No breathing in class

Lee and Marlene Canter’s Assertive Discipline Model Shane Aitken Georgina Arnold Cathy Cummins Damien Harbison Arlene Lockwood Wendy Sherwood Erica Sung

Lee and Marlene Canter Lee Canter – child guidance specialist. Marlene Canter – teaches children with learning difficulties. Together they conduct workshops on assertive discipline worldwide. More than 1.5 million teachers have attended their workshops to date. Hundreds of thousands of teachers currently use Canter’s Assertive Discipline Model.

Why was the Assertive Discipline Model developed? Canter believes that teachers ignored their own needs – to teach in a classroom free of disruptions – in favour of satisfying student needs. Teachers have needs, wants and feelings that are just as important as the students. Other misconceptions held by teachers – they should be able to handle discipline independently, may cause psychological harm, should be satisfying student needs, misbehaviour cannot be solved by teachers, teacher’s need to be “popular” with students.

Theoretical basis of Assertive Discipline Originally defined (Alberti & Emmons) as behaviour which: Enables a person to act in his own best interest. Stand up for himself without undue anxiety. Express his rights without destroying the rights of others.

Lazarus identified four distinct categories Being able to: 1. Say ‘no’ when someone asks you to do something for them. 2. Ask someone to do something for you. 3. Express both positive and negative feelings. 4. Start, end and continue conversations.

Rakos identified seven categories of assertiveness 1. Admitting personal shortcomings. 2. Giving and receiving compliments. 3. Initiating and maintaining interactions. 4. Expressing positive feelings. 5. Expressing popular or different opinions. 6. Requesting behaviour changes. 7. Refusing unreasonable requests.

Assertiveness Is based on reason rather than emotion, personal and direct influence rather than obedience to arbitrary authority. Is most frequently conceptualised as a way of defending one’s own space. Is viewed as the mid point between non-assertive and aggressive behaviour.

The non-assertive style

Have a passive approach to students. Seem unable to state their expectations clearly. Are inconsistent. Come across as “wishy–washy”. Students learn not to take these teachers seriously. Students become confused about expectations.

Research Berliner, (1984) shifted the discussion about proactive strategies to a focus on increasing Academic Learning Time (ALT). Learning time divided into three phases: -teacher introduces and organises activity getting students to focus. -students are productively engaged with teacher support. -wind down period.

Research continued… Berliner found that in classes where there was medium to high levels of disruption, students spent only a third of the time attending to a learning task and a quarter of the time actively engaged. This meant that in some classes this equated to 5 minutes in an hour used for efficient learning (high ALT).

The hostile style

Hostile in action Tauber, (2007) suggests that hostile teachers perceive the situation as a “me versus them” type of scenario. And that they take everything personally. All tactics- putdowns, sarcasm, challenges to one’s heritage, are deemed appropriate to use if they get results. Any means to the end of the teachers “winning”, complete with angry body language and tone of voice is acceptable. If students comply it is usually out of fear.

Hostile in action continued… Hostile teachers and the behaviour they use, hurt students feelings, provoke disrespect, (which is odd given that hostile teachers actually are desperately trying to gain respect) and a desire to retaliate, and undermine students’ needs for safety, security and belonging. It is hard to imagine any positive or lasting learning being achieved in this type of environment.

The assertive style

Assertive style Clearly place limits and rewards or consequences on students. Making expectations known to students, parents and administrators. Apply rules and enforce consequences consistently Model for acceptable behaviour. Positive interactions and positive recognition (e.g. verbal praise, private). Develop trust and respect in classrooms. Work toward creating an optimal learning environment.

Lee and Marlene Canter Teachers and students have rights in the classroom. Use the broken-record response. Maintains eye contact when speaking (some cultures might consider it rude). Teachers who acts assertively are more effective than non assertive or hostile teachers. Establish “Marble jar” as a reward. Consequences should be appropriate for grade level to reflect the difference in the developmental and psychological levels of the students.

