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Discipline

Teachers Sink or Swim

On October 9, 2014 / Discipline, Learning

In the October 7, 2014 issue of Education Week Teacher, Larry Ferlazzo has a series of articles entitled: Letting Student Teachers ‘Sink or Swim’ Is ‘Not Permissible’

Unfortunately the same can be said for first year teachers.

The teaching profession has long used a sink or swim philosophy and will continue to do so because of the very nature of education courses. Teachers of classroom management (more accurately referred to as “discipline”) at colleges and universities are between a rock and a hard spot.

One purpose of education is to expose prospective practioners to different philosophies and approaches of working with behavior concerns (discipline problems), so future teachers are exposed to various approaches.

But if you ask new teachers, “Do … >>>

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Classroom Discipline and Inappropriate Language

On October 7, 2014 / Discipline, Responsibility

It seems that in today’s world, many classroom discipline issues revolve around students using foul language. If you’ve ever dealt with this problem, you have likely realized that traditional discipline techniques do virtually nothing to stop it from reoccurring. Therefore, here’s what I suggest teachers do.

First, discuss the words “appropriate” and “inappropriate.” For example, pajamas are not worn to school, you no longer drink from a baby bottle, and you don’t yell at your parents if you want something from them. These are simply inappropriate behaviors. Similarly, when inappropriate or foul language is used at school, it is an attempt to gain favor or show off. Everyone seeks, desires, and wants feelings of competency, importance, and wishes to be … >>>

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Get Students Interested in Learning

On October 2, 2014 / Discipline, Learning

One major source of classroom discipline is dealing with students who have no interest in learning. In their frustration, many teachers resort to implementing rewards (bribes) to gain students’ attention, or they use imposed punishments (detention, extra homework, etc.) in the hopes that the youth will take learning seriously.

Here’s a better approach and one that doesn’t involve any stressful classroom discipline techniques.

First, let students know that if they decide not to learn, it is their decision. You will not even attempt to force learning; it can’t be done. But you will not allow a student to disrupt another person’s learning. In this mini-lecture, let your students know that no one suffers from their lack of learning but themselves—that … >>>

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Classroom Discipline Mistakes

On September 28, 2014 / Discipline

Why continue to use approaches that are brain-antagonistic?

Learning requires inspirational motivation, and most current discipline practices violate approaches recommended by authorities such as Stephen Covey, W. Edwards Deming, William Glasser, Eric Jensen, and Harry Wong.

Here are 12 commonly used practices that are not effective enough with today’s youth. Some are so counterproductive that they actually exacerbate the dropout rate of students—especially in low economic areas.

1. BEING REACTIVE

Teachers become stressed when a reactive approach is used to confront inappropriate behavior. It is far more effective to employ a proactive approach to inspire students to want to behave responsibly and then use a non-adversarial response when they don’t.

2. RELYING ON RULES

Rules are meant to control—not inspire… >>>

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Discipline and Toddlers

On September 25, 2014 / Discipline

Many parents and caregivers who work with toddlers (children age two to three) often wonder how the Discipline Without Stress methodology can work for them. Since young children cannot understand the concept of internal motivation, which is key in the Discipline Without Stress approach, parents and caregivers think they have no choice but to resort to rewards and punishments in order for the youth to learn appropriate/inappropriate behavior.

The fact is that you can teach children as young as age one or two appropriate behavior without using rewards or punishments. Here are a few techniques:

When the child does something that is not appropriate, lightly touch his or her wrist and move your head sideways (in a “no” “no” motion).

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Labeling and Discipline

On September 18, 2014 / Discipline

Many teachers and parents lament that disciplining children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is difficult. Remember, though, that designations such as ADD and ADHD are just that—designations. People who display certain characteristics are labeled. For example if you display inattention, distractibility and/or impulsiveness, you could be labeled ADD. If hyperactivity were included, you could be labeled ADHD.

