Week 10: Models of Discipline

Time has flown by so fast!  I can’ believe that we are already working on the models of discipline units!  Handling problematic student behavior is not a simple process.  Because of the vast number of possibilities in regards to cultural and individual differences, there is not a single techniques that fits all situations.  Teachers need to be thoughtful and creative in how they deal with every unique student and every unique situation.  This is the reason why I teach models of discipline in our class.  We will take some time to apply these various models to different students so that when you teach, you can assess the situation and creatively apply these models with your actual students.

Personal influence

Everyone has a teacher in their life who was special.  Some lucky people have more than one teacher like this.  When we think of what made that teacher special, part of it is usually that this person was more than just a teacher.  He or she was also a little bit like a friend.  The personal influence model is the foundation on which all other aspects of classroom management rely.  If your students don’t feel a strong connection with you, it’s hard for you to use any of the other models that we will teach.  So get close with your kids! Listen to them.  Share a bit of yourself with them and show them that you love and care about them.  

Self-awareness

Sometimes we have students who display problematic behaviors, but they aren’t exactly aware of the behavior and/or its affect on other students.  The self awareness model is all about helping children realize these behaviors can be problematic and the impact of these behaviors on others.  Some key points with this model are to stay positive and be sure that when you’re discussing these behaviors with the child, your language focuses on the behavior and not on the child.  We will discuss these points more deeply in future classes.

This week, I will introduce you to some very special children.  I also noticed a lot of people take pictures of the handouts, so here are the files if you would like to print your own!

One more thing, don't forget to THINK about who you will interview.  See you in class!

Week 9: Rewarding Good Behavior

This week's class was about showing our students how much we appreciate them, but also about helping them to appreciate themselves.  When we use reward systems, it's important to first be sure that we actually need a reward system.  If you don't need it, don't do it!  However, if your students need a little "push" to help motivate them in class, rewarding the behaviors you want to see could help.

This was a very quick and simple lesson, but is meant as a bit of a rest before we move into some of the more challenging things ahead.  For next week's class, I would like everyone to watch the video below.  It's about a special teacher from Japan who has mastered the art of building community and closeness with his students.  It's the first part in a series of five.  Watch this one for sure, but watch the others if you have time.