Preventive strategies Assertive discipline is reactive to behaviour. Children motivated by desire to avoid a punishment or earn a reward. Relies on the establishment of rules and consequences of behaviours. No acknowledgement that children can be responsible. Punishment can actually reinforce undesirable behaviours as some students may feel rewarded by it.

Corrective strategies Assertive Discipline – six steps: 1. Positive teacher-student relationships. 2. Establish rules and expectations. 3. Track misbehaviour. 4. Use negative consequences to deter inappropriate behaviour. 5. Establish positive consequences for appropriate behaviour. 6. Establish parent support. (Skamp 2008)

Step 1. Positive teacher-student relationships Establish trust and respect. Model behaviour. Get to know children as individuals.

Step 2. Establish rules and behaviours Age and grade-level appropriate. Expectations known to students. Reasonable consequences.

Step 3. Track misbehaviour Consequences for your actions… Canter and Canter, (2006) recommend that to implement fairly any discipline plan, you must collect data, and lots of it - and then find a method to record that data. Students need to be aware that their behaviour is being monitored and that negative consequences will be provided according to the established discipline system. Punishments may vary depending on class year level, local conditions, or the nature of the class.

Write your name on the board... The Canters’ model suggest that when a child at Primary level breaks a rule that they should be asked to put their name on the board, and then a tick next to their name for any further infringements. Each new tick carries with it an ever increasing level of punishment, e.g., one tick mark -10 minutes litter duty, two tick marks 20 minutes litter duty. The model also suggests that it is the analysis of the behavioural data obtained, not the variable behaviour of a teacher, that should trigger the supplying of negative or positive consequences in the discipline plan.

How many hours in a teaching day? All of these consequences, are still additional data. They too, need to be established, administered, monitored, and evaluated...somewhere in amongst this behavioural classroom management bookkeeping a lesson needs to be taught!

Hints, questions, I-messages, demands... Edwards and Watts, (2004) suggest that the teachers discipline plan should whenever possible be supported by a number of assertive communication techniques. The four different language techniques that are used to request compliance are as follows: “Hint”: Statements such as “Everybody should be pencils down.” Question: “Would you please put your pencils down?”

Continued... I-message: “I want everybody's pencils down.” Demand: “PENCILS DOWN NOW!” It is recommended that whenever possible it is preferable to use hints, questions, and I-messages to request desired behaviour. Question: when would you use a demand?

Increasing effectiveness There are several techniques teachers can employ to increase their effectiveness. Some of these include: Tone of voice-firm but not abusive. Eye contact - one’s true intentions are often delivered more through the eyes than in any other way. Non-verbal body language-gestures. Use hand gestures to emphasise the spoken word.

Good touch/bad touch Using students names can also impact on the message you are trying to convey. This model also acknowledges the use of touch to emphasize your verbal requests, but recommends caution and adherence to local policy guidelines. Question-would you use touch to emphasise a point/get your message across?

Step 4. Use negative consequences to enforce limits Using negative consequences to enforce limits. Teachers should make promises not threats. Canters model suggests the following ways: -Time out, student isolated from others usually in corner of the classroom. -Withdrawal of privileges e.g. suspension from trips or sports activities, activity should have relevance to pupil. -Detention during or after school. -Sent to principal’s office where more severe measures can be taken e.g. suspension.

Step 5. Implement a system of positive consequences 1. Personal attention from teacher. 2. Positive notes or telephone calls to parents. 3. Special privileges. 4. Material rewards. 5. Home rewards. 6. Group rewards. 7. Awards.

Step 6: Establish parent support Contact parents before the school year expressing general classroom expectations. After school starts, provide parents a more detailed explanation of rules and consequences. Follow up detailed explanation with periodic telephone calls and/or conversations. Interactive parent-teacher interviews.

What is Assertive Discipline? Behavioural therapy technique from the 70s. Currently considered a useful strategy with some limitations. Originally defined as “behaviour which enables a person to act in his own best interest, stand up for himself without undue anxiety, to express his rights without destroying the rights of others (Alberti and Emmons, 1974).

