Social and Cultural Foundations of American Education/Edition 3/6.6.2
From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection
[edit] Positive Classroom Discipline
by: Elizabeth Poplawsky
[edit] Introduction (Unaccepted Behavior That Occurs In Classrooms)
Often teachers quit their profession because of the uncontrollable behaviors of students in a classroom. Teachers feel that they can not teach a class do to the lack of concentration, behavior, and immaturity that goes on in a classroom.
Educators of the past would control their classrooms with a different type of "discipline" than the kind that is used today. In the past a teacher would give out spankings with a paddle or hit a child's knuckles with a ruler. If a teacher was to distribute that kind of discipline they would more than likely have a law suit on their hands to deal with. Instead educators of today are finding newer and better ways to achieve this classroom discipline that is so hard to find.
Another reason for faulty accusations of disruptive classrooms, is that not all teachers take in effect that every child is not born a saint or raised in a family that distributes such "angels". A child that comes from a home where yelling, screaming, and obnoxiousness is not corrected will certainly think that he/she can do the same in a classroom. Therefore, the teacher not only has a job of teaching a subject(s) but also teaching good manners
[edit] Options For Carrying Out Effective Discipline
[edit] Let The Students Have Some Control
A common mistake made by many teachers is that they give out too many rules and regulations. No person really likes to be told what to do. Teachers need to remember that they are "teachers" and not drill sergeants. A teachers goal should be one that consists of making their students think and act for themselves. So naturally, if a teacher is giving out all the orders and not letting the students think for themselves the students are not going to benefit from anything. Teachers should try letting the students have some control.One example is affirmation teaching, which attempts to guide students toward success by helping them see how their effort pays off in the classroom. Another example a teacher could use is at the beginning of a school year a teacher could ask the students what they thought should be the class rules. Granted some things that the students will come up could never actually be used, but more than likely they'll hit it right on the head. A teacher could use this for any age group. Letting Pre-K children make their own decisions about not pushing or shoving because its "not nice" will indeed make an impact on a child who normally would push other children.
[edit] Earn Their Respect
It's hard to pay attention to someone for whom you have no respect. Most teachers think that if they walk into their classroom with a "It's my way or the highway" perspective that they will automatically gain respect. In reality, who wants to listen to or respect a jerk? Not many people do. Instead of demanding respect right away from the students, the teacher should demand that she gives her automatic respect to the students. A teacher will not want to give their respect to every student, so what do you do when this happens? Some advice from Educationworld.com says, "You have to like him".When a student notices this action that the teacher is taking they will more than likely return the affection. Dr. Richard Curwin and Dr. Allen Mendler have both been professors of education for long time and they have taken their knowledge of educating to the next step. They wrote a book together called Discipline with Dignity. In the book it provides an in-depth flexible approach for effective school and classroom management. Wikipedia stated that,"strong focus on developing responsibility, it is a comprehensive, practical program that leads to improved student behavior through responsible thinking, cooperation, mutual respect, and shared decision-making". Another way to earn a students respect can be done by rewarding the student for the good things that he/she has done; Dr. Jane Nelson addresses this in one of her articles, "Use encouragement to help children feel “belonging” so the motivation for misbehaving will be eliminated. Celebrate each step in the direction of improvement rather than focusing on mistakes".
Edited by Kurt Johnson
One of the biggest things a teacher can do to make sure the classroom fun and goes smoothly is to show respect to the students. Michelle Forman was 2001 national teacher of the year and he said that you need to treat each student with the same respect that you would want to be treated. The reason why you need to show your students respect is to make sure you gain your students trust. A lot of people in a teenager life do not treat them with respect they just tell them what to do and what they do wrong. A teacher and the student need to be able to have that respect for each other, so they will both listen to what each person has to say and this will help make learning fun in the classroom.
[edit] Create a Positive Environment
Edited by Christina Keith
The environment you establish in your classroom is crucial to maintaining discipline. There are many positive things you as a teacher can do to ensure peace and order in your classroom. Some of them are:
Be conscious of each student as an individual. Know his or her name, and use it. Be aware of how each student likes to learn, and how each is able to learn. Don’t always necessarily give every student the exact same assignment.
Make sure students are comfortable. Create a climate where students can participate fearlessly, because their words will be respected. This means respect from you, the teacher, as well as from other students. Be carefully looking out for the use of any derogatory comments within the students.
