Limit setting
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[edit] Limit Setting overview
Limit Setting is a crucial teacher behavior in Fredric Jones’s Positive Discipline model and is defined as actions that are taken by a teacher to control a student’s natural reflexes and to prompt the student to appropriate on-task behavior through the use of body language (Wolfgang 53). FredJones.com notes that "Limit Setting involves the use of body language. It is the way "natural" teachers carry themselves that says, "I mean business." Fred Jones has studied these teachers and decoded what it is that makes their moves convincing. He writes about how students read this body language and how you can acquire it. Jones developed systems based on the skills of the “naturals�? to reduce the likelihood of confrontations with students and to deal with the high frequency misbehaviors quickly and effectively. Classroom structure, using Say, Do, See teaching, responsibility training through incentive programs, providing efficient help to individual students, and limit setting are pieces of Jones’ Positive Classroom Discipline approach (Romano). Limit setting is one portion of Jones’ plan that includes a multi-step approach to dealing quickly and efficiently with students who are off task, Unlike Kounin, Jones concentrated his research in different area - the actions of teachers AFTER a bad behavior had begun. (Catey)
Limit setting techniques are important to employ in the classroom because it -helps reduce stress levels -places some external control on the situation -assists in the decision making process
Limit setting should be used when the students are working at their desks or when the teacher is lecturing (Wolfgang 53). The objective of limit setting is to calm the student and to get him or her back on task. In order for a teacher to effectively use limit setting, he or she must also be calm, which is achieved by slowing down breathing and taking deep breaths throughout all of the steps. If a teacher allows him/herself to begin to loudly verbilize their displeasure, the student who is misbehaving wins. (Catey)
Jones' research found the following:
About 50% of classroom time is lost due to student misbehavior and being off task. 80% of lost time is due to talking without permission. 19% is lost to daydreaming, out of seat, making noises, etc. 1% is lost to more serious misbehavior. Jones also discovered that some teachers seem to naturally control their students and deal with misbehaviors quickly and efficiently while others lose lots of instructional time by yelling or nagging or being sarcastic to try to get students to behave. (Romano)
[edit] Steps in Limit Setting
There are seven steps in limit setting:
1. Eyes in the Back of Your Head. A teacher needs to be aware of what is occurring in all areas in the classroom at all times (Wolfgang 57). This can also be accomplished by never turning your back to the class. Always position yourself to have the majority of the students in view with just a lift of the eyes.
2. Terminate Instruction. Excuse yourself from what you are doing, whether it is with the entire class or with one other student. Put all your concentration and energy into stopping the misbehavior as soon as possible.
3. Turn, Look, and Say the Student’s Name. The teacher turns to completely face the student and with a flat facial expression, says the student’s name (Wolfgang 59). Leaving even one foot directed away fromthe student in questions shows that you are not giving them your entire attention. the teachers entire body must face the student.
4. Walk to the Edge of the Student’s Desk. While walking to the desk, a teacher should maintain eye contact with the student and continue to take deep breaths. The teacher should stop in front of the student’s desk and be unresponsive to any comments made by the student (Wolfgang 61). Do not say anything to the student, just stand there. Jones advocates that room arrangement is critical in limit setting. Teachers must be able to move quickly and easily in order to deal with misbehaviors at this step. Also, teachers need to be able to move easily to monitor students while working. (Romano)
5. Prompt. The teacher uses his or her hands to signal a prompt to an action that he or she wants. For instance, the teacher turns a book to the correct pages and points to the problem that the student should be working on (Wolfgang 61).
6. Palms. The teacher places his or her palms flat on the far sides of the desk maintaining eye contact with the student and is within one foot of the student’s face (Wolfgang 62).
7. Camping out. The teacher lifts one palm off the desk and places an elbow on the desk to lean in further (Wolfgang 62). After the student stops, maintain eye contact and with the student even from behind the student so he/she knows you are still "watching" (Romano).
[edit] Practicing Limit Setting
Jones strongly suggests that teachers practice limit setting. To do so, practice the relaxed look that Jones refers to as the "Queen Victoria" look, step in front of a mirror: You are not agitated, nor are you amused. Two cleansing breaths, relax your jaw, relax your hands. Check to make sure you aren't giving a mixed message by grinning. Put your tongue behind your front teeth, you can't smile or clench your teeth if you do. (Jones)
[edit] Criticisms of Limit Setting
Critics of limit setting believe that it is intrusive and it disrupts the entire class. Furthermore, limit setting does not allow for verbal communication between the student and the teacher (Wolfgang 82). As a result, the teacher is not able to express how the misbehavior makes him or her feel. Limit setting is also criticized as being a short-term fix that does not address the cause of the problem or help students to become better people (Wolfgang 82).
In some classes and in real life experiences as a teacher, it is sometimes important to interact with a student to convey wrong and right. Some researchers disagree but there is a difference in field application and field study. Limit setting should be followed with a discussion so the students avoid repeating undesired behaviors.
[edit] Other Links on Limit Setting:
Stopping Unwanted Behaviors using Limit Setting
Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior - Limit Setting
Power point presentation on limit setting http://dothr.ost.dot.gov/HR_Programs/Workers_Compensation/4th_Annual_Federal_Workers_Com/04b_Denny.ppt#301,2,LEVELS OF STRESS
Source
Wolfgang, Charles H., Solving Discipline And Classroom Management Problems: Methods and Models for Today’s Teachers; U.S.A, John Wiley and Sons, 2001.
Catey, A. Limit Setting. Retrieved May 3, 2005 from the World Wide Web. http://students.ed.uiuc.edu/catey/limits.html
Allen, T.H. DEVELOPING A DISCIPLINE PLAN FOR YOU. Retrieved May 3, 2005 fromthe World Wide Web. http://www.humboldt.edu/~tha1/canter.html.
Jones, Frederic. A Limit Setting Moment. Retrieved November 29, 2005 from http://www.fredjones.com/Tools-for-Teaching/limitsetting.html.
study guide
http://www.fredjones.com/Staff-Development.html
Romano, Vicky. Chapter Seven, Limit Setting. Retrieved November 29, 2005 from http://students.ed.uiuc.edu/vromano/399ol/399olfinal.html#seven
