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 don’t 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