Transcript Discipline in Children's Ministry

Discipline
in Children’s Ministry
Prepared by the
Resource Centre for Children’s and Family
Ministry, Uniting Church in SA, 2007
Meet and Greet:

Share at your table or in a small
group:
 Your name
 Age group of children
 A short explanation of your
ministry program
Aims



Understanding discipline – an
introduction
Creating a climate for positive
behaviour – what to do before you
start your session
Managing behaviour –what to do
when you’re with the children
Discipline?
Discipline?
Rules & Consequences
1. …….
2. ………..
3. ……..
4. .………
At your table come up with
a definition of ‘discipline’.
GO TO
YOUR
ROOM!!!
Descriptions about discipline




It means ‘to teach, instruct, train’.
Discipline should be a positive process.
“The goal of discipline is for the child to
reach a level of maturity that will allow
him one day to function as a responsible
adult in society.”
Discipline requires guidance by
example, modelling, verbal instruction,
correcting wrong behaviour, providing
learning experiences and much more.
Descriptions about discipline


Discipline and punishment are not
synonymous… Punishment is a type of
discipline.
Discipline should not be confused with
control. Discipline focuses on the
learner, while control emphasises the
teacher.
(The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell.
Strand Publishing 2006)
(More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer teachers by
Debbie Trafton O’Neal)
(Tool Box: resource manual for children’s work by Children, Youth and
Young Adults’ Ministries, SA UC SA Synod.)
Why do we discipline?



Because every society has standards
that are considered right and wrong,
acceptable and unacceptable.
Choosing to live an immoral life harms
the individual and their society.
We discipline to train, teach and equip
children to become responsible and
socially accepted members of society.
How should we discipline?





we each have different standards
for acceptable behaviour
we each have different methods
that we believe are acceptable for
disciplining children
we are trying to incorporate
Christian love in discipline
we don’t want to make church feel
like school
we only have the children for a
short time
How should we discipline?
“We will discipline,
in the context of love.”
Children and the gospel by Ron Buckland
“We will discipline,
in the context of love”

“Discipline without
love is like trying
to run a machine
without oil. It may
appear to be
working for a
while but it will
end in disaster.”
“The Five Love Languages of Children”
by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell,
p 114
“We will discipline,
in the context of love”




Love looks out for the interests of
others, so does discipline.
Discipline is an act of love.
Lack of love leads to lack of respect.
Practice unconditional love; then
discipline.
Discuss:
“There is no
such thing
as an
inattentive
child.”
Inattentive children?
“Meg! The feathers are for gluing on
the paper bird.”
Inattentive children?
“James, stop
wandering off!“
Inattentive children?
“Mark, what have
you done to your
drawing?“
Inattentive children?
“Andyyyyy, you know
you’re not to have
gum here.“
Inattentive children?
“No Karen,
you only
went five
minutes ago.”
Inattentive children?
“Sam, stop yelling!”
Inattentive children?
“STEVE! No, I said pretend to be
Samson!”
Inattentive children?
“I said, “Eyes this way!””
Discuss:
“There is no such thing as an
inattentive child.”
How we respond to discipline
challenges is crucial to our ministry…

Modelling how to respond under
pressure
How we respond to discipline
challenges is crucial to our ministry…


Modelling how to respond under
pressure
Child’s self esteem is in our hands
How we respond to discipline
challenges is crucial to our ministry…



Modelling how to respond under
pressure
Child’s self esteem is in our hands
Primary age children’s highly
developed sense of fairness
Causes of misbehaviour

On page 5 of your handout, quickly
list as many causes of misbehaviour
that you can think of.
Causes of misbehaviour

An empty emotional tank
Causes of misbehaviour

What does this child need?

Does this child need their love tank
filled?
Causes of misbehaviour

What does this child need?


