The Kounin Model Withitness, Alerting, and Group Management

Jacob Kounin Born 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio Born 1912 in Cleveland, Ohio Earned doctorate from Iowa State University in 1939 Earned doctorate from Iowa State University in 1939 Was an educational psychology professor at Wayne State University Was an educational psychology professor at Wayne State University Best known for his work Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms Best known for his work Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms

Kounin’s Key Ideas Ripple Effect Ripple Effect Withitness Withitness Group Management Group Management Student Satiation (boredom) Student Satiation (boredom)

The Ripple Effect The Ripple Effect is the idea that when a teacher corrects a misbehavior in one student, it influences the behavior of nearby students The Ripple Effect is the idea that when a teacher corrects a misbehavior in one student, it influences the behavior of nearby students Kounin tested his Ripple Effect theory in four different settings: Kindergarten, High School, College and summer camp Kounin tested his Ripple Effect theory in four different settings: Kindergarten, High School, College and summer camp

The Ripple Effect Does the quality of the desist (remark intended to stop misbehavior) influence the degree of conforming behavior? Clarity - the teacher names the deviant, specifies the unacceptable behavior and gives reasons for the desist Firmness - the teacher projects an “I mean it” attitude until the misbehavior is stopped Roughness - the desist includes anger, physical handling and punishment

The Ripple Effect Kindergarten Outcome Clarity - increased conforming behavior of students who witnessed the desist Firmness - increased conformity only in students who were misbehaving at the time Roughness - did not improve behavior at all; it caused the children to become anxious and restless

The Ripple Effect High School Outcome Clarity - No effect Firmness - No effect Roughness - No effect * The type of desist had no effect on the misbehavior of the students What did work? How well the teacher was liked High regard for teacher = maximum work involvement, minimum misbehavior

Ripple Effect College Outcome Kounin found that “supporting” desists (offering help) and “threatening” desists (chastising the student) were both effective in creating a ripple effect Summer Camp Outcome (ages 7-13) Clarity - no effect Firmness - no effect Roughness - no effect * No measurable effect was found. This was due to the fact that misconduct at camp was considered more acceptable than at home or school. Desists were not taken seriously.

Ripple Effect Conclusion Elementary Middle School High School Most EffectivetoLeast Effective

Withitness “ Withitness ” is used to describe teachers’ knowing what is going on in all areas of the classroom at all times *Having eyes in the back of your head

Withitness There are three elements of withitness that contribute to effectiveness 1. The teacher must be able to pick the correct student for the desist Example : Jim and Bob are pestering Phil. Phil gets angry and yells, “Stop it!” Phil has now interrupted the class. In order for the teacher to demonstrate “withitness,” she would find an appropriate way to deal with Jim and Bob rather than scold Phil for yelling.

Withitness 2. Attending to the more serious deviancy when two are happening at the same time Example : The students are supposed to be working quietly. The teacher notices that Sam is playing with a toy at his desk. On the other side of the room, Billy and Tom are shoving each other violently over a pencil. To show “withitness” the teacher would address Billy and Tom first.

Withitness 3. Timing - Do not wait for the misbehavior to spread before taking action Example: One kid throws a paper ball. Teacher says nothing. The class soon looks like this...

Group Management Different techniques : Overlapping Movement Management Group Focus

Group Management Overlapping - attending to two issues at the same time Example : Teacher is working with a small group when she notices two students playing cards instead of doing their assignment. The teacher can either : A)Stop the small group instruction and attend to the card players B)Have the small group continue while addressing the card players from a distance, and continue monitoring the students at their desks

Group Management Overlapping What does Kounin say ? B! Teachers are often interrupted by students while working with groups or individuals. It is important they are able to attend to both without interrupting the flow of the classroom.

Group Management Movement - refers to movement between lessons (not necessarily physical) Teachers must practice: Maintaining momentum Smooth transitions

Group Management Movement Two common mistakes : Jerkiness- the failure to move smoothly from one activity to the next Slowdowns- delays that waste time between activities

Group Management Group Focus - keeping students paying attention to the same thing at the same time

Group Management Group Focus Three things to take into account: 1) Group Format- are the students arranged in a way that maximum participation is encouraged? 2) Accountability- is each student being held responsible for learning the material being taught?

Group Management Group Focus 3) Attention - all group members are expected to focus on the activity at all times

Avoiding Satiation How do teachers avoid boring their students? Signs of boredom : Staring out the window Tying shoes Poking a neighbor Sharpening a pencil for no reason

Avoiding Satiation In order to avoid satiation : Progress * provide the students with a feeling of progress Challenge * offer challenges throughout the lesson and stay enthusiastic about the material Variety * vary classroom activities between reading, discussion activities, creative production, etc