Be clear, firm, and professional. Make sure there is no confusion about the rules. Establish them, communicate them, and do not waver from them. Start class on time, and end class on time, maximizing instruction. Start instruction on day one, and don’t give in to the temptation of having more “free” days. Show a serious commitment to the course and content (CTE, 2007).
[edit] Use Silence As A Weapon
Many teachers believe that if they raise their voice and constantly yell at the students that it will help gain control of the classroom. It is more effective for the teacher to cause attention herself by standing in front of the classroom being completely silent than trying to yell louder and over the students to get their attention; "The focusing technique means that you will demand their attention before you begin. It means that you will wait and not start until everyone has settled down. Experienced teachers know that silence on their part is very effective. They will punctuate their waiting by extending it 3 to 5 seconds after the classroom is completely quiet. Then they begin their lesson using a quieter voice than normal". Soft spoken teachers are more likely to grab the attention of a classroom then a loud voice. A soft spoken voice demands immediate attention from all students. The students feel that they should be quiet or they might not hear an important message.
[edit] 101's of Positive Discipline
Dr. Katharine Kersey's 101's of Positive Discipline include the three concepts above- let the child have some control, earn his or her respect, and use silence as a weapon and give parents and teachers 101 specific ways to use these concepts. Dr. Kersey believes that by teaching children to be respectful and caring through positive discipline, parents and teachers can build positive, healthy relationships with children. The principles are also designed to foster independence and self-direction so that as children grow, they are prepared to make appropriate choices in a variety of situations. Dr. Kersey has two versions of the 101s, one for preschoolers and one for elementary school students, but many of the techniques can be used with people of all ages. In order to let the child have some control, she suggests providing the child with two positive, appropriate choices. For example, if you want the child to come inside and he or she doesn't want to, give him or her a choice- "We can go inside in one minute or two" or "You can hop like a frog or gallop like a horse." For older children, you could say "You can clean your room before dinner or after dinner. It's your choice." To earn respect, Dr. Kersey says it is important to speak to children in a way you would like to be spoken to and not to be too quick to correct behavior before you have built a relationship with the child. Share something positive before you begin pointing out problems. Along with using silence as a weapon, sometimes behaviors don't need to be addressed. If the behavior is minor and not dangerous and probably occurring for attention, ignore it! These are only a few of the principles that can be used every day to build healthy relationships with children while increasing appropriate behavior and decreasing unwanted behavior.
Mallorylape 00:35, 10 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Behavioral Reinforcers
Many people feel that in order to recieve a desirable behavior, one must be reinforced by a wanted stimulus in order to do so. For example, when we are training a pet to do a specific trick on command we reward him with a treat. The same sort of concept can be related to humans as well and in some cases is proved to be the most effective method. we all have gone through this. If Suzie wants a cookie, her mother tells her she has to finish her food. If Joe wants a raise, he will produce better work for a length of time. This concept of reinforcement was defined by B.F. Skinner. According to Skinner, "There are two types of behavioral reinforcers and two types of behavioral punishers: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, and negative punishment"
"Positive reinforcement is an increase in the likelihood of a behavior due to the addition of a reinforcer after a behavior. Negative reinforcement is an increase in the likelihood of a behavior when the consequence is the removal of an aversive stimulus. Positive punishment changes the surroundings by adding an aversive stimulus following a behavior in order to decrease the likelihood of the behavior occurring in the future. Negative punishment changes the surroundings by removing a stimulus that is a reinforcer. For example, if Kaitlyn is not listening to the teacher because she is playing with a doll at her desk, the teacher should remove the doll." (Wikipedia.org) User:mnaccarato7927
Edited by: Melissa Naccarato
[edit] Good Tips For Teachers
Know school guidelines.
Be fair, positive and consistent.
Provide a list of standards and consequences to parents and students.
Keep your classroom orderly.
Get to know your students.
Make learning fun, interesting, and relevant.
Treat students with the same respect you expect from them (Newton).
