Diane Gossen Presentation by: Shaina & Brandon Hiatt Abby Schwendeman

About Diane Gossen: “Dr. Gossen has served as an elementary teacher, a high school teacher, a special education teacher, and the director of an alternative school for Emotionally and/or Behaviorally Disordered (EBD) students. She has given presentations and seminars in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovenia, Indonesia and Iceland. She is the author of several books focused on classroom discipline.” --

Gossen’s Theory of Restitution: “Self-restitution is a process in which students who have behaved inappropriately: (1) reflect on their misbehavior, (2) identify the need or condition that prompted it, (3) create new ways of behaving that are in keeping with the kinds of persons they want to be.” -- Charles et. al. (page 39)

Gossen’s Restitution Triangle:

Using the Least-Coercive Road:  Phase 1– Opening Up the Territory  Phase 2– Establishing the Social Contract  Phase 3– Establishing Limits  Phase 4– Teaching students how to make self- restitution

PHASE ONE:  Phase one calls for opening up the territory and maximizing freedoms.  Two guiding ideas for this phase are…  “Does it really matter?”  “Yes, if…”

PHASE TWO:  Phase two is all about establishing the social contract and building a sense of belongingness.  Discussion should focus on two matters:  What the class believes in (the group values and beliefs)  Establishing class agreements (a social contract)

PHASE THREE:  Phase three focuses on establishing limits and clarifying personal power:  My Job, Your Job  Enforcing the Bottom Line

My Job vs. Your Job:

PHASE FOUR:  Phase four is about making things right and healing oneself.  “What are you going to do to fix what was done wrong?”  “How are you going to become like the person you want to be?”

Teacher I Want to Be and Student I Want to Be:

Self-Reflection:  On a piece of paper that you can turn into the presenters, please reflect on at least one of the following questions that Gossen poses to teachers:  Do I want to be responsible for my students’ behavior or do I want them to be responsible for their own behavior?  Do I think it is my job to make them learn or do I think I am responsible for providing them with a safe, information rich environment so they can learn for themselves?

Works Cited:  Charles, C. M., Gail W. Senter, Paula Cook, VanWie Eileen. Kalberg, and Terrell Brown. "Chapter 13: How Do Leading Experts Engender Respect and Civility in the Classroom?" Building Classroom Discipline. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, Print.  "Dr. Diane Gossen." School Improvement Network, Professional Development for Educators and Teachers. Web. Nov  Real Restitution. Diane Gossen. Web. 05 Nov