Discipline with Dignity

1
Discipline with Dignity
Students cannot learn responsibility without
choices and without an opportunity to make
mistakes and learn from them.

• Richard L. Curwin
• and
• Allen N. Mendler

2
Discipline in Schools

• How do we deal with it?
• Schools need behavioral management programs to be
  effective educators.
• Varying causes of discipline problems Out of
  school, and in school.
• Study by Rutter et al showed that schools do make
  a difference.

3
Three-Dimensional Discipline

• The Prevention Dimension - how to prevent
  problems
• Self-awareness of teacher and their emotions
• Motivation
• Social contract
• The Action Dimension - how to solve the problem
  without making it worse
• The Resolution Dimension - how to handle the
  out-of-control student.

4
12 Processes

• 1. Let students know what you need
• 2. Provide instruction at levels that match the
  student's ability
• 3. Listen to what students are thinking and
  feeling
• 4. Use humor
• 5. Vary your style of presentation
• 6. Offer choices
• 7. Refuse to accept excuses
• 8. Legitimize misbehavior that you cannot stop
• 9. Use hugs and touching in communication with
  kids
• 10. Be responsible for yourself and allow kids to
  take responsibility for themselves
• 11. Realize and accept that you will not reach
  every kid
• 12. Start fresh every day

5
The Responsibility Model

• Requires a lot of work!
• Student involvement in development of discipline
  plan
• Can be more time-consuming
• Progress slow due to students learning
• Results not immediate
• Teachers also learn how their actions lead to
  discipline problems.

6
The Responsibility Model

• Encourages improved teaching and learning
  performance.
• Fosters critical thinking and promotes shared
  decision-making.
• Students respond better when they have some
  control, even when they dont get their way every
  time.

7
Principles of Discipline Plan

• Dealing with student behavior is part of the job.
• Always treat students with dignity.
• Discipline works best when integrated with
  effective teaching practices.
• Acting out is sometimes an act of sanity.

8
The Social Contract

• Involve students
• Clarity of rules
• Fitting consequences, not punishments
• Allow contract to change
• Flexibility to teachers for each situation
• Have safeguards to protect dignity of students

9
Consequences

• What should consequences do?
• Four types of consequences
• Generic
• Conventional
• Educational
• Natural/Logical

10
Taking Action Delivering Consequences

• Intervention
• Stabilization
• Reframing
• Eight ideas for effectiveness
• Avoid power struggles