[edit] Conclusion
Classroom discipline has been a problem for educators for a long time. The methods for correcting the discipline have reached an ultimate high. What is really important though, is that not all the methods are effective. Teachers need to believe that they can outwit a classroom of teenagers. Educators need to remember to keep it simple and they can do so by following the tips stated above. One: Let the students have some control, Two: Earn their respect, and Three: Use silence as a weapon. With patience and a passion for helping others any educator can control their classroom
[edit] Questions
1. What is one way a teacher can earn a students respect?
a. dancing on a table b. yelling at them c. rewarding he/she for a good thing they had done
2. Why would a teacher not give a "spanking" as a present day method of discipline?
a. Because the teacher would have charges pressed against them b. Because spanking a student has been outlawed c. Because the teacher did not believe in spankings d. all the above
3. Should a teacher give rewards for an improvement that a student has made?
a. yes b. no
4. Will method "Letting the students have some control" work for younger children?
a. yes b. no
5. Why is it effective to use a soft spoken voice while teaching?
a. it grabs the students attention b. the teacher wants the students to miss something important c. it's not effective
6. If a child is tapping you on the arm repetitively to get attention, according to Dr. Kersey, you should:
a. Yell "STOP IT! YOU'RE ANNOYING!" b. Tell the child to go to time-out. c. Ignore the behavior- it is harmless and will probably stop if no attention is given. d. Tap the child's arm repetitively so he can see how annoying it is.
7. If you are trying to get your significant other to go take you to an Italian restaurant, how can use the choice principle to help you?
a. Tell him/her "We're eating Italian tonight or else!" b. Tell him/her "Do you want to go to Amalfi or Fellini's for dinner? It's your choice!" c. Beg until you get your way. d. Come home with Italian take-out without asking him/her what they want.
8. What is the objective of positive discipline, according to Dr. Kersey?
a. To get kids to do what you want. b. To build positive, healthy relationships with children and teach them to be respectful and caring. c. To teach students techniques they can use to get higher grades in school. d. To teach students to be quiet and pay attention to the teacher.
Questions by Amanda Foster
9. Billy is talking while he and his classmates are taking a test. What is best way for his teacher, Ms. Williams to respond?
a. take points off Billy's test b. go to Billy's desk and place her finger over her mouth showing him that he needs to be quiet c. yell at Billy d. ignore Billy and maybe he will stop talking
10. Abby and Sara are fighting over a toy. What is the best way for their teacher to handle this?
a. let them keep fighting. b. let Sara have the toy because she is a better student c. suggest that one of them find another toy to play with or neither child will play with the original toy. d. give the toy to another child
11. What is one way teachers can make learning fun and interesting?
a. use an educational game like jeopardy to review for a test b. let the students have an hour of recess everyday c. give the students candy whenever they get a good grade or behave well d. let students teach a lesson without the help of the teacher
12. Which of the following would not be a good way to be conscious of a student as an individual?
a. Distribute a survey to discover learning styles. b. Know what his/her assessment weakness is. c. Pronounce his name correctly. d. Make sure he/she gets the same assessment as everyone else.
13. What is a good example of clear/firm/professional teacher behavior?
a. On the first day of class, set aside curriculum to be sure to “get to know” each student. b. Have a bellringer or something for students to do the moment the class begins. c. Revise the classroom rules throughout the school year as changes might need to be made. d. Stop class two minutes before the bell rings so students have a break.
14. What are two things a teacher must do in order to make students in the classroom feel comfortable?
a. Allow all students to make any remarks they like; make sure you respect what they say. b. Make sure students comments are respectful to others; make sure you respect what they say. c. Allow all students to make any remarks they like; always give your opinion on their comments, even if it’s a negative opinion. d. Make sure students comments are respectful to others; always give your opinion on their comments, even if it’s a negative opinion.
[edit] Answers
1.c 2.d 3.a 4.a 5.a 6.c 7.b 8.b 9.b 10.c 11.a 12.d 13.b 14.b
[edit] References
Churchward, Budd (2003). Discipline By Design : http://www.honorlevel.com/x47.xml Wikipedia (08:28, 14 September 2007). "Classroom management" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classroom_management Curwin, R. Mendler, A. (1988). Discipline with Dignity Nelson, Jane. (2001). Positive Discipline Guidelines :http://www.positivediscipline.com/articles/pdguide.html Hopkins, Gary. (2002). Classroom management ten teacher-tested tips: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr261.shtml
Kersey, Katharine (2006). 101 Positive Principles of Discipline. Retrieved from Blackboard on November 9, 2007.
University of Delaware Center for Teaching Effectiveness. (2007). A positive classroom climate. TA Handbook. Retrieved December 8, 2007 from http://cte.udel.edu/TAbook/climate.html
Wikipedia (November 9, 2007). "Reinforcement"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement
Additional Source: Newton, Melanie. "Success For All: Positive Classroom Discipline". Oct 24, 2000. http://www.rblewis.net/technology/EDU506/WebQuests/discipline/discipline.html
