1. Chapter 10 – Discipline Through Dignity and Hope for Challenging Youth
By Steven Conway

2. Discipline with Dignity Hypothesis
Misbehavior will not be a serious problem in a classroom where dignity is not compromised and the teacher provides genuine hope and expects success.

3. Practice of Discipline with Dignity
Students who are difficult to manage do not believe they will ever achieve success in school; school has no value to them.
This can be changed if the classroom provides dignity and hope for success.

4. Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler
Mostly deal with discipline regarding challenging youth.
Have written several books together and individually including Discipline with Dignity, Rediscovering Hope: Our Greatest Teaching Strategy (Curwin), and Connecting With Students (Mendler)

5. Curwin and Mendler on Discipline with Dignity
Teachers must understand that they must teach students how to behave appropriately.
Some students realize that school has no value to them, and they will not achieve success; therefore, they misbehave in order to achieve attention and power.

6. Four Phase Plan for Schools and Educators
Curwin and Mendler believe this plan works best for entire schools
Identify Core Values
Faculty, staff, students, and parents work together to determine how students should act when in school.
Create Rules and Consequences
Rules based on schools values and should state specifically what students should and should not do.

7. Four Phase Plan (continued)
Model the Values
Teachers should respond to conflicts the same way they want their students to respond.
Write down how students should resolve conflicts, and make sure students do the same.
Use No Interventions that Violate Core Values
Students copy teacher behaviors thinking they are acceptable.
Intimidating and humiliating students will violate core values.
Teachers must model nonviolent behaviors and help students use those same tactics.

8. Preparing Oneself in Advance
Write down what students say or do that irritates you.
Figure out why a student is behaving that way.
What do you currently do to solve the problem?
Are those techniques working?
What can you do to model behavior that correlates with the school values?
Implement them at the next opportunity.

9. Working with Students Behaviorally at Risk of Failure
Behaviorally at risk – students whose behavior puts them in danger of failing; make little effort to learn and instigate trouble.
Curwin – “It is what students do under the conditions they are in, not who they are, that puts them at risk.”
Students feel better by misbehaving rather than following rules with no future reward. They feel better being a troublemaker than being stupid.
Curwin and Mendler believe students need hope and must learn to accept responsibility.
Teachers can help by making learning fun and treat students with respect.

10. Students Who Are Difficult to Control
Traditional methods don’t work (scolding, lectures, sarcasm, detention, principal’s office)
Students already doubt their academic ability; humiliation for not following rules will not make anything better.
Punishment will further deter students from cooperating.

12. Four Principles of Disciplining
Dealing with student behavior is part of teaching.
Look at misbehavior as a way to teach responsibility.
Always treat students with dignity
Treat them as individuals and show concern for their needs
Good discipline must not interfere with student motivation
Motivated students do not misbehave.
Responsibility is more important than obedience
Obedience – “Do as you’re told”
Responsibility – “Make the best decision possible”

13. Rules and Consequences
Logical Consequences – related to behavior
Cleaning up a mess that is made
Conventional Consequences – time-out and removing from room
Generic Consequences – reminders, warnings, choosing, and planning.
Insubordination Rule – invoked when a student refuses to accept the consequences

14. Curwin’s Consequence Considerations
Always implement a consequence when a rule is broken
Select most appropriate consequence
Only let the student who broke the rule know and only state the rule and consequence being administered.
Control anger; don’t be involved in a power struggle.

15. Preventing Escalation
Teacher and student could have a back and forth contest of wills.
Teacher is supposed to help student, not humiliate, anger, embarrass, or demean.
Teachers can:
Listen actively
Speak with the student later
Keep communication private
Invoke Insubordination Rule if student refuses to cooperate

16. Dealing with Aggression, Violence, Hostility, and Conflict
Many students using violence lack a feeling of remorse; therefore, normal discipline will not work with them.
Zero tolerance is not necessary, but teachers should use different methods to help students understand hurting others is wrong.

17. Curwin and Mendler Suggest….
Use the six-step solution
Calm down
Think and explore options
Decide on what you want to occur
Have a plan B
Carry out your desired solution
Evaluate the results

18. Curwin and Mendler Suggest….
Solve the problem
Name problem
Say what you want to have happen
Say how you will make that happen
Have a plan B
Carry out your plan

19. Suggestions (continued)
“Pack Your Patience”
Wear an Invisible Shield
Use words that Work
Expect confrontation

20. Bullying and Hate Crimes
Bullying – intentionally committing hurtful acts repeatedly against others
Four types of bullying:
Physical – punching, hitting, kicking
Verbal – name calling, teasing, gossip
Emotional – isolation, ostracizing, blackmail
Sexual – harassment, propositioning, exhibitionism
Hate crimes – dislike of other races, ethnic groups, or religions

21. Bullying and Hate Crimes (cont’d)
Usually occurring away from the teacher’s glance.
Victims may start to fear bullies as frequency increases.
Fear may lead to grades slipping, truancy, and wanting to carry weapons.

22. What Can be Done? Schedule class meetings
Involve parents of victim and bully
Supervise students in areas where bullying can take place
Establish a confidential reporting system
Don’t try to mediate a bullying situation

23. Students Regaining Hope
Teachers should encourage students that the future will be better
Students who are behaviorally at risk feel education will not serve a purpose in their lives.
Student involvement in education will help make learning seem worthwhile.

24. Motivating Students Who are Difficult to Manage
Students who experience repeated failure decide to misbehave in order to gain attention.
Suggestions:
Select topics that are relevant to the students
Involve students in lessons
Show genuine interest and energy
Have students look forward to future activities

25. Making Changes in Yourself
Teachers must be proactive to make changes in themselves to meet students’ needs
Suggestions:
Believe that all students are worthy of our best effort
Limit causes of misbehavior
Create a caring classroom
Teach self-control
Stay involved with each student without taking their behavior personally

26. Putting it into Practice
Preserve student dignity
Don’t threaten their dignity, even if they threaten yours
Dealing with misbehavior is an important part of teaching
Encourage prosocial behavior, even if it looks like they don’t want it
Results achieved over time
Nothing will be achieved overnight
Emphasize responsibility over obedience
Put students in situations where they have to make decisions, and help them to try again if they fail.

27. The End