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20th century parent to child regarding self-discipline:

"Eat your food. Think of all the starving people in India and China."

21st century parent to child:

"Do your homework—or someone in India or China may get  your job."… >>>

QUESTION:

Hi Marv!
I am a bit concerned about how I go about using DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS with developmentally delayed 3 – 5 year olds. Basically, my class will be filled with developmental levels ranging from 18 months to 3 yrs. Any suggestions? Thanks!

RESPONSE:

I suggest what you are already doing, viz., have patience, teach procedures, have students practice them, challenge them to improve, and acknowledge them on their actions when they do. These and continual encouragement of what they are doing right will help develop habits of self-discipline.

The one addition would be—after teaching a procedure—to ask your students to SHOW YOU, rather than our usual inclination to just SHOW THEM.

If you have ever taken a computer … >>>

A major faulty assumption of many teachers—especially middle and high school teachers—is to assume that students know WHAT and HOW TO DO what teachers desire. The following are examples of procedures that teachers should consider establishing. They should be prioritized and not attempted all at once. Procedures precede product. This simply means that the more procedures are taught before content, the more effective the teaching and the fewer behavior and discipline problems will result.

Procedures that I established include:

1. How students enter the classroom.
2. Activities when first entering the classroom. (Students should ALWAYS do something that raises curiosity; piques interest; reinforces/reviews; or  practices a skill, e.g., journal writing. DEAD TIME IS DEADLY TIME.)
3. How to take roll … >>>

One of the most perceptive comments ever made to me was stated in an elevator. I was at a conference of the National Speakers Association and found myself in an elevator with Nick Carter who had worked with the dean of personal motivation, Earl Nightingale. During our elevator ride, Nick made a most interesting comment to me: “We run our life by procedures.”

I immediately thought about the procedures I use in my personal life and then reflected on procedures I used as a classroom teacher (primary, upper elementary, and every grade 7-12). Whenever a student(s) did something that irked me—that could be considered a “discipline problem”—I would establish a procedure. For example, when I suddenly heard the pencil sharpener … >>>

Although I have visited many museums around the world and have visited impressive libraries such as J.P.Morgan’s private collection in New York City, the New York City Library, and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., I was not prepared for the emotional response I had visiting the Long Room at the Library of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

I was in this interesting city to speak at the William Glasser European Conference on the topic, “Using Glasser, Covey, Deming, McGregor, and Maslow to Promote Responsible Behavior and Learning.” The presentation was on my article published in the Fall 2004 issue of the INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REALITY THERAPY. Reality Therapy is the name of the pioneering work by William … >>>

In the following article I refer to the idea that most things in life are understood in their context. The following statements may help make my point—and offers examples showing that English is not the easiest second language to learn.

1)  The bandage was wound around the wound.
2)  The farm was used to produce produce.
3)  The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
4)  We must polish the Polish furniture.
5)  He could lead if he would get the lead out.
6)  The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7)  Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
8)  A bass … >>>