It is important to note that no biological proof of these designations exists as they do with physiological designations such as influenza, pneumonia, or tuberculosis. In fact, diagnosis occurs via a checklist. Both the child’s parents and teacher(s) check off characteristics they have seen the child display. Each characteristic is given a point value. The checklists are … >>>

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Switching from Imposing Discipline to Promoting Responsibility

On September 4, 2014 / Discipline, Responsibility

No one has an inherent desire to obey—to be told what to do—not even children. However, when responsibility is promoted, obedience follows as a natural by-product.

Of course, learning how to promote responsibility in others takes practice and patience. Going from the mindset of imposing discipline to one of promoting positivity, asking reflective questions, and offering guides choices takes time. No matter how long you’ve been teaching, making the switch to the new methodology will be fraught with ups and downs. The key is to be persistent, no matter how many setbacks you encounter.

To illustrate how unrealistic it is to expect yourself to make an overnight transformation in your approach, consider this story:

A rich woman walked up to … >>>

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Discipline and Learning in a Multi-Cultural Classroom

On September 2, 2014 / Discipline, Learning

Today’s global society gives our youth a perspective and insights into other cultures that were simply not possible a few generations ago. With so many families moving around the world for employment opportunities, it’s not uncommon to see classrooms with multi-cultural members. Students born and raised in the United States are sharing the classroom with children born in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. And if the children aren’t in the same classroom, they still observe and interact with each other thanks to video conferencing technology.

Of course, this brings up an interesting dilemma for teachers: Since these children come from homes that have different social attitudes toward studying, classroom behavior, bullying, teasing, etc., how can a teacher speak in … >>>

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Punishment in Los Angeles Schools

On August 31, 2014 / Discipline

A recent headline in the Los Angeles Times proclaimed, “L.A. Unified school police to stop citing students for minor offenses.”

The article cites the example of Michael Davis who experienced firsthand the effects of coercive discipline when he received a police citation for tardiness in middle school and later was removed from class for failing to wear the school uniform in a South Los Angeles high school.

This is a typical example of the punishment culture prevalent in too many schools—especially urban middle and high schools.

The change away from punitive law enforcement actions reflects growing research that handling minor offenses with police actions does not necessarily make campuses safer—but instead often pushes struggling students to drop out and … >>>

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How to Stop Classroom Disruptions

On August 28, 2014 / Discipline, Effectiveness

A teacher who practices the Discipline Without Stress methodology recently told me about an interaction in her classroom and wondered how she could improve. Here’s what happened.

She explained that she has a few children in her class who persist in behaving at Level B, even after she has “checked for understanding” and has proceeded with “guided choices.” On the day we spoke, she said that she had told one of her students who hit another child, “I want you to stay in our classroom, but if you act on Level B again, you are telling me that you want to keep on making your own rules for the class.” The child’s behavior did not improve, so she was struggling … >>>

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Discipline and the Strong-Willed Child

On August 26, 2014 / Discipline, Effectiveness

A parent recently contacted me asking for advice. She said that her first grade daughter got in trouble at school (on the very first day of class) because the child is very strong-willed and refused to obey her teacher. Since the teacher was not using the Raise Responsibility System, she naturally resorted to traditional and punitive discipline techniques, which only resulted in the child declaring that she hated school and her teacher. This was not a good start to the school year for sure!

Here’s what I told the parent:

“Explain to the teacher that your daughter is extremely independent and that the teacher will have more success—and reduce stress on everyone’s part—if the teacher aims at EMPOWERING your daughter, … >>>

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Improve Children’s Attitude Toward School

On August 21, 2014 / Discipline, Effectiveness

Many parents lament that their children’s attitude about school is that they only want to get by with the minimum. Even if the youth does the assigned homework, they often forget to turn it in. Their teachers often report that these are intelligent children, yet they are not doing well in their studies. Does this sound familiar? What’s a parent to do?

