“Since we have employed your system our students not only exhibit an immense turnaround in how they act in school, they also work with others at their respective peer level to create a positive learning environment.”
Clair R. Garrick, Superintendent
Elgin School District, Elgin, Oregon… >>>
QUESTION – from a posting at the mailring:
I need your help! I have already started using Discipline Without Stress in my classroom, and I gave my principal the handout explaining the levels of behavior of the hierarchy.
She told me that she will not support my using the Raise Responsibility Sytem. She told me that anarchy was too big of a word for Kindergartners and that they wouldn't understand. She told me that behavior shouldn't be compartmentalized—and that is what this system promotes. I explained how the Raise Responsibility Sytem focuses on internal motivation and self reflection. She still would not hear of it! We went around and around for quite some time. Does anyone have any … >>>
READ MORE >>> →A teacher shared a few thoughts with me.
This year is a surprise for me. I thought I had my revelation last year when I discovered Discipline Without Stress. This year I have implemented the system from the beginning and the painful revelation this year is just how wrong I have been over the last 13 years. It is almost painful to reflect on who I used to be. I was so caught up in getting students to obey that I lost sight of the humanity of this profession. I was overpowering them rather than being flexible, understanding, and compassionate.
Here is an example: I have a student who doesn’t do his homework and who struggles in the class. … >>>
READ MORE >>> →This country has a serious dropout problem.
I share with you a little of what I shared in my keynote at the International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention Conference.
Every September about 3.5 million young people enter the 8th grade. After four years, about 505,000 drop out. That's an average of about 2,800 per day. Picture this: Every school day more than 70 school buses drive away from schools filled with students who will never return.
Not returning to school is not an event; it is a process.
Show me a school dropout, and I'll show you a young person who has not established positive relationships at school.
Many dropouts start negative self-talk early in their school careers. I … >>>
READ MORE >>> →"Can you do better?"
This question will prompt students to increase their effort and improve their quality of work.
Asked by parents, this question will prompt their children to reflect on their behavior.
Asked by you at a hotel registration desk may often result in an upgraded room.
The same works with rental car agencies and people working on commission.
"Can you do better?"
The skill of asking such reflective questions is one of the three key practices of the teaching model, the first link at MarvinMarshll.com.… >>>
READ MORE >>> →After winning the Academy Award for best female actor, Helen Hunt was asked, “How do you know which scripts to choose?”
Her response: “I always go with the one that scares me the most; it’s the one with the greatest potential for growth.”
This is a valuable concept. As M. Scott Peck, M.D. emphaized through out his classic book, “The Road Less Travelled,” the mentally healthy person continues to grow.… >>>
READ MORE >>> →The following QUESTION was asked:
I asked a student (middle school) on which level he was choosing, and he answered, “On a lower level.” He did this a few more times, so I gave him the reflection form and he still operated at a low level. I’m going to tell him that now he has a detention. Do you have any other suggestions?
My RESPONSE:
Hopefully, both “reflection” forms were used: Essay and Self-Diagnostic Referral. These forms are in the book.
Think “Elicit—-rather than “Impose.”
After the student has acknowledged lower level behavior and continues to act on level B, ask the question, “What do you suggest we do about it?” Then follow up with the next … >>>
READ MORE >>> →Create (or have a student create) a large poster with the following questions clearly visible:
1. What am I learning?
2. How am I learning?
3. Why am I learning?
4. Who am I becoming?
Primary students can share their responses with each other. Older students can reflect on the lesson/day in their journals.
Create a small poster for yourself. A pocket-size card will do. Place these questions on the card for a morning glance:
1. What am I doing to start my day in a positive way?
2. What do I get to do today?
Place these questions on the reverse side of the card for an evening glance:
1. Did I enjoy myself today?
2. What can I … >>>
Here are some random thoughts on improving relationships:
Logic prompts people to think, but emotion prompts them to act. Communicate on both levels.
Focus on the behavior or comment that prompted upsetting or negative feelings—rather than on the person.
Share your feelings about the effects of what someone does or says. It’s healthy and aids relationships to say, “That comment really hurt me.” If you don’t tell the person what is bothering you, you may not fix what really is just a misunderstanding.
Don’t universalize a specific. If another person acted rudely, that doesn’t make the person an ogre for a lifetime.
Describe breakdowns as “mutual” difficulties or challenges, rather than as something inflicted upon you by another person.… >>>
READ MORE >>> →Giving three options works wonders.
Let's assume your airline flight has been delayed and you finally get to your hotel room at midnight. The hotel clerk informs you that your hotel room has been given to another guest.
