition. The following comment appears on pages 106-107:

"Marshall's Raise Responsibility System has major
strengths beyond those found in other systems of
discipline. It makes sense and rings true for teachers.
It focuses on developing responsibility, an enduring
quality that remains useful throughout life. It removes
the stress that students and teachers normally
experience in discipline. It is easy to teach, apply,
and live by. It is long-lasting because it leads to
changes in personality. Educators find these strengths
especially compelling, hence, the … >>>

QUESTION:

I have recently been researching your discipline system and it sounds pretty impressive. I was looking for studies that prove your system works, but unfortunately I have found none. The only thing I can find is testimonies from teachers posted on your web site. Would you be able to tell me where I can find some other sources that prove your system works (if there are any). Thank you.

RESPONSE:

Testimonials themselves are validations that the system works. See a variety of them at testimonials.

The increasing number of subscribers to the monthly discipline and learning newsletter (now at over 15,000), the increasing number of mailring subscribers at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DisciplineWithoutStress, and the increasing book sales (50,000) give indication that something … >>>

My speaking at a private school and at two teacher training universities in Beijing and Kunming, China was as culturally informative as my previous presentations in Japan, Korea, and Malaysia.

The mix of an emerging capitalistic economic system with a communist political system challenges traditional thinking. As a former teacher of comparative religions, I was also interested in the practices of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Doaism/Toasim. All three originated as philosophies to practice but are now observed as religions. Many temples have statues devoted to all three founders (Siddhartha Gautama, Confucius, and Lao Zi, respectively) side by side, and it is not uncommon to see all three religions practiced by the same person.

Two factoids may be of interest to Westerners. … >>>