Discipline with Dignity

From WikEd

1 Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of
2 Application in classrooms and similar settings
3 Evidence of effectiveness
4 Critics and their rationale
5 Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations
6 Signed Life experiences, Testimonies and Stories
7 References and other links of interest

[edit] Descriptions, definitions, synonyms, organizer terms, types of

Theorist/Writers: Richard L. Curwin and Allen N. Mendler.

Description/Definition:

Teacher establishes a social contract with the class.

Sample contract: Creating a Meaningful Contract for Your Class by Benna Golubtchik. http://www.teachersnetwork.org/ntol/howto/manage/contract.htm

It follows Glasser’s theories of not destroying the student’s motivation through discipline.

My initial thoughts on Discipline with Dignity are that it is a managment technique used by teachers in which a contract is mutually decided by the students and the teacher. The consequences are mutually decided as well. The contract is shared with all stakeholders (example: principal, parents).

It has three components according to Wolfgang(2001):

1) Prevention

2) Action dimension

3) Resolution.

Some additional basic principles...

• Long-term behavioral change, not quick fixes

• Dealing with student behavior is part of the job

• Rules must make sense

• Be a model of what you expect

• Always treat students with dignity

• Responsibility is more important than obedience

• Stop doing ineffective things

• You can be fair without always having to treat every one the same

Discipline With Dignity Classroom Management

The prevention component consists of preplanning. Preplanning can be for the activities the class will be doing and thinking about times or ways in which students will have difficulty and trying to eliminate them. It is also informing students ahead of time so they understand how they will be dealt with should problems occur. The action component is all the record keeping and minor discipline that the teacher does. Finally the resolution compnoent is dealing with the repetitive rule breaking student.

In disciplining difficult to control students Curwin and Mendler believe teachers need to use the following principles:

1) Dealing with student behavior is an important part of teaching. They should put as much effort into teaching good behavior as they put into teaching content.

2) Always treat students with dignity. To treat students with dignity is to be concerned about and understanding of their needs and viewpoints. Curwin and Mendler advise teachers to ask themselves this question when reacting to student misbehavior:"How would this strategy affect my dignity if a teacher did it to me?"

3) Good discipline must not interfere with student motivation. Any discipline technique is self-defeating if it reduces motivation to learn.

4) Responsibility is more important than obedience. Obedience means "do as you are told." Responsibility means "make the best possible decision."

                                            (C.M. Charles 2005)

Curwin and Mendler believe there are four types of consequences, logical, conventional, generic, and instructional. A logical consequence is one consequence that would naturally occur as the result of the misbehavior. Generic consequences usually take the form of warnings or choices for the student to change behaviors. Conventional are frequently used and usually ineffective with hard to manage students.

The use of consequences and how they are used is extremely important. Curwin and Mendler make the following suggestions:

1) Always implement a consequence when a rule is broken.

2) Select the most appropriate consequence.

3) State the rule/consequence.

4) Be private.

5) Do not embarrass the student.

6) Do not get involved in a power struggle.

7) Control your anger.

8) Sometimes it is best to let the student choose the consquence.

9) The professional always looks for ways to help the client.

Wolfgang(2001) relates the Discipline with Dignity method created by Curwin and Mendler as similiar to Glasser in that they are "concerned with not destroying the motivation of a student through discipline actions. The central goal of all discipline actions is to preserve the student's interest in learning and life in school-thus their dignity."

[edit] Application in classrooms and similar settings

Utilizes the Dreikurs-Adlerian idea of class meetings used to establish rules and consequences. The social contract is established between teacher and class and is shared with parents, principal, other teachers, and school counselor.

http://moodle.ed.uiuc.edu/wiked/index.php/Dreikurs,_Rudolf

Consequences are not punishment:

1) Clear and specific consequences

2) Have a range of alternatives available

3) Don’t use punishment

4) They are related to the rule

“Fair but Equal‿ - The teacher is given the flexibility to treat each student as an individual and take all aspects of the situation into consideration.