Your response is that the hotel has at least three options: (1) give you one of the suites they reserve for their special guests at the rate originally given you, (2) their paying for the transportation AND room charges for another hotel which they arrange, or (3) their calling the general manager of the hotel. The result: You will be given one of the hotel's special room for the amount of your original reservation.
The same approach of giving three options can … >>>
READ MORE >>> →Dr. Martin Brokenly is a Native American who also promotes self-discipline. He uses high expectation from a Native American or a First Nation’s perspective. Rather than coercive or manipulative approaches, Dr. Brokenleg advocates noncoercive influence: modeling, group influence, discussion, and positive expectations. Rather than a father’s saying, “You have to do this,” instead he would often say something like, “Son, some day when you are a man you will do this.” What a powerful way to encourage, nurture, empower, and establish expectations for responsible behavior! Notice that the approach does not reward, punish, or tell. The adult SHARES in order to prompt reflective thinking. This is one of the key approaches described at Discipline Without Stress.… >>>
READ MORE >>> →Chapter 6 of he eighth edition of the classic college text, “BUILDING CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE“ by C. M. Charles is entitled, Marvin Marshall’s Discipline through Raising Responsibility. I am honored to have my name attached to the idea.
Following is a summative quote from the text:
“Marshall’s Raise Responsibility System has major strengths beyond those found in many 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 … >>>
READ MORE >>> →The most referenced book in education is Dr. Harry Wong and Dr. Rosemary Wong’s book, “How to Be an Effective Teacher: The First Days of School.” Their book has sold over 3, 000,000 copies and is purchased for new teachers in thousands of school districts, in over 50 countries, by over 400 colleges, and for the vast majority of teacher training programs.
The 2004 edition lists and gives websites for eight discipline approaches. However, only one is described in detail: The Raise Responsibility System. The Wongs captured the soul of the system:
“The essence of the plan is to teach that democracy and responsibility are inseparable.” (p. 164 in bold font)
Incidentally, the Wongs offer considerable assistance to classroom … >>>
READ MORE >>> →” I was my county’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ and yet I was contemplating finding a different occupation.”
“As I implemented the Raise Responsibility System, some misbehaviors stopped the instant students reflected on their actions. Good students rose to even higher levels of maturity. Students told me they felt more relaxed and less in conflict with me. I am now less stressed and feel I am helping students make permanent changes, rather than temporary behavior modifications. I will not return to the ‘carrot and stick’ approach which almost drove me from the profession that I love.”
William A. Funkhouser
Winship Middle School – Eureka, California
2003-2004 Humboldt County Teacher of the Year
Johns Hopkins Educational Fellow… >>>
QUESTION:
What is the “bottom line” if, after discussions with a student to help him understand the consequences of his choices, he still chooses not to comply?
RESPONSE:
Who is choosing the consequences—the student or the adult?
The answer to this question is critical. If the consequence is IMPOSED, the youngster has no ownership of it, and ownership is a critical component for behavior change.
QUESTION:
What about the case of “no homework” and the student’s admission that he “just doesn’t care and doesn’t WANT to work”?
RESPONSE:
As Madeline Hunter often stated, “You cannot force learning.” There are thousands of capable, mature, responsible adults who rarely did their homework in school.
I do not use the term, “homework.” I … >>>
READ MORE >>> →Here are some ADVANCED CONCEPTS for using the Raise Responsibility System for DISCIPLINE, for ENCOURAGEMENT, and for PROMOTING LEARNING and ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
DISCIPLINE:
After teachers are well into the mode of ASKING students (instead of telling them) to identify a level of chosen behavior, asking for a response may seem coercive. Teachers can then shift to SUGGESTING that students SIMPLY REFLECT on their chosen level.
The hierarchy is NOT an assessment tool for someone on the outside looking in. Understand that no one can know the motivation of another person with complete accuracy, and since rewards can change motivation, rewarding Level D behavior can be counterproductive. The reward-giver will never know in the future whether the person will be … >>>
READ MORE >>> →In a presentation before the academic year started, I had participants visualize the following scene:
It is your child's very first day of school. When you, as the parent, meet the child after school this first day, what would you say or ask your youngster?
I received responses such as, "How was your day?" and "What did you learn?" I continued to ask and the following question invariably arose: "Do you like your teacher?"
We intuitively know that the heart has to be engaged before the head is ready to learn. If the child has negative feelings toward the teacher, the child's entire year will be affected—and perhaps future years in school as well.
Regardless of any system or silver … >>>
READ MORE >>> →People do not argue with their own statements, and once a statement is made there is a natural desire to defend it.
Here is a simple question for opening the gate to have the person reconsider:
“If I share with you a better approach to achieve your objective, would you be willing to change your mind?
Additional effective questions are outlined in the book that you can link to from my website.… >>>
READ MORE >>> →
