Dont Sit on the Kids

When asked to choose a book for a report I wanted to further my knowledge in an area that I am weak in. In my pursuit to be an effective teacher, one that inspires students to live up to their potential, and to be remembered fondly like some of the teachers I remember best I have found that I have much yet to learn. After substitute teaching for five years, the area that is most difficult is discipline. Every teacher seems to have their own methods and ways of managing their classrooms and what is acceptable at one school may not be the preferred method at another. While working in various special education classrooms with special needs students I have found a huge range of what is acceptable behavior, that the guidelines for controlling the classroom have to be modified, as well as the way I react to certain behaviors. In the course of reading this alternative method of discipline I was intrigued by the concepts that were presented, I gained insight on why some of the traditional methods of discipline I have used in the past have failed, and I am now equipped with some more effective and non-punitive discipline methods to try. What follows is a summary of the key points that were made in the book.

To best understand what methods as a teacher you will use to create an effective learning environment, it is imperative to be aware of how your choices our perceived by the child and how what you convey to them is going to effect them throughout their development. It is a huge responsibility that teachers have to guide, supervise and protect a child through their development and enable them on their way to creating a society that is more socially responsible and more reasonable than that which we know. To better understand the methods used to maintain appropriate behavior and to create an optimum environment for learning, it is imperative that first there is an understanding of what discipline means, our motives in using it and how children are affected by it.

The word discipline is derived from the word disciple; it implies that the person being disciplined is to emulate the person doing the discipline. The lesson that is being learned through the use of discipline needs to convey support, encouragement, teach basic values of respect, trust, honesty, caring for others, and assist a child to live up to and perform to their best ability. The years of childhood are brief and they should be filled with play, growing, doing and knowing. As a teacher you have the power to enrich a child’s life and to improve the quality of their life. A child is a thinking, vital person and we need to know and understand them and know that it is not right to administer punishment for a child not yet knowing how to make wise decisions.

Many of the traditional methods of discipline are based on negative attitudes. In preventing children from doing wrong we neglect the pursuit of teaching what children should do right. As long as our system of discipline is based on the expectation that children will misbehave, children will live up to those expectations. A discipline system based on the premise that children will cooperate, children will live up to those expectations.

“A non punitive guidance is based on friendly, caring attitudes toward the health, development, and needs of children. It gives careful regard to feelings and emotions, to unique differences between individuals, and to preserving an atmosphere of acceptance, tolerance, and patience.”

Setting clear rules with the cooperation and knowledge of the children, have sex explicit, understandable limits and rules for personal growth and group conduct. The main principles for ensuring children’s cooperation our as follows:

1. Be precise and clear. To whom you are addressing your comments, politely and firmly say what it is you want and when.

2. Be consistent. Requests should be in keeping with the rules and practices.

3. Avoid repetition. If you fail to get someone’s attention you need to wait for them to respond