Praise used only as an “I‿ statement:

1. (student name), __________, when you did _________, 2. it made me feel ________ 3. because ________________. (Wolfgang, 198)

Implementation:

1) Be consistent/always use consequences

2) Simply state rule and consequence

3) Use proximity

4) Make direct eye contact

5) Use soft voice

6) Catch a student being good

7) Don’t embarrass student in front of class/peers

8) Be firm and anger free

9) Don’t accept excuses, bargaining, whining

[edit] Evidence of effectiveness

School Improvement Research Series: Schoolwide and Classroom Discipline

http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/5/cu9.html

The Effects of Reward Systems on Academic Performance By Lucinda M. Wilson & Deborah A. Corpus

http://www.nmsa.org/research/res_articles_sept2001.htm

Brain-Compatible Discipline(with Dignity)By Dr. Gerard Evanski

http://www.disciplineassociates.com/printeditorial4.htm

[edit] Critics and their rationale

Discipline with dignity has been described as a combination of many of the other management styles with no real cohesiveness. The conclusions and guidelines are unclear especially when dealing with difficult students (Wolfgang, 2005).

Kohn states that Curwin and Mendler are still just recommending manipulating the student to get the desired compliance the teacher has decided upon (Wolfgang, 2005).

[edit] Alternative explanations due to Diversity considerations

Administrators’ and Teachers’ Work in a New Age of Reform: Understanding the Factors for African American Students’ Success

http://www.subr.edu/coeducation/ejournal/Beachum%20et%20al.%20Article.htm

[edit] Signed Life experiences, Testimonies and Stories

I think it is really important to try and keep discipline as private as possible. Whenever I have something to talk about with a student, I try and take them out into the hallway to discuss it calmly and rationally. However, sometimes I do find myself doing what I consider "friendly reminders" in front of the whole class. I find that it is not always doable to go out into the hall for every little thing that comes up in my class, but how do you know if your "friendly reminder" is not quite friendly enough and is having a lasting negative impact on that child? Just like adults, some students have thicker skin than others and it is important to remember this in the hustle and bustle of the everyday classroom. Our words mean a lot to students, and that can be a positive impact or negative impact. It is for us to decide. --Annie Craig, 2nd Grade Teacher

I have never heard of Discipline with Dignity but I would hope that all discipline is done with some degree of dignity. I wonder if this is some new terminology for a method we are currently using. I know of several teachers who use the contract method for discipline.I can't imagine that simply giving students real life scenarios to discuss will automatically promote discipline. R. Hall

I recently made the mistake of making a verbal confrontation in front of my class. We were doing a kinesthetic activity and all students were up around the room in a circle, so my back was to someone all the time. I had reminded the class several times that I needed there to be no talking so each person could reveal what their card said. I finally got tired of stopping so I made at threat and said the next individual talking will need to take a seat. So, knowing that I would need to follow through (reason threats are not good) a girl was talking and I asked her to sit down. She started going off on me and I reminded her of the choice she made and that I gave numerous warnings about what I was going to do. After she stopped yelling I told her that she may now go out into the hall because of her rudeness. This was a student that I have never seen this ability to snap. Once I finished the activity and got all the students back in their seats, I went out in the hall and she told me that her friend that was about to read her card did not know some of the words. This was a girl with a 1st grade reading level. I told her I was not mad at the fact that she talked but how she reacted after I asked her to have a seat. She promised to not blow up again and I promised that I would not speak with her in such a manner without being more private.

I agree with the point submitted by Discipline with Dignity. I think that children deserve to be respected and cherished for who they are, yet corrected in a way that will help them to understand the reprecussions of their choices on others around them. Time and again I am in Walmart and I hear parents yelling or cursing at their children. The children usually respond by stopping the behavior temporarily, or they appear dejected and humiliated. I remember my mother losing her temper when my three siblings and I would misbehave, and her yelling made us feel horrible for disappointing her, but later she would apologize and say that her yelling made her feel as bad as we did. So, how can parents get out of their ruts and take a chance with materials like Discipline with Dignity without discounting the long term effects on thier childs understanding of the purpose of discipline? ~ C. Hatchett