Does this child need their love tank
filled?
Is this a physical problem?
 Pain
 Thirsty/
Hungry
 Fatigued
 Ill
Causes of misbehaviour
See your handout -page 6



In the student?
In the classroom atmosphere?
In the teacher’s attitude?
More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer teachers
by Debbie Trafton O’Neal
Climate for positive behaviour

“Many behaviour problems will be
avoided if your program captivates
the children. Therefore, good
preparation and presentation will
form the basis of a good behaviour
management strategy.”
SU’s Very Essential Guide to Working with Children, p22-23
Climate for positive behaviour:
Preparation






Your own spiritual care and growth
Never walk into a session
unprepared
Know your children
Know yourself
Know the aims (long term goals)
and objectives (goal/s for a session)
Prayer-paration
Climate for positive behaviour:
Preparation

On the day:



Arrive early to set up
Lesson plans ready when you arrive
All supplies on hand
Climate for positive behaviour:
Planning






Meaningful experiences
Variety of learning and teaching
techniques
Test all crafts/games/activities
Schedule of session
Plan as a team – decide who will do what
Cater for children with special needs
Climate for positive behaviour:
Planning

Brainstorm at your table different
ways that children can be involved
in different aspects of the session,
such as:




Singing
Telling the story
Application
Prayer time
Climate for positive behaviour:
Planning

Evaluation:





Did we achieve the objectives of the
session?
Is the routine working?
What are the children enjoying? Why?
What are they not enjoying? How can
this be changed?
Are a variety of teaching techniques
being used?
Climate for positive behaviour:
Planning
Reflect:
Write down one or two practices
that you would like to begin,
change of no longer use.
Climate for positive behaviour:
Physical environment







Safe, welcoming, interesting
Child-sized tables and chairs
Appropriate floor coverings
Personalise area with children’s
artwork
Materials accessible & available
Special area for storytelling
Lessen distractions
Climate for positive behaviour:
Physical environment
Share with a partner about how you
currently create a welcoming
physical environment or how you
have seen this done.
Climate for positive behaviour:
You, the teacher







Relationships
Respect
Humility
Consistency
Boundaries
Expectations
Attention
Climate for positive behaviour:
You, the teacher




Language
Instructions
Special needs
Teacher:Child ratio

One adult: 3 x three year olds
Please note:
different organisations and activities
have different requirements

Always have two adults in every room
Climate for positive behaviour:
You, the teacher
Social expectations of power:
 Traditionally, power hierarchy teacher at
top and children at bottom
 Children won’t “do what we want”
anymore
 Now, it’s more like a circle with
values/vision in centre and children and
teacher around the outside
 Reflect on this new model’s implications
for your role in managing behaviour.
Session review:





Descriptions about discipline
Why we discipline
How we should discipline
Causes of misbehaviour
Ways to create a climate for positive
behaviour:




Preparation
Planning
Physical environment
Ways we interact with the children
Behaviour management strategies
“There are no magic formulas …
But there are “tricks of the trade” …
tried and true ideas that, when
adapted to fit the unique needs
of both you and your students,
can help your classroom be one
that is manageable and a
joy in which to teach!”
More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer
teachers (p31) by Debbie Trafton O’Neal
Behaviour management strategies:
Incidents and strategies
At your table:
 Brainstorm some of the “problems”
or discipline incidents that you have
dealt with recently.

Share your strategies – “what works”
in dealing with discipline incidents.
Behaviour management strategies:
Rules and expectations

Rules and expectations






Clearly stated, tailor-fit
Include children in deciding on rules
Explain any rules you must have
Only have a few “don’t” rules
Have as positive a list as possible
Turn “don’ts” into “dos”
eg. “Don’t run inside.” = “Walk inside.”
Behaviour management strategies:
Rules and expectations
We have these rules to ensure that
everyone can be safe and happy in
our class.





We listen to whoever is talking
We show sensible and responsible
behaviour
We respect other people and their
property
We follow teacher instruction
We stay on task
Behaviour management strategies:
Rules and expectations



Remind and restate rules regularly
Enforce rules consistently
Have rules on display
Would anyone like to share any
rules they currently have in
their ministry program?
Behaviour management strategies:
Attention getters
Call out ways to get children’s attention.
Behaviour management strategies:
Attention getters




Signals where the teacher does an
action until all the children join in
Signals that the teacher gives and
then waits for full attention before
continuing
Vary voice volume
Write instructions on board
Behaviour management strategies:
Attention getters
 Decide
at start of session or year
 Let children practice responding
 Expect children to raise their
hands
Behaviour management strategies:
Minor disturbances

It’s best to try and keep the program
flowing by:
 Ignore misbehaviour and talk with
the child later
 Stand near the child
 Establish momentary eye contact
 Pause half way through a sentence
 Use a simple gesture
 Remove distractions
 Praise positive behaviour
Behaviour management strategies:
Minor disturbances
 Requests:
pleasant, positive way to control
behaviour
 respects children’s opinions

