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You have to reach
the heart before you can reach the
head.
Classroom Meetings in Early Childhood (Ages 3-5)

• Positive Discipline in the Classroom, Nelson,
  Ed.D., Lott, M.A., and Glenn, Ph.D. 2000
• Positive Discipline for Preschoolers, Nelson,
  Ed.D.

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AGENDA

• Philosophy Behind Positive Discipline Classroom
  Meetings
• 8 Building Blocks
• The Agenda/Format
• LUNCH BREAK
• Model a Classroom Meeting
• Common Concerns and Tips

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What is Unique about Positive Discipline
Classroom Meetings?

• Adlerian Psychology Humans are inherently
  social beings
• Goal To teach children early in life to
  effectively solve social problems through
  collaboration with their peers.
• Model Students decide topics, total class
  involvement, specified format, valuable life
  skills are taught

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Primary Needs

• 1. Perception of Significance in Primary
  Relationships Acceptance
• 2. Perception of Personal Capabilities
  Competency
• 3. Perception of Power to Influence Ones Own
  Life Autonomy
• When a child does not feel he or she can belong
  in a positive way, they may resort to misbehavior
  in order to fullfill the need to belong.
• - Positive Discipline in the Classroom,
• Nelson, Ed.D., Lott, M.A., and Glenn, Ph.D. 2000
• A Misbehaving Child is a Discouraged Child
• Rudolf Dreikurs

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The Four Goals of Misbehavior

• Undue Attention
• Misguided Power
• Revenge
• Assumed Inadequacy

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Group Activity

• What Do You Really Want for Your Students?
• Question What characteristics and skills do you
  think children need in order to be happy,
  contributing (successful) members of society?
• Write your list of characterisitics/skills to
  share

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Classroom Meetings Empower Students The
Significant Seven

• I am capable
• I contribute in meaningful ways, and I am
  genuinely needed
• I use my personal power to make choices that
  influence what happens to me and my community
• I have self-discipline and self-control
• I can work respectfully with others
• I understand how my behavior affects others
• My judgment skills and wisdom are improving
  through daily practice

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Classroom Meetings Teach Social Skills

• Listening
• Taking turns
• Hearing different points of view
• Negotiating
• Communicating
• Helping one another
• Taking responsibility for ones own behavior

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Classroom Meetings Strengthen Academic Skills

• Oral skills
• Attentiveness
• Critical-thinking skills
• Decision-making skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Democratic procedures

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Introducing Class Meetings

• No problem is too difficult once it is
  recognized as a common task. Rudolf Dreikurs
• Key Ingredients
• Regularly held meetings
• Student-generated topics
• The TOTAL class is involved.
• Circle format that creates the kind of order that
  allows more freedom for everyone involved.

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The Eight Building Blocks for Effective Class
Meetings

• Form a Circle
• Practice Compliments and Appreciations
• Create an Agenda
• Develop Communication Skills
• Learn About Separate Realities
• Recognize the Four Reasons People Do What They Do
• Practice Brainstorming
• Focus on Solutions vs. Punishments

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Building Blocks 2-8

• 2 Practice compliments and appreciations
• 3 Create an agenda for the class
• 4 Listening Skills, Taking Turns, I
  Statements
• 5 Learning about Separate Realities
• 6 Why People Do What They Do, Deal with the
  Belief Behind the Behavior
• 7 Practice Brainstorming
• 8 Focus on Solutions vs. Consequences, Wheel
  of Choice or other Problem Solving Cards

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Group Activity

• Read more about your assigned
• building block in your guide.
• Discuss ways to teach this concept to your
  classroom.
• Design a lesson about this building block to
  share with the whole class. You may do a mock
  lesson or create a list of tips/ideas..

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Building Block Three Create an Agenda

• Must focus on the problem that affects the group
  NOT the person
• (ie the swings vs. Joe wont share the swings)
• Students and teachers can write what they want to
  discuss at next meeting.
• Use the wall or notebook - teacher assists
  student in writing topic and name (ie SWINGS
  Sally) or with a picture
• The only items discussed are those on the agenda
  BEFORE the meeting.
• Teach the 8 Building Blocks before moving on to
  problem-solving.

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Agenda

• Put a problem / concern you have regarding
  classroom meetings on our agenda to discuss at
  our classroom meeting after the break.

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LUNCH BREAK!
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Building Block One Form a Circle

• Activity Form a Circle
• Objective To create a democratic atmosphere of
  mutual respect in which everyone has equal rights
  to speak and be heard.

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Class-Meeting Format

• Compliments and appreciations
• Agenda Items - Solve problems that affect group
• Follow up on prior solutions
• Future plans (field trips, projects, etc.)

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Common Concerns Tips

• Timing attention span, mood
• Regularly held 1x day or 1x week
• Use special signals
• Use TALKING STICK
• Building Blocks FIRST
• Hardest part Letting go of the need to direct
  the proceedings
• Re-read Positive Discipline

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• Be Kind Firm!
• Reflective Listening Open Ended Questions
• Give it at least one month
• Takes time to come up with solutions
• Write your concerns in the agenda
• Discussion must focus on ACTION not PERSON
• Trust the process.

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Six Criteria for Successful Class Meetings

1. Have class meetings regularly! (In elementary
   years esp.)
2. Teach the building blocks FIRST and re-teach as
   needed!
3. Focus on solutions instead of consequences.
4. Pass an item around the circle (talking stick,
   stuffed animal, etc.)
5. Use the class meeting format to address problems
   that arise during the meeting.
6. Allow time for training while teachers and
   students learn the class-meeting process. Trust
   the process and use the mistakes as opportunities
   to learn!!!