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Self-talk and Stereotypes

On June 22, 2012   /   Effectiveness  

Myron Tribus states that there is no such thing as immaculate perception—that what you see is what you thought before you looked. This is particularly the case regarding stereotyping and perceptions, especially about ourselves. 

If a student receives a below average score on a test, the self-talk may be, “I’m just not good in this subject.” On the other hand, the self-talk can be, “I guess I’ll have to study more next time.” The difference is in the student’s perception. A similar situation can be with stereotyping oneself.  For example, a woman who believes that women do worse than men in math will tend to perform less well on math tests as a result. Notice that this comparison was … >>>

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Classroom Management and Motivation

On June 20, 2012   /   Discipline, Effectiveness, Learning  

A common confusion of teachers and school leaders is that classroom management and motivation are the same.

Successful classroom management does not create motivation to learn. More and more teachers complain about the apathy of students to put forth effort in their learning. However, a teacher can have the most effective classroom management but still not prompt student effort. The reason is that classroom management has nothing to do with student motivation. Classroom management  has to do with what the teacher does—specifically, the procedures taught, practiced, and reinforced to ensure that students understand how to implement what has been taught. 

Motivation, in contrast to making instruction efficient, is about making instruction effective. What does the teacher do to … >>>

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Impulse Control and School Achievement

On June 18, 2012   /   Discipline, Parenting  

Kids who can control their impulses do better in school.

It is common for people to believe that intelligence plays the key role in children’s academic achievement. However, a study by Pennsylvania University researchers found that the ability to self-regulate—to pay attention to a task and inhibit impulsive behavior—was more important than intelligence for early academic success.

A child’s ability to monitor his or her thinking and behavior develops rapidly during school. Parents who are interested in boosting their children’s school readiness should engage them in some activities that involve taking turns, paying attention for sustained periods, and for prompting them to reflect on their self-control.

One procedure that can be practiced to help in impulse control is explained in … >>>

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God Bless the USA and American Values

On June 15, 2012   /   Learning, Responsibility  

After much practice, students at a New York City school were informed that they would not be allowed to sing “God Bless the U.S.A.” at a school performance. As far as can be determined, the school administration’s position was that, since there are so many different cultures represented at the school, some students would take offense at the lyrics:

God Bless The USA
by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone, I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can’t take that away.

Hey! And I’m proud to … >>>

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Discipline Without Stress and Hard Evidence

On June 13, 2012   /   Discipline  

At a presentation in St. Louis yesterday, June 12, 2012,  I was asked a question about having hard evidence for the success of “Discipline Without Stress.” 

In order to accurately assess the program, it is necessary to validate that all parts of the system be implemented. Specifically,

I. Did the teacher model, teach, and reinforce procedures? (the essence of good classroom management) Or did the teacher ASSUME students knew what to do? This is one of the most common mistakes of teachers.

II. A. Was the teacher positive in communications with students?

II. B. Did the teacher stop coercion and empower students with choices?

II. C. Did the teacher ask reflective questions to prompt change?

III. … >>>

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What to Do when PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) is Mandatded

On June 11, 2012   /   Discipline, Learning  

A teacher who still subscribes to the newsletter  but changed her subscription from her school to her home e-mail address, informed me of the reason for the change. She wrote, “I still subscribe at my home e-mail; however, my school is totally into PBIS and therefore, I have to follow that program.”

Thousands of teachers in the United States are in this same situation. I understood her dilemma. I shared with her what others are doing to implement BPIS while using DWS. 

PBIS does NOT mandate that the TEACHER is the one who MUST reinforce expected and appropriate behaviors with some form of “reward.” Have the students do it. They can appoint a committee to set the procedures, which may … >>>

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Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

On June 8, 2012   /   Parenting  

The number of U.S. children being raised by their grandparents rose sharply as the recession began, according to an analysis of census data.

Two million, nine hundred thousand children were being raised primarily by their grandparents. This was up 16% from 2000, with a surge from 2007 – 2008. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes that many children living with grandparents enter that arrangement with pre-existing problems stemming from abuse and loss of parents.

Here are some suggestions for grandparents raising grandchildren:

(1) Rather than establishing rules which have an enforcement mentality, teach procedures for what you desire. Do NOT assume your grandchildren know what you want.

(2) Communicate in positive ways, such as in what you … >>>

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No Child Left Behind – A Faulty Foundation

On June 6, 2012   /   Learning  

The federal program referred to as “No Child Left Behind” is based on a faulty foundation. It is based on a negative approach—and no negative approach is long-lasting.

The federal legislation classifies students in six sub-categories: (1) black, (2) white, (3) Hispanic, (4) economically disadvantaged, (5) special education, and (6) English language learners. All must attain higher scores each year until 2014 when all schools across the U.S.A. reach a 100% pass rate.

It appears obvious to most people that many factors affect students’ learning—including socio-economic status, expectations of the parents regarding education, and genetic makeup.

Yet, despite these factors, the federal government has mandated that all schools will meet these arbitrary and unrealistic standards—or be labeled as failures.

The … >>>

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Standardized Tests and Education

On June 4, 2012   /   Learning  

Using standardized tests for student and teacher accountability continues to be headline news. 

By definition, half the test scores on standardized test must be below average. If too many test takers score correctly on a test item, the item is eliminated because it does not differentiate enough. In addition, (1) standardized tests do not correlate with most school curriculums, (2) these tests are biased toward higher economic communities, and (3) they are not valid because they were not developed to assess if what has been taught has been learned. But there is another major problem with using standardized tests to assess schooling.

I think that most people would agree that what has been learned in school should be helpful in … >>>

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Teacher Evaluation Using Standardized Tests

On June 1, 2012   /   Learning  

It seems incomprehensible that educational leaders continue to allow political agencies (government) to manipulate school districts. I am referring to the national debate of requiring teachers to be evaluated based on student performance on standardized test scores. 

