Dignity

Respect for oneself and others Designed to help teachers maintain a

positive classroom environment Provide hope to students who might

otherwise drop out of school.

Raise your hand if you believe that misbehavior is a significant problem in a classroom that maintains students’ dignity?

“Misbehavior does not become a significant problem in classrooms that maintain student dignity and provide genuine hope for an expectation of success.”

Curwin is a university professor and private consultant, basing his teaching career around 7th grade boys whose behavior was seriously out of control.

Medler is a school psychologist and psychoeducational consultant working with teachers and students at all levels.

Curwin stated “ These students have found that they can’t be good at learning but they can be very good at being bad, and that by doing so they can gratify their needs for attention and power.”

Failure bonds which leads to encouragement of misbehavior

1. Identify core values › Faculty, staff, students, and parents work

together to conduct a plan of how they want the individual to portray themselves Ex: “ school is a place where we learn that

‘my way is not the only way’”

2. Create Rules and Consequences› Rules are needed within classroom

management.› Teachers do not last more than 3-4 years

without classroom management because the love they once had turns to distress.

› Values state intensions that keep things positive.

3. Model the Values › As a teacher you must practice what you

preach by modeling behavior.› Positive strategies› Teachers should teach their students

techniques on how to resolve problems.

4. Use No Intervention that Violates Core Values› Be careful with threats, intimidation, and

making examples of students.

Too prepared is never prepared enough.

Evaluate your discipline and ask yourself when, what, why, where, & how.

Note what students’ actions are on a regular basis and your reactions to them.

1.3 % (612,900) public school students in 2000 were sent to alternative schools for being too dangerous to remain in regular schools.

Curwin and Mendler believe students behave as they do because of low self-concepts in relation to school & little or no hope of being successful there.

Sometimes have a history of academic failure.

Unable to maintain dignity Protect themselves by withdrawing

feelings Feels better

› Bad attention is better than no attention

Always treat students with dignity Don’t allow your disciplinary tactics to

interfere with students’ motivation. Emphasis responsibility rather than

obedience.› Obedience= do as you are told› Responsibility= make the best decision

possible.

Use active listening Arrange to speak with the student later Communication should be as private as

possible If the student refuses to accept a

consequence, then invoke the insubordination rule.

“They say that if schools are to deal with violence, they must adopt school wide approaches that teach students how, when threatened or frustrated, to make nonviolent choices that serve them more effectively.

1. stop and calm down 2. think 3. decide what you want to happen 4. have a backup solution 5. carry out the solution you deem best 6. evaluate the results

Solve problems Learn to have patience Wear an invisible shield Use words that work Plan for confrontations

Bullying may consist of:› Physical aggression› Sexual aggression› Name-calling› Threatening› Taunting› Intimidation › shunning

Four kinds of bullying that are common are:› Physical› Verbal› Emotional› sexual

1 in 4 students are bullied on a regular basis.

1 in 5 students admit to bullying 1 in 7 students have stated that they

have experienced severe reactions to the abuse.

Many bullying instances are not reported because the students are afraid of being called a snitch.

Have regular meetings discussing bullying and hate crimes.

Involve parents. Establish a confidential place of

learning. Do not try to mediate a bullying

situation.

Give students numerous opportunities. Each day, do at least one activity that

you love.› Show pride in your knowledge.

Involve students actively. › Get them involved. › Move students around.› Make students use their senses.

Teachers need to make changes in themselves that enable them better to meet the needs of their students.› Create a caring classroom.› Remember that 70% of school misbehavior

has its roots at home rather than at school and as a teacher it is our obligation to break the cycle.

12 points that provide functionality to their Discipline with Dignity.› 1. Let students know what you need.› 2. Provide instruction at levels that match

students’ abilities.› 3. Listen to what students are thinking and

feeling.› 4. Use humor.› 5. Vary your style of presentation.

6. Offer choices. 7. Refuse to accept excuses. 8. Legitimize behavior you cannot stop. 9. Use hugs and pats when communicating with

students. 10. Be responsible for yourself and allow

students to be responsible for themselves. 11. Accept that you will not be successful in

helping every student. 12. Start fresh every day.

Charles, C. M. (1989). Discipline through Dignity and Hope for Challenging Youth. In Building classroom discipline (9th ed., pp. 168-185). New York: Longman.