 Commands:
negative
 conveys that children’s opinions not
important

Behaviour management strategies:
Minor disturbances
At your table, come up with:
 one short role-play that
incorporates a teacher giving
a request and

another role-play in which the
teacher gives a command.
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances


Do not ignore, deal with at once
Look behind the problem to
consider the real reason



What might this child need?
Is their emotional love tank full?
Is it a physical problem?
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances


Be open and flexible to change
Look for “teachable moments”
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Step 1: Warning


Step 2: Private consultation


Give the child a simple yet clearly understood
warning that their behaviour is unacceptable.
Talk with the child and warn about possible
consequences if misbehaviour continues. Don’t
threaten disciplinary action unless you are
prepared to carry it through.
Step 3: Carry out disciplinary action
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Private consultation






Deal with child alone but not out of sight
Share your feelings about the
misbehaviour and not the child
Be concise
Let the child tell you what s/he did
wrong –prompt if needed
Ask “what” not “why”
Be sure the child understands why the
behaviour is wrong and not to be
repeated.
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Private consultation

Explain a positive behaviour option the
child could choose instead
High 5
* Ignore
* Walk away
* Talk friendly
* Talk firmly
* Report

Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Logical consequences




Should tie directly to the misbehaviour
Get children to determine the logical
consequence –either when setting the
rules or at the time of the misbehaviour
Explore different alternative
consequences and involve the child in
choosing the most appropriate one
Follow through on the consequence
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Punishment




Involves placing a negative element into
the child’s environment
To be able to use it appropriately and
with care, requires planning how you will
implement it before misbehaviour occurs
“The punishment must fit the crime”
“One size does not fit all”
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Punishment

Discuss at your table when and what
type of punishment may be appropriate
in a ministry program.
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Punishment




Does not deal with the root problem of
misbehaviour
May provoke anger and resentment
May leave the teacher with feelings of
guilt and loss of confidence
Often produces guilt and fear in children;
not trust and love of good discipline
strategies.
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Behaviour modification


Positive reinforcement: placing a positive
element into a child’s environment
Negative reinforcement: withdrawing a
positive element from the child’s
environment
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Behaviour modification


Positive reinforcement: placing a positive
element into a child’s environment
Call out some positive reinforcers.
 social
 tokens
 activity
 tangible
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Behaviour modification


Negative reinforcement: withdrawing a
positive element from the child’s
environment
Call out some negative reinforcers.
Behaviour management strategies:
Major disturbances

Behaviour modification:


Most helpful for specific, recurring,
behavioural problems for which a child
shows no remorse
Use sparingly
Behaviour management strategies:

Case Studies


In your handout on page 13.
In pairs, choose a few different
scenarios and work out:
 How might you respond?
 What might you say?
Conclusion


Our discipline begins in love.
Discipline is expressed in the way
we:


prepare to meet with our children and
the way we interact with them.
Conclusion

In your handout, pages 14-15:




Analyse the origins for your discipline
style
A child’s remorse, an adult’s forgiveness
Tips on working with overactive children
In your handout, page 16

References
Conclusion




Take time to review your notes and
see how it all applies to you.
Recognise the many things that you
are doing well.
If you feel you want to make
changes, don’t try to make them all
at once. Focus on one thing a
week/term.
Ask other teachers for help and
advice.
Finding joy

Find joy in teaching:
 Smile
 Be enthusiastic
 Share your passion
 Enjoy the story
 Exude energy
 Always be ready to laugh
The Ministry of Children’s Education: Foundations, Contexts, and
Practices. Introduction by Margaret Krych Chapter 9, “Teaching to
Engage Children” Susan Wilds McArver p231 – 236
Finding joy

Find joy in teaching:
 Love your children as children of
God
 Affirm them
 Support them
 Pray for them
 Pray with them
 Let the Spirit guide you
The Ministry of Children’s Education: Foundations, Contexts, and
Practices. Introduction by Margaret Krych Chapter 9, “Teaching to
Engage Children” Susan Wilds McArver p231 – 236
Finding joy
“Discipline is an awesome task requiring
wisdom, imagination, patience,
and great amounts of love.”