a multi-faceted theory of classroom management
based on 4 key concepts Identifying & addressing mistaken goals of
misbehaviour Being democratic rather than autocratic/
permissive teachers Using logical consequences rather than
punishment Awareness of the difference between praise
and encouragement
Key Concept 1: Mistaken goals Attention seeking (more dominant in young
children) Power seeking (behaviours include
disobedience, talking back, or overt resistance)
Revenge (behaviours include stealing, kicking, and intentionally hurting others)
Feelings of inadequacy (helplessness or inferiority)
Key Concept 2: Being democratic VS autocratic or permissive Treating students as individuals & with
respect Modelling respect at all times Treating students with dignity, firmness &
kindness Allowing students to help make important
class decisions Using instructional methods that meet
individual students’ learning needs & interests
Key Concept 3: Logical consequences VS punishment Simple, specific classroom rules must first
exist, after which a sequence of logical consequences can be laid down
Use punishment ONLY when all logical consequences have been exhausted
Possibility of students devising their OWN classroom rules & logical consequences
Key Concept 4: Praise VS encouragement More encouragement to boost confidence &
self esteem Encouragement keeps students on task &
minimizes disruption Less praise to reduce students’ dependency
on it Praise may have a discouraging effect in the
long run: a decrease in the amt of praise may lead to a decrease in self-worth
Advantages Promotes respect & communication among
teachers & students Students take responsibility for their own
actions Concept of logical consequences when used
consistently, provide a fair & basic element Complements good teaching (caring classroom
community, student-centered instructions, student-teacher collaboration)
Potential for contributing to the safe schools movt.
Disadvantages Difficulty at times in identifying &
understanding reasons for misbehaviour Inability to always respond properly to
misbehaviour and provide logical consequences
Inappropriate for tackling more serious problems
Teachers who are inherently autocratic or permissive might have difficulty adopting democratic perspectives
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