The Dreikurs Model: Confronting Mistaken Goals Rudolf Dreikurs The Dreikurs Model: Confronting Mistaken Goals

is a discouraged child.” “A misbehaving child is a discouraged child.” -R. Dreikurs

Biography Born 1897 in Vienna, Austria Medical Degree from University of Vienna Associated with renowned psychiatrist, Alfred Adler U.S. in 1937 Director of Alfred Adler Institute in Chicago Expert in classroom behavior

Dreikurs’ Main Focus Students want recognition Key Ideas: Discipline is not punishment. It’s teaching students to impose limits on themselves. Democratic teachers provide firm guidance and leadership. Allow students to have a say. All students want to belong, want status and recognition. Misbehavior is mistaken belief that it will give attention they want.

Dreikurs’ Main Focus Key Ideas Cont. Misbehavior is associated with four mistaken goals: attention getting, power seeking, revenge seeking and displaying inadequacy Teachers should identify mistaken goals and then act in ways that do not reinforce them. Teachers should strive to encourage students’ efforts, but avoid praising their work or character. Teachers should teach students that unpleasant consequences will always follow inappropriate behavior.

The Nature of Discipline Discipline is essential to smooth functioning in schools and society. Adults conceive either children behave or they walk all over you. Most people think of discipline as punishing actions. Children feel discipline are rules to show who is in charge. They view it as a complex game with rules they don’t understand. The Nature of Discipline Good discipline has little to do with punishment (physical pain, humiliation, isolation and revenge). Discipline requires freedom of choice and the understanding of consequences. It isn’t imposed by authority figures, but on themselves.

Discipline in the Classroom Students are responsible for their own actions. Students must respect themselves and others. Students have the responsibility to influence others to behave appropriately. Students are responsible for knowing what the rules and consequences are in their classrooms. Dreikurs believe that democratic teachers are most effective in establishing discipline.

The Autocratic Teacher Force their will on students. Motivate with outside pressure instead of stimulating motivation from within. Attitude and approach generates more misbehavior than it prevents.

The Permissive Teacher Generate problem behavior because the atmosphere they allow in not based on everyday reality. Students do not learn rules. Students believe they run the show.

The Democratic Teacher

Democratic Teacher Neither permissive nor autocratic. Provide firm guidance and leadership by establishing rules and consequences. Teach that freedom is tied to responsibility. Conditions that foster a democratic classroom: Order Limits Firmness and kindness Student involvement in setting rules Leadership from teacher Inviting cooperation Sense of belonging Freedom

Four Mistaken Goals Attention Seeking Power Seeking Students misbehave for attention. Want teacher to pay attention to them. Disrupt, ask special favors, need constant help. Feel that defying adults in the only way they can get what they want. “If you don’t let me do what I want, you don’t approve of me.” Arguing, contradicting, lying, temper tantrum, hostility

Four Mistaken Goals Revenge Seeking Display Inadequacy “I can only feel significant if I have the power to hurt others. Hurting others makes up for being hurt.” Set themselves up for punishment. Victory to be disliked. Students feel helpless, failures. Withdrawn Play stupid, refuse to respond to motivation or participation.

Can you spot the “Attention Seeker”?

What can Teachers do? For Attention Seekers For Power Seekers Go on giving, or refuse Should ignore behavior Strive to give attention when they are not demanding it Don’t get involved in power struggles Withdraw as authority figure Redirect students’ ambitions to be in charge (make decisions or give them responsibility)

For Displaying Inadequacy What can Teachers do? For Displaying Inadequacy For Revenge Seekers Provide support and encouragement through classmates Set up situations that exhibit talents or strengths Persistence and patience! NEVER give up on these students Offer encouragement and support for the smallest efforts Be sensitive to their own reactions to these students (don’t display defeat or frustration)

Encouragement Facilitates feelings of being a contributing and participating member of a group. Helps students accept themselves as they are. Draws on motivation from within and allows them to be aware of their strengths.

Pointers for encouraging students Always be positive Encourage students to strive for improvement, not perfection Encourage effort. Emphasize strengths; minimize weakness Teach them to learn from mistakes Encourage independence Pointers for encouraging students

Pointers for encouraging students Have faith in students abilities Help overcome obstacles Send positive notes home Allow students to help classmates so they can appreciate their own strengths Display work Be optimistic and enthusiastic Set up guaranteed success situations Pointers for encouraging students

Logical Consequences All behavior produces a corresponding result. Good behavior brings reward. Must be explained, understood and agreed upon. Be consistent!