Curwin & Mendler Discipline with Dignity From: Charles, 2002

Especially useful for 5% of students who chronically misbehave – Disrupt instruction – Interfere with learning – Make teachers’ lives miserable Difficult to manage students with little or no motivation (to learn what is taught in school) Provide interesting lessons – Personal relevance – Active involvement – Lead to valued competencies (pp )

Central Focus Build sense of dignity Provide sense of hope (p. 138)

Short term solutions (such as?) turn into long-term disasters Damaged dignity reduces motivation Increases resistance Promotes desire for revenge Responsibility not obedience involves making enlightened decisions (p. 139)

Behaviorally At-Risk Students “It is what students do under the conditions they are in, not who they are, that puts them at risk” (Curwin, 1992) Students out of control – Lazy, turned off, angry, hostile, disruptive, withdrawn – Attitude problems – No effort to learn, disregard instructions, provoke trouble (p. 141)

Curwin & Mendler describe as: Failing Received and do not respond to most punishments or consequences Low self-concepts related to school Little or no hope of finding success Associate with and reinforced by similar students (p. 141)

“When hope is lost, little reason to try.” Redesign the curriculum – Different ways of thinking encouraged – Various learning styles/modalities provided for – Creative and artistic expression allowed (p. 142) Students see themselves as losers – Stop trying to gain acceptance – Better to be a troublemaker than stupid

Teachers Steady diet of defiance and hostility Become cynical Help students Students—why they break the rules Need for attention and power satisfied by breaking rules Can be good at being “bad” even if not good at learning

Students need to be involved Learning responsibility Can’t remove from playground Or work out student schedule Traditional Methods?

Lectures Scolding Sarcasm Detention Extra assignments Isolation Name on board Trip to principal p. 142

4 Principles (p. 143) Student behavior is important part of teaching Treat with dignity Good discipline must not interfere with motivation Responsibility more important than obedience

Creative Responses to Misbehavior (Charles, 1999) When normal consequences are not effective – Role reversals – Humor and nonsense – Agree with student put down – Answer improbably – Paradoxical behavior – Tantrum – Audio or video the class

To Prevent Escalation (p ) Active listening Speak after a cooling off period Private communication Even when students threaten a teacher’s dignity, teachers must not threaten students’ dignity.