Assertive Discipline continued... Theoretical basis- many theorists had input into assertive discipline. Four distinct categories (Lazarus, 1973): -Being able to say no when someone asks for something -Being able to ask someone to do something -Being able to express feelings, both positive and negative -Being able to start, end and continue conversations Founded on four principles (Rakos, 1991): rationality, activism, ethical relativism and pragmatism.

Implementing corrective strategies Create positive student-teacher relationships. Establish rules/expectations. Track misbehaviour. Use negative consequences to enforce. Implement positive consequences. Establish strong parent support.

Managing the learning environment Non-assertive - no set limits, use words but do not follow-through with actions, ignore behaviour. Hostile - derogatory remarks/put downs, violent threats, often lose temper, yell inappropriately. Assertive - set class limits, communicate expectations to students clearly, back up words with actions, give students explicit directions.

School-wide strategies Implementing assertive discipline strategies: -Create rules - set expectations for students. -Negative consequences for violating school-wide rules. -Harsher punishment for more serious rule violations. Canter and Canter (1981) suggest three criteria to judge the seriousness of an offence: -Student wilfully inflicts physical harm on another. -Student wilfully destroys property. -Student actively refuses to follow instructions.

Issues with Assertive Discipline High degree of teacher power required to implement model. Research used to assess assertive discipline. Teacher acknowledgement to administrators that it works. Short term vs long term effectiveness. Cohesiveness of the model. The use of punishment. Improving how teachers use assertive discipline.

Now, have you been listening?

Tom is the class clown and his behaviour is often disruptive. Mr Jones knows that creating a positive teacher-student relationship is the first step in applying Assertive Discipline. To foster that relationship should Mr Jones; 1. Address Tom as “mate” and invite him to the footy on the weekend. 2. When dealing with Tom, listen carefully, speak with respect and be genuinely interested in Tom’s interests. 3. Tell Tom he is a moron but it is not his fault as he comes from a questionable gene pool. 4. Telephone Tom’s parents to report on his behaviour.

Choose the correct statement about rules or expectations: 1. General (e.g. be good). 2. Age and grade-level appropriate. 3. Expectations unknown to students. 4. Unreasonable consequences.

The four different methods suggested by Canter to request compliance are? 1. Hints, questions, I- messages, requests 2. Hints, I-messages, demands, statements 3. Hints, I-messages, demands, questions 4. Hints, questions, suggestions, I- messages

Identify the non-assertive approach here. 1. “If I catch you talking in class again you will stay behind for five minutes.” 2. “I wish you would not swear in the classroom.” 3. “Now you have a forth check mark on the board I will call your parents.”

A good way to establish parent support is: 1. Tell the child's parents that their child is disrupting class and they are bad parents for not disciplining their child more. 2. Tell parents the class rules that their child is expected to obey. 3. Provide parents with examples of their child's work and areas of discussion prior to a parent interview. 4. Advise parents that you prefer all contact with them to be in writing. 5. Only contact parents when their child is not meeting expectations.

Please take a moment to reflect..... from your knowledge to date and/or the experiences you’ve had on prac what style of teacher do you feel you have adopted? 1. Non-assertive. I’m an easy beat and too soft. I’m the Nick Naitanui of teachers. Students can do whatever they feel like in my classroom. If I don’t see them misbehaving then it’s cool. 2. Hostile. I hate kids and often dream of hitting them! I am the Barry Hall of teachers. 3. Assertive. I am calm and controlled. I am the Chris Judd of teachers. I set my students clear expectations and I enforce what I say with actions if/when necessary. 4. Undecided. I’m the Lady Gaga of teachers. I’m still working on my discipline techniques and still unsure.

Scenario Whenever you attempt to conduct a lesson and class discussion, several students do not pay attention and are disruptive no matter what you do. The disruptive behavior of these students tends to set off the rest of class. You find it hard to complete a lesson because you spend so much time trying to maintain order.

Well done - you have all earned yourselves an ice-cream!