Social Environments Three main models of classroom management Fall on a continuum from low teacher control to high teacher control Different theories.

Social EnvironmentsThree main models of classroom

managementFall on a continuum from low teacher

control to high teacher controlDifferent theories use different terms to

describe each approach

1: Interventionist:High teacher controlFocus on environment controlling the child

Rules without explanationsAutocratic

E.g. Canter and Canter: Assertive DisciplineBased on behaviourist principlesClear rules and limits are established by the

teacherConsequences (positive and negative) are

described beforehand

Consequences: All consequences (negative or positive)

immediately follow the target behaviourFour main types of consequences

Positive reinforcementNegative reinforcementPunishment (2 kinds)

An Easier Way to Remember:The term positive is like the Math sign (+)

and means something is addedThe term negative is like the Math sign (-)

and means something is taken awayPunishment ALWAYS aims to decrease a

target behaviorReinforcement ALWAYS aims to increase a

target behavior

ADD SUBTRACT

SOMETHING CHILD LIKES

SOMETHING CHILD DISLIKES

Positive reinforcement in order to increase behaviour

Punishment in order to decrease behaviour

Punishment in order to decrease behaviour

Negative reinforcement in order to increase behaviour

Uses token economies (e.g. names on the board with check marks for transgressions, or check marks in order to earn rewards).

Uses Kounin’s Ripple Effect (also called Bandura’s “Inhibition”): Teacher makes reward and punishment public in order to increase/decrease chance that others will copy behaviors.

2. Non-interventionistLow teacher controlFocus on child learning to control his/her

environmentAnything goesFew rules, little enforcement

Ginott’s Congruent Communication

Main tenet: Children are capable of controlling own behaviour if teachers let them

Key to making good behavioural choices is healthy self-esteem

Teachers use communication to help children understand their feelings and thoughts

Ginott’s techniques“Sane messages”: Tell the students what

you want them to do rather than what they have done wrong.

Accept and reflect students’ feelings- don’t deny them.

Avoid praise. Instead, clearly describe what the child has done.

Negotiate rather than dictate.Use “I messages” to convey your anger in a

calm way.

3. InteractionistModerate teacher controlFocus on reconciling balance of child’s

power/rights with the power/rights of the groupRules agreed upon by consensusDiscussion and explanation“Benevolent dictator”

E.g. Glasser’s Reality Therapy

What is the goal of discipline?Why do we need discipline in our

classrooms?The goal of discipline is self-discipline

Tenets of Humanism:People should be free to make choices and

take responsibility for themPeople are whole and complex and cannot be

treated like a sum of partsPEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN

IDEAS

Glasser’s Control TheoryDescribes 5 human needsNeeds are not in a hierarchy (like

Maslow)The need to surviveThe need to belong and love othersThe need for power and influenceThe need to be free and make choicesThe need to play, feel joy and have fun

Schools fail children by failing to give them the control over meeting these needs

When they are not met, learning decreases and behavioral problems increase

How can we give students control?Teaching Critical thinking skills

makes students independent of objectivismPositive classroom communication

respect, wait time, reflective responsesGrading practices that encourage learning

rather than competitioncriterion-referenced, rich feedback

Co-operative learning

Co-operative learningGlasser thinks this is most important

Inquiry Learningalso called discovery learningcenter-basedstudents select activities and learn concepts

and relationships through them

Restitution

Restitution Restitution focuses on relationships not rules.

On responsibility, not obedience. And on respect, not gold stars. Research has repeatedly shown that when students and teachers treat one another with respect, the environment for learning improves and test scores go up.

Restitution Restitution is based on control theory which

is a theory of internal motivation. Traditional discipline programs are based on stimulus-response psychology and focus on consequences either positive ones such as rewards or negative ones such as the removal of privileges or detention.

RestitutionRestitution teaches students self-discipline

and skills needed to accept personal responsibility for one's actions. Restitution strengthens. The focus of restitution is restituting the self, which teaches students to behave to be the person they want to be rather than to please others.

Task:Choose the classroom management

orientation with which you most agree. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the approach with your partner.

Referencehttp://restitutionsocialdevelopment.blogspot.com

With permission of instructors from U of W