Haim Ginott : Discipline through congruent communication

1. HaimGinott:Discipline through congruent communication By: Allison Shouse

2. Background information • Classroom teacher (early in career) • Earned doctorate at Columbia University • Held professorships in Psychology • Adelphi University • New York University Graduate School

3. Other contributions… • Published author • Served as a UNESCO consultant in Israel (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) • Served as “Resident Psychologist” on the Today Show. • Wrote a weekly syndicated column titled “Between us” • Dealt with interpersonal communications

4. The effective Teacher

5. The effective teacher must remember… • 1. Learning always takes place in the present tense. • Do not prejudge or hold grudges. • 2. Learning always is a personal matter to the student. • If working with a large class, one must remember that each student learner is an individual who must be treated as such. • 3. Respect students’ privacy. • 4. The key to working EFFECTIVELY with students is communication. • Congruent Communication *Main focus!*

6. The effective teacher must remember to… • Invite Cooperation • Do not dictate to students or boss them around • Be open with all emotions • Express your anger and all feelings • Be sure to use I-messages, rather than You-messages • Use Laconic Language when responding to or redirecting a students’ misbehavior • Short and to the point responses • Always ask yourself, “How can I be most helpful to my students right now?”

7. Congruent Communication • A style of communication in which teachers acknowledge and acceptstudents’ feelings about situations and themselves. • The cardinal principle of Congruent Communication is that is addresses SITUATIONS, not the students’ character or personality in any way. • Use “Sane messages” when addressing misbehavior • Messages that focus calmly on what needs to be corrected without attacking the students’ character or personality.

8. Teacher’s at their best… • Do not… • Preach • Moralize • Impose guilt • Demand promises Instead- they confer dignityon their students by treating them as social equals capable of making decisions.

9. Thoughts on Praise… • Evaluative praise is worse than none at all • Instead, use Appreciative praise • Praise that expresses gratitude or admiration for effort.

10. On the other hand… • When correcting inappropriate behavior, teachers should avoid using “why questions” when discussing behavior. • May make children feel guilty or defensive • Avoid any sarcasm or punishment • Produces hostility, rancor, vengefulness • Never makes students really want to improve • Instead, advises simply teaching students how to behave properly (not reprimanding the student’s misbehavior)

11. Teachers can improve, too! • Should continually strive for self-discipline in their work with students. • Must be careful not to display behaviors you are trying to eradicate in students • Raising your voice to end noise • Acting rude toward students who are impolite • Berating students who have used inappropriate language. • Always try to promote humaneness and self-control within students. • Classroom discipline is attained gradually. • Series of little victories!

12. Smartboard Activity… • smartboardactivity.notebook