The Obama administration has long sought to make “value-added” scores part of teacher evaluations. It requires that states seeking federal stimulus aid get rid of legal barriers that would prohibit tying the scores to teacher pay and retention. With this federal manipulation, school districts around the country are revamping the way teachers are evaluated—with many using student test scores as one measure of effectiveness.

The Los Angeles Times reported today (June 1, 2012) that one group in favor of this approach … >>>

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Common Core Curriculum

On May 30, 2012   /   Learning  

The new “Common Core State Standards” are sweeping the USA as the newest approach to improve K-12 education.

The new “guidelines” are designed to shape how students will learn and be held accountable, beginning with English and math.  So far 45 states have joined the charge. One of the major investments to proceed requires schools to adopt new textbooks that are aligned to the “national curriculum standards.” Estimated costs range between $1 and $8 billion—not million, but billion—in order to be ready for the 2014-2015 school year when districts will most likely start taking federal funds. 

Texas, one of the larger textbook buying states, is not participating. California, another large textbook purchasing state, has a particular dilemma. At the height … >>>

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How To Be Consistent

On May 29, 2012   /   Discipline  

Although consistency is important, imposing the same consequence on all students is the least fair approach.

A significant trait that teachers, students, and parents are concerned about is being consistent.

“How can I be fair, firm, and CONSISTENT?” was a question I continually asked myself—not only as a teacher, but especially as an assistant principal of supervision and control in a high school of 3,200 students. The question was also on my mind when I disciplined students as a middle school assistant principal and as an elementary school principal.

Only when I returned to the classroom after 24 years in counseling, staff development, and administration did I realize that my mindset of being consistent in dispensing punishments was unfair and … >>>

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Working With Boys

On February 12, 2012   /   Learning  

A boy measures everything he does or says by a single yardstick: “Does this make me look weak?” If it does, he isn’t going to do it. That’s part of the reason that video games have such a powerful hold on boys. The action is constant; boys can calibrate just how hard the challenges will be; and when they lose, the defeat is private.

With this in mind, it’s important to remember that PUBLIC competition improves performance, but not learning. Some students will practice for hours spurred on by the competitive spirit in music competition, athletics, or speech contests. These students are motivated to compete. Competition can be fun, as witnessed by the hours that young people invest in such … >>>

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Learning Climate

On February 12, 2012   /   Learning  

If learning is what we value, then we ought to value the process of learning as much as the result of learning.

People are attracted to activities where they feel free of psychological or emotional pain. Learning is promoted in a climate where people feel safe and cared for. The adage, “People don’t care what you know until they know you care,” is applicable.

When working with one middle school, William Glasser stated,

The teachers stopped almost all coercion—an approach that was radically different from the way most of these students had been treated since kindergarten. When we asked the students why they were no longer disruptive and why they were beginning to work in school, over and over they
… >>> READ MORE >>> →
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Rethinking Our Thinking on Discipline Empower—Rather than Overpower

On February 12, 2012   /   Learning  

Originally published in EDUCATION WEEK

Volume XVII, Number 37, Pages 32 & 36

We need to rethink our thinking about discipline.
We cannot change other people
but we can empower them to change themselves.

Peter Drucker, the country’s dean of business management, said that people fail because of what they won’t give up. We cling to what has always worked—even after it has clearly stopped working. We are clinging to a way of managing students that no longer works with far too many young people. Society and the nature of youth have changed, but we still think external controls are the way to change people.

External Controls

After a seminar in Washington, D.C., I received a letter from one of … >>>

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Using A Discipline Approach to Promote Learning

On February 12, 2012   /   Learning  

Read how a simple discipline system is used to tap into internal motivation to promote learning.

The following is a letter sent from a teacher to another teacher who inquired about using the Raise Responsibility System. The approach promotes responsible behavior by using INTERNAL motivation.

The writer sent a copy of the letter to me and has given me permission to reproduce and share it.

The simple-to-implement discipline system that promotes both responsibility and learning can be found at A Quick Start.

Marv Marshall

Hello!

Just last year, I too, found Marvin Marshall’s Discipline without Stress® Punishments or Rewards book. My teaching partner and I had been looking for YEARS for a concrete approach to teaching and discipline based on … >>>

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Classroom Management for Middle and Secondary Schools

On February 11, 2012   /   Responsibility  

THE CLEARING HOUSE –  Volume 79 Number 1 (Pages 51 – 54)

In an attempt to provide ideas and ways to make middle and secondary schools physically and psychologically safe, we asked a number of experts to write articles for this special symposium edition of The Clearing House. Rather than prescribing specific writing topics, we asked the authors to share their beliefs on what contributes to classroom management and to making middle and secondary schools safe.

—M. Lee Manning, Professor and Eminent Scholar and Katherine T Bucher, Professor—both with the Department of Educational Curriculum and Instruction, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia – Guest Editors, page 5

Discipline without Stress®
Punishments or Rewards

 by Marvin Marshall

This article may be … >>>

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Promoting Positivity, Choice, And Reflection:

On February 11, 2012   /   Learning, Responsibility  

      These three simple practices can make school a place where teachers and students want to be.

By Marvin Marshall

Originally published in Leadership Magazine by the Association of California School Administrators – Vol. 34, No.5, pp. 28-30

Theme:
How to Champion A Positive Learning Climate

No student comes to school with the deliberate intention of failing or getting into trouble. Similarly, no adult enters the teaching profession with the intention of not being successful or not enjoying it. Yet, the profession loses fifty percent of its new teachers within five years and a rapidly growing number of students are demonstrating irresponsible behavior.

This article describes three simple practices that foster positive school climates—where both teachers and students want to be.… >>>

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