Ruby Payne’s Framework for Understanding Poverty Chapter 7 - Discipline

Definition of Discipline The purpose of discipline should be to promote successful behaviors at school and should be seen and used as a form of instruction The purpose of discipline should be to promote successful behaviors at school and should be seen and used as a form of instruction In middle class, requires self-governance of behavior In middle class, requires self-governance of behavior In poverty, discipline is about penance and forgiveness but not necessarily change In poverty, discipline is about penance and forgiveness but not necessarily change Need to have 2 sets of behavior Need to have 2 sets of behavior One for the street One for the street One for school/work settings One for school/work settings

Structure and Choice “The two anchors of any effective discipline program that moves students to self-governance are structure and choice.” “The two anchors of any effective discipline program that moves students to self-governance are structure and choice.” delineate expected behaviors delineate expected behaviors remind students they always has a choice remind students they always has a choice Behavior Analysis 1.What kinds of behavior does a child need to be successful? 2.Does the child have the resources to develop those behaviors? 3.Will it help to contact parents? Are resources available to them? What resources are available through the school/district? 4.How will behaviors be taught? 5.What are other choices the child could make? 6.What will help the child repeat the successful behavior?

Language of Negotiation: “3 Voices” to Consider 3 voices – child voice, parent voice and adult voice 3 voices – child voice, parent voice and adult voice Children of poverty often only know the child and parent voices, but not adult voices Children of poverty often only know the child and parent voices, but not adult voices Adult voice is the voice of negotiation and allows non-threatening examination Adult voice is the voice of negotiation and allows non-threatening examination Educators often speak in a parent voice, this may be intolerable to the child who is acting as the parent in his personal life Educators often speak in a parent voice, this may be intolerable to the child who is acting as the parent in his personal life

Using Metaphor Stories Helps an individual voice issues that affect subsequent actions Helps an individual voice issues that affect subsequent actions Does not use proper names Does not use proper names You start the story about a hypothetical child and ask student to help you tell story You start the story about a hypothetical child and ask student to help you tell story Used one-on-one to understand the existing behavior and motivate the student to implement new, appropriate behavior Used one-on-one to understand the existing behavior and motivate the student to implement new, appropriate behavior

Summary Students from poverty need to have at least 2 sets of behavior: Students from poverty need to have at least 2 sets of behavior: One for school/work One for school/work One for street One for street Purpose of discipline is to promote successful behaviors Purpose of discipline is to promote successful behaviors Structure and choice Structure and choice Teach using adult voice Teach using adult voice Discipline should be seen and used as a form of instruction Discipline should be seen and used as a form of instruction