When I talk to these parents, I often point out that the problem lies in the fact that the adult is trying to control the youngster. By them not doing what the adults tell them, the youth are exercising control and power. Realize that they won’t change if the parents keep telling them what to do, no matter … >>>

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How to Discipline When a Child is Making a Scene

On August 5, 2014 / Discipline, Parenting

At some point, all parents have had to deal with a child who did not want to listen or comply with what needed to be done. Whether it was getting the child to buckle his or her car seat or leave a fun place (such as a public swimming pool or beach), the child resisted to the point of making a scene.

What’s a parent to do? Discipline the child by imposing a punishment? Bribe the child by offering a reward? Neither. Following are the best discipline approaches for this situation.

First, understand that children mature when they begin to realize that other people’s interests are also involved in their decisions. Having a youngster become aware of this is one … >>>

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Get Children to Take Ownership

On July 17, 2014 / Discipline, Responsibility

All parents and teachers want children to keep their end of agreements. For example, if a child says he will take out the garbage, the parent expects that’s what will happen. If a student says she will do her homework, the teacher expects her to follow through. When the youth doesn’t do what he or she promised to do, adults often try to discipline the child, dishing out punishments or imposing consequences. This approach is ineffective.

Why? Because punishment is based on the idea that a person needs to be hurt in order to learn. This is fallacious thinking. When punishment is imposed, the person being punished feels like a victim. Victims take no responsibility for their behavior. In addition, … >>>

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Discipline and Fairness

On July 10, 2014 / Discipline, Effectiveness

Maintaining order in your classroom or your home is critical. As you do so, though, never forget this basic truth about discipline: Children do not mind a tough teacher (or parent) but they despise an unfair one.

Being unfair can run the gamut from imposing a harsh punishment one day and a lenient one the next, or not giving a reward for something even though the same behavior earned a reward last week. Once children view you as unfair, you’ve lost them.

This is why when it comes to discipline situations, imposed punishments simply don’t work. There’s no way to be consistent or fair with such measures. In fact, imposing the same consequence on all students/children is the least fair … >>>

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Charter Schools and Discipline

On July 8, 2014 / Discipline

Charter schools were conceived in large part as an alternative to underperforming public schools. Charter schools allow educators and entrepreneurs to create new teaching models. More flexibility will allow more successful approaches for dealing with not only instruction but also behavior and discipline problems that impinge on the effectiveness of schools.

The ability to experiment created enthusiasm nationwide for the charter school movement. Charter school enrollment has doubled since 2006. Today more than 2.2 million K-12 students are enrolled in the 6000 charters schools operated in 42 states and Washington, DC.

A main advantage that charter schools have over other public schools is that the tremendous amount of paperwork is significantly decreased. In fact, the reduction of paperwork and administrative … >>>

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Recess and Discipline

On July 8, 2014 / Discipline, Effectiveness, Learning

I recently read an article in The Atlantic about teaching in Finland. In the piece, an American teacher in Helsinki questioned the national practice of giving 15 minute breaks each hour—until he saw the difference it made in his classroom.

In Finland, teachers send kids outside—rain or shine—for a 15-minute break after every 45 minutes of teaching. And the children get to decide how they spend their break times. There are no teacher-led activities or expected things to do during recess. Usually, teachers take turns—two at a time—supervising the playground during these 15-minute stints.

To Americans, this approach sounds too soft—too lazy. But as this teacher in Helsinki noted, “My students in the States had always seemed to drag their … >>>

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No Child Left Behind and Discipline

On July 7, 2014 / Discipline

The follow-up to the original 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, now referred to as “No Child Left Behind,” will rank as one of the most poorly constructed laws to improve education.

The approaches to increase low academic performance (which always concerns behavior and how schools handle discipline challenges) are narrowly drawn and rigid and in many ways counterproductive for improving education. In addition, there is an overreliance on test scores to measure academic quality. Standardized test scores are poor measures of academic progress. The purpose of standardized tests is to achieve a bell-shaped curve. If more than 50 per cent of a question is answered correctly, the question is eliminated because it does not add to the goal of … >>>

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