THE GINOTT MODEL Addressing the Situation with Sane Messages

BACKGROUND  Haim Ginott ( )  Born in Tel Aviv, Israel  PhD from Columbia University in 1952  Best known for three books Between Parent and Child (1965) Between Parent and Teenager (1969) Teacher and Child (1971)

GINOTT’S MAIN FOCUS  Discipline is a series of little victories, brought about when teachers use sane messages- messages that address the situation rather than the students’ character- to guide students away from the inappropriate behavior toward behavior that is appropriate and lasting.

12 KEY IDEAS  Discipline is a series of little victories, not something that occurs overnight.  The most important ingredient in classroom discipline is the teacher’s own self-discipline.  The second most important ingredient is using sane messages that address the situation and do not attack students’ characters.  Teachers at their best should use congruent communication, communication that is harmonious with students’ feelings about the situation and themselves

12 KEY IDEAS  Teachers at their worst attack and label students’ characters.  Teachers should model the behavior they hope to see in their students.  Inviting cooperation from students is vastly preferable to demanding it.  Teachers should express anger but in appropriate (sane) ways.  Labeling students disables them-they need to live up to the label.

12 KEY IDEAS  Sarcasm is almost always dangerous, and praise is often dangerous. Use both with great care.  Apologies from students should be accepted with the understanding that students intend to improve.  The best teachers help students to build their own self-esteem and to trust their own experiences.

THE GINOTT MODEL OF DISCIPLINE  Teachers are a decisive, powerful element in the classroom. They create and maintain the environment.  Establish an educational climate that promotes optimal learning.  Ginott advocates using congruent communication, a harmonious and authentic way of talking in which teacher messages to students match the students’ feelings about situations and themselves.

THE GINOTT MODEL OF DISCIPLINE  When teachers use congruent communication they convey an attitude of helpfulness and acceptance and are continually aware of the impact of their messages on students’ self-esteem.

TEACHERS AT THEIR BEST  Send sane messages, addressing the situation rather than the students’ character.  Express anger appropriately  Invite cooperation  Accept and acknowledge student feelings  Avoid labeling  Correct students by directing them appropriately  Avoid perils of praise  Are brief when correcting students  Are models of humane behavior

TEACHERS AT THEIR WORST  Are caustic and sarcastic  Attack students’ characters  Demand, rather than invite, cooperation  Deny students’ feelings  Label students as lazy, stupid, and so forth  Lose their tempers and self control  Give long and unnecessary lectures  Use praise to manipulate students  Are poor models of humane behavior

SANE MESSAGES  Address situations rather than students’ characters  The teacher should always address the situation and never judge a student’s character or personality.  By simply describing the scene of concern, teachers allow students to appraise the situation, consider what is right and wrong, and decide how they feel about the situation and themselves.

EXPRESSING ANGER  Teachers’ behavior should always be genuine.  They just need to learn how to control and express anger without damaging the students’ character.  Use “I-messages” “I am angry.” “I am disappointed” rather than “You are messy!” “You are not doing good.”  Good teachers state their demands clearly and firmly, avoiding language that insults or humiliates.

INVITING COOPERATION  Invite cooperation rather than demand it.  One way….decide with the class before an activity is started what kinds of personal behavior are required during the activity.  Teachers who do not invite cooperation must use ordering, bossing, and commanding.  Ginott stresses the need to avoid direct commands, which frequently induce hostility.

ACCEPTING FEELINGS  Students are in an awkward position when they re realizing they have their own feelings about themselves and situations, but at the same time they are also told how they should feel by adults.  Teachers should minimize student confusion by withholding their opinions and merely acting as sounding boards for students problems.  Acknowledge and respect their “childish” feelings instead of laughing or belittling their feelings.

LABELING  Labeling is disabling because it tells students how to think about themselves.  If you say, “You are lazy, irresponsible, and sloppy. You willnever amount to anything if you don’t change.” your students will start to think that about themselves and live up to a negative self image.  Instead say, “Your grades are low, but I know if we work together we can improve them.” ….be encouraging instead  Labeling and diagnosing a student’s character only limit visions of the self and the future.

CORRECTION IS DIRECTION  When correcting by directing, teachers describe the situation and offer acceptable alternate behaviors.  Avoid attacking a student’s character  Do not rant and rave about what they dislike, instead suggest acceptable alternatives.

PERILS OF PRAISE  Teachers can use praise to manipulate students’ feelings about themselves.  Teachers use praise inappropriately by telling students that they are good because they know the correct answer. Then other students will think they are bad because they do not know the answer.  Appropriate responses are “fine” “exactly” “ That’s correct” These comments carry no evaluation of student’s personality.

THE GINOTT MODEL Addressing the Situation with Sane Messages