I read this question in a discussion forum and it really threw me: "As a teacher, we all know the need for a discipline system in your classroom. What do you use to discipline the students? How do you reward them for the right behavior? Do you reward your students? How does that play a role in your classroom?"
This threw me as I realized I don't have a system. Early in my career I remember using systems to attempt to manage and control student behaviors. At one time I did use points and groups and prizes and even threats. That has long since faded away.
If you really want to know, I don't have a system, but I do have a secret that I'm willing to share: your students are not your students, they are fellow human beings on a journey and very, very worthy of your respect.
Be interested in them as people.
If you can recognize this, then you won't need a system. Instead, you will foster an environment that students feel as soon as they walk in the door. They will sense that they are welcome. The need for "discipline' will disappear and you will find that what you are really doing is relationship building. Once you've built a relationship of trust with your students, then real learning can begin to happen.
All you need to have is ...
Respect for the voices of your students.
Respect for the needs of your students.
Respect for the differences in your students.
And ...
Laughter ... a great deal of it ... about yourself, each other and all that happens in the classroom.
And you also must ..
Listen and understand where your students are coming from. Recognize that for some of your students, just getting to school that day is a reason to celebrate. Realize that sometimes forgetting a pencil or receiving a poor test result is really not that important in the grand scheme of things. Be so approachable that students come to you with issues and ask for assistance in solving them.
Let them know that you are learning as much from them as you hope they are from you.
Admit when you are wrong, when you don't know, when you're not sure.
Listen. Listen. Listen.
Help them develop language to articulate their feelings, fears, issues and frustrations.
Help them develop a plan to deal with those issues and when they fall off the track work with them to get back on - again, and again and again and ...
Accept them.
There will be many times when things do not go well in the classroom. There will be times when you become annoyed or upset with them. That's OK. They are just children. You are just a teacher. Let them be children. Don't be hard on yourself.
Figure it out, pull things together and help everyone move forward. The way you move forward today may not be appropriate for tomorrow. Adapt to their needs.
I don't have a system. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. What I do have is an attitude and by having this attitude I believe that I have the respect of my students. I don't know for sure. You would have to ask them.
This threw me as I realized I don't have a system. Early in my career I remember using systems to attempt to manage and control student behaviors. At one time I did use points and groups and prizes and even threats. That has long since faded away.
If you really want to know, I don't have a system, but I do have a secret that I'm willing to share: your students are not your students, they are fellow human beings on a journey and very, very worthy of your respect.
Be interested in them as people.
If you can recognize this, then you won't need a system. Instead, you will foster an environment that students feel as soon as they walk in the door. They will sense that they are welcome. The need for "discipline' will disappear and you will find that what you are really doing is relationship building. Once you've built a relationship of trust with your students, then real learning can begin to happen.
All you need to have is ...
Respect for the voices of your students.
Respect for the needs of your students.
Respect for the differences in your students.
And ...
Laughter ... a great deal of it ... about yourself, each other and all that happens in the classroom.
And you also must ..
Listen and understand where your students are coming from. Recognize that for some of your students, just getting to school that day is a reason to celebrate. Realize that sometimes forgetting a pencil or receiving a poor test result is really not that important in the grand scheme of things. Be so approachable that students come to you with issues and ask for assistance in solving them.
Let them know that you are learning as much from them as you hope they are from you.
Admit when you are wrong, when you don't know, when you're not sure.
Listen. Listen. Listen.
Help them develop language to articulate their feelings, fears, issues and frustrations.
Help them develop a plan to deal with those issues and when they fall off the track work with them to get back on - again, and again and again and ...
Accept them.
There will be many times when things do not go well in the classroom. There will be times when you become annoyed or upset with them. That's OK. They are just children. You are just a teacher. Let them be children. Don't be hard on yourself.
Figure it out, pull things together and help everyone move forward. The way you move forward today may not be appropriate for tomorrow. Adapt to their needs.
I don't have a system. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. What I do have is an attitude and by having this attitude I believe that I have the respect of my students. I don't know for sure. You would have to ask them.
I kept nodding in agreement and recognition as I read your post, Heidi. I decided long ago that no system was needed for behavior "management". The only two guideposts I have used since chucking the "systems" and "management" are to maintain respect for every human being I am privileged to teach and to make time for conversations with young people when issues or problems arise. These two things have never failed me and I have a feeling they will be the only two things I will ever need. Laughter and humor do help immensely, as you pointed out, and I am fortunate to never be more than a few moments away from laughing at myself most of the time. Three cheers for treating our fellow humans as humans and advocating for a humanistic approach to our work over the "systems" emphasis.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThere must be many more of us out there who have recognized that behaviour management systems are not the way to go.
Yay! I totally agree! Respect is an amazing equalizer!!! :)
ReplyDeleteBTW: Thanks for following my (tiny) growing community of online folks.. much appreciated.
Thanks for commenting Robin. Developing an online community is one of the best things teachers can do professionally and personally ... it's just plain FUN!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely! Our classroom rules last year was "Be Kind, Be Safe, Be Respectful" and we ALL followed those 3 rules!
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog and I'm so enjoying it!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Danny Meyer's Setting the Table which seems like it has no place in education but it has some GREAT mantra's -
1) Constant gentle pressure
2) "The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled."
I think that discipline is just constant gentle pressure and mistakes well handled.
Hi Ann-Caryn, Nice quote: The road to success is paved with mistakes well handled". I'm going to have a look for the book. Thanks for your kind words.
ReplyDeleteHi Heidi:
ReplyDeleteI'm a Mexican TEFL teacher working in junior high in Oaxaca, Mexico, and I agree with you. When I started teaching I had many problems with discipline in my classroom. I tried many "solutions" and I read a lot of books about it. Then I read that we all have different cultures, even in the same family! And every time we meet somebody we must do it very carefully, with a lot of respect, in order to diminish the barriers that we all erect to defend ourselves. It is fundamental process for a teacher to study in order to apply the intercultural approach in the classroom. But, despite the fancy names, the basic attitude is respect and genuine interest in your students. You found it in a natural way! Congratulations and thanks for this lovely post! have a great day!
How lovely to have a visitor from Mexico. Thanks for your kind comments. They are appreciated. You are so right about being careful when we first meet people - that we must approach with respect and remove the barriers.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, Heidi! I used to have a reward system but realized that many of my rewards were extrinsic. I am thinking of having my students create classroom goals this year.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Elvira,
ReplyDeletePersonal goal setting is one of the great gifts that colearners can encourage in one another.
Iam from India . I agree with you .Making the students feel good about themselves an helping them to achieve their potential , recognizing their strengths will all help in disciplining them .
ReplyDelete