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Home : 2002 : October : 29

ideas
By sj

Cathy-Dee has offered excellent suggestions. Perhaps by luck, but I hope partly due to my efforts, I seldom have had whole-class discipline problems at any grade I've taught. I think my philosophy is what saves it for me,
so I'll share. First, remember that you are a trainer, not a warden. Just as you would train an animal with praise, a pat, and a treat--you must also train your students. Be consistent. If you acknowledge a behavior (either positive or negative) only 75% of the time, you are not likely to attain the results you desire. Catch them being good. Old phrase, but it works. Reinforce

what you do want; in the beginning give much praise and frequent tangible (like M&M's) rewards and shoot for 100% of the time that the behavior occurs. You will feel you are over-doing it, but as the behavior becomes more frequent you begin to reduce the frequency of rewards and make those rewards cumulative and less tangible(as points acquired to receive a desirable priviledge). When negative reinforcement cannot be avoided make it consistent, swift, immediate, and over with when it's done. Do not "keep score" by making the student pay over and over for an offense he's already "done time" for. Give many opportunities for new beginnings, fresh starts, and success. Set attainable goals--ones that will have early and fairly easy success, as success is sweet and once tasted is usually desired. You could start out with setting a 15 minute time period for success: "Students will stay seated, pay attention, and not interrupt the learning of themselves or others. Those of you who do this will get a 5 minute break to visit quietly. Those of you who don't will spend the break time visiting with me/copying rules/standing in the corner/etc." Then, begin a new 15 minutes and everybody starts fresh, with you stating that you believe that everyone can do it and that you hope that everyone does. Be on your student's side. You are their helper in maintaining good behavior, not their policeman or punisher. Make it clear that what you do does not involve your personal emotions (and NEVER EVER let your emotions rule your classroom--ALWAYS do what your students need you to do, not what you feel like doing!), but that you are interested in helping them improve their learning and their classroom environment. Agree with them that you don't like it when you have to gripe at them, and you know they don't like it either--ask them to help you create a more pleasant atmosphere for all of you. I've probably sent 4 kids to the office in the past 10 years and paddled three. I seldom raise my voice, and my students will even get up and close the classroom door if a noisy class walks by because they prefer the calm of our class. In a way, you have to brainwash them into believing that they prefer this nice, quiet, pleasant atmosphere--except they really do usually prefer it. Let them know that you are on their side. Express sympathy to the ones who get into trouble--it isn't pleasant and you would much rather that you didn't have to do this to them, but they have made a bad choice--but not one that makes them bad in your eyes. A lot of your students who act out simply don't believe in themselves--they don't believe that they can behave. It's your job to convince them that they can. If you are a good trainer, you'll soon have your "animals" eating out of your hand. Now, I sincerely hope that I don't pay for being so know-it-all by having a nightmare class next year! But, seriously, I have had at least 20 years of success in discipline with my classes (not always with every single individual--some kids need their own behavior plans) by being a positive advocate of my students. I don't expect my administration to handle anything except sticky issues like sex, stealing, or things like that that might end up with parents unhappy with one another or a legal issue. That classroom is mine, and it's up to me to set the tone, atmosphere, and expectations and then carry through. Don't make the mistake that many young teachers do of expecting your administrater to handle the administration of your classroom. That's your job, not theirs. You should only send them the problems that exceed your authority or jurisdiction to the office. Now, you want to impress those administrators? Set up your observation day for three weeks from now. Then, focus for the next week on training your class. Use your subject matter only as a vehicle for this behavior training. The next week, subtly back off of all the rewarding and constant praising and gradually teach more content. The third week, practice every lesson as though you were being observed (That means plan each one in extreme detail, trying to anticipate every thing that could go wrong and planning a way to avoid it), then on the first day of week four show 'em what you can do!