CHALLENGING STUDENT BEHAVIOR

This Approach is a Good News/Bad News Scenario: GOOD NEWS: The only person’s behavior you have control over is your own.

BAD NEWS: It’s very difficult to change our behavior.

Don’t Be Afraid of Opposition.

Remember, a kite rises against the wind, not with it.

George Bernard Shaw

The Role of Paradigms A paradigm is a pattern or model for interpreting information. It provides us with a set of rules and regulations for making sense out of our environment. Information that agrees with our paradigm is easily recognized and accepted. Information that disagrees with our paradigm is difficult to recognize and is resisted.

The Dominant Paradigm… Resistance Originates from a Child.

RESISTANCE ORIGINATES FROM YOUR BEHAVIOR!

Do You Disagree with Me?

If so, I have just created your resistance. I can change that. I am NOT suggesting this as a technique for managing resistance. Nevertheless, what would happen to resistance if you never asked a student to stop behaving inappropriately or to start behaving appropriately? Would there be resistance?

The Opposite of Resistance Is Rapport Alter your behavior so that it becomes easier to lead a child in the direction of a desired outcome.

Teaching/Instructional Practices     Three approaches to discipline: Authoritarian - where the adult is the enforcer. Permissive - where the adult enables children.

Cooperative - where the adult empowers students and teaches responsibility through choices and problem solving.

       Authoritarian – yells, lectures, uses harsh words, put downs, sarcasm Leads to power struggles, revenge or rebellion.

Consequences (punishments) are external.

Adversary condition.

An enforcer – may use guilt to control.

Lots of control – few choices.

Reward and punishment/fear and intimidation.

Goal – compliance (does not teach self discipline or responsibility).

Permissive – a “friend”, uses persuasion and bribery (rewards)  Student is dependent on teacher – behaves to please.

 Lots of choices but few limits.

 Students believe world owes them and tantrum when world doesn’t come through.

Cooperative – Manager – Firm and Friendly       Enforces rules and consequences.

Consequences reasonable, related and done respectfully.

Students learn to be responsible for their decisions.

Manager is pro-active and prevents discipline problems by developing: mutual respect and meeting individual needs.

Students are empowered to solve problems.

Resolution is internal.

Manager

Parts of a Management Plan 1.

Building a foundation:    Know what you want.

Understand misbehavior.

Develop a belief system.

Parts of a Management Plan       Prevention Create a safe, secure environment based on mutual respect, cooperation and trust.

Building a positive relationship and creating a caring environment.

Effective instructional strategies.

Rules and consequences.

Procedures.

Parts of a Management Plan      Action Intervene when students misbehave.

Prevent power struggles.

Redirect student behavior.

 Crisis management .

Strategies for dealing with volatile students.

Parts of a Management Plan 1.

Inclusion – working with special needs students.

Parts of a Management Plan  Resolution – strategies that bring about change:   Problem solving conference.

Class meetings.

 Anger management.

Fundamental Premises About People

1.

1. FUNDAMENTAL PREMISE ABOUT PEOPLE 2.

People are social beings and have a desire to belong and feel significant in the eyes of others.

All behavior is goal-oriented and has a purpose.

- The Primary Goal is to belong and feel significant.

- The Four Mistaken Goals of Misbehavior: A.

B.

C.

D.

Attention Power Revenge Avoidance of Failure “Notice me.” “I’m in charge.” “I’ll get even.” “I can’t.”

Fundamental Premises About People 3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

People Have Basic Needs.

(These needs will be met in a positive or negative way!) a.

Safety and Security b.

c.

d.

e.

f.

Connect (Acceptance, Attention, Appreciation, Affection) Control – Power Capable Contribute Fun – Enjoyment People are Decision-Makers.

(Decision-makers must be responsible for the decisions they make.) All People are Entitled to Dignity and Respect.

Perception is Reality.

The Only Person You can Control is YOURSELF!

CYCLE OF FAILURE A. Negative Self-Concept/ Low .

Self-Worth.

B. Negative Behavior.

C. Punishment.

D. Self-Concept Lowered.

E. Angry Person More Violent.

F. Back to “A”.

CYCLE OF FAILURE TO BREAK THAT CYCLE, YOU MUST: A. Have a Supportive Climate.

B. Build Relationships.

Belief Statements…What’s Yours?

Without belief statements, there is no foundation for developing a discipline plan.

I believe…

Belief Statements

PREVENTION

Environment

Motivation

Kids don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!

Encouragement

Notice

Effective Instruction

Cooperative Learning

Engage Immediately

People retain        10% of what they read 20% of what they hear 30% of what they see 50% of what they see and hear 70% of what they discuss with others 80% of what they say and do 95% of what they teach

Auditory Learners

Visual Learners

Tactile Learners

Kinesthetic Learners

Reflect

RULES  Two rules Spencer Henry uses:  

1. Do things that will not prevent me from teaching, you or others from learning.

2. Respect yourself, others and your school.

Teach what works and what doesn’t work with you.

PROCEDURES  Daily classroom routines:  Transitions.

 Developed by the school.

Don’t assume anything! Teach everything!

Giving Directions:

Punishment

Research says that for every year a bad habit is practiced, it will take one month of intervention to change that behavior – 6 years 6 months!

Consequences  Loss or delay of privileges.

 Require interaction.

 Restitution.

 Instructional.

Time Out/Chill Out

So what do you do with the non-compliant student?

Listen, acknowledge and defer.

Use thinking statements – not arguing words!

 What.

 Judgmental.

 Close-ended questions.

 Problem solving.

 Consequence questions.

If student does not answer – be prepared to answer

.

Use “I” Statements.

NEVER engage for more than 10 seconds

.

THE QUALITY OF A CHILD’S EDUCATION DEPENDS UPON THREE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL: • HOW WELL YOU MANAGE YOUR CLASSROOM.

• THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER AND.

• THE CAPABILITY OF THE TEACHER.

Pro-Acting is like sharpening an ax before chopping wood. Are you prepared to deal with difficult, challenging, at risk students?

Be Personal!

Don’t Personalize!

THE TEACHER I have come to a frightening conclusion.

I am the decisive element in the classroom.

It is my personal approach that creates the climate.

It is my daily mood that makes the weather.

As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or hurt, humor or heal.

In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or de-humanized.

Haim Ginott