Closing the Gap Between Teacher Retention and Student Discipline Management Through Jon Gordon’s Energy Bus
Rosnisha D. Stevenson
PhD Student in Educational Leadership
College of Education
Prairie View A&M University
English Teacher
Mayde Creek High School
Katy Independent School District
Houston, Texas
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Professor
PhD Program in Educational Leadership
Prairie View A&M University
Member of the Texas A&M University System
William H. Parker Leadership Academy Hall of Honor (2008)
Prairie View A&M University
Visiting Lecturer (2005)
Oxford Round Table
University of Oxford, Oxford England
Distinguished Alumnus (2004)
Central Washington University
College of Education and Professional Studies
ABSTRACT
Student’s behavior in the public education system has changed drastically with the change of the
times. As student behavior changes, so does the limitations placed on educators in regards to
handling student discipline management. Many educators are leaving the education field
because they aren’t properly equipped with the correct tools that will able them to deal with
discipline management and the student discipline issues that might arise in the classroom.
Introduction
Educators are entering the education field with limited training and preparation for
dealing with discipline management in the classroom. When new teachers go through the
traditional college or universities education program or an alternative education program, little
emphasizes is placed on discipline management. These educators are being prepared to
successfully deal with the discipline that they have chosen to teach but more preparation and
training should be placed on dealing with successfully handling and dealing with student
discipline in the classroom. According to Ingersoll, 50 percent of our new teachers are leaving
the profession within their first five years of teaching (2003). Administrators must access why
they are unable to retain new teachers beyond five years. Many would see that a lot of their
retention issues are due to classroom management and student discipline. Over the years there
have been a number of issues with student discipline in public schools. “The highly publicized
school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, and elsewhere brought these concerns into sharp focus”
(Walsh, et. al, 296). With the rise with student discipline issues in the country and the lack of
training in discipline management, new teachers are exiting the field at an alarming rate. It is up
to administrators to assist these new teachers with the proper tools that they might not have
received through their university preparation or alternative certification program with the much
needed tools to gain control of their classrooms. One of the many reasons that educators are
leaving the field is the lack of student control and respect in the classroom. If they are properly
equipped with tools that they can utilize in the classroom, principals and schools districts can
increase their retention rates through the years.
Purpose of the Article
The purpose of this article is to discuss how educators can utilize Jon Gordon’s book, The
Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy in your
classroom to assist new and seasoned teachers with discipline management in the classroom.
Through incorporating Gordon’s 10 rules in the classroom, teachers can show their students that
they care about their student’s success not only in the classroom but in life ultimately cutting
down on the discipline issues that arise in the classroom.
You’re the Driver of Your Bus
You are the driver of your bus. We as teachers have to come to the realization that we
control our classroom and the climate of that room. The teacher is the one that is behind the
wheel of the bus and the students are the passengers. You are carrying precious cargo and it is
up to you to drive these students down the right path, the path that you lay out for them to follow.
You’re the driver of your bus is “the most important rule because if you don’t take responsibility
for your life and your bus then you can’t take it where you want to go” (Gordon, 26). As a
teacher, you must enter the classroom on day one with extreme confidence knowing that you are
control. Your students will smell the fear on you if you don’t come into the room on day one
and resume control of your classroom. The tone of the classroom is set by the teacher and they
must clearly lay out the guidelines, rules and expectations of their classroom. “Just as rules are
necessary for society to function, so too are rules important for an orderly educational
environment. The presence of rules is a prerequisite to due process, since accused persons are
entitled of the charges against them” (Walsh et al., 2005). As you are the driver of your own
bus, it is your responsibility to inform your passengers what your rules are. If these rules,
guidelines and expectations haven’t been introduced in the classroom then your students won’t
know how to act or what is expected from you, thus taking the right from setting any
punishments on students who misbehave. Setting these rules and letting the students know that
you are in charge of the bus will only set forth precedence for the classroom, allowing for a
smooth, easy ride.
Desire, Vision and Focus Move Your Bus in the Right Direction
To ensure that your bus (classroom) is riding with a shared vision and purpose, you want
to incorporate your students in the process of developing a vision and your classroom rules.
When your students feel as if they are a part of the decisions making process of establishing
classroom rules, they are more keen to adhere to and follow these rules because you have given
them ownership of the rules and expectations in the classroom by allowing them to be a part of
the development process. When the students receive and accept ownership of these rules, they
will behave in a respectful manner adding ease to your work day.
A program that has been used in recent years, Capturing Kids Hearts, is focused on
giving students ownership of the classroom and making them feel like they are a part of the
decision making process, which will give you better classroom management and cut down on
any discipline issues that might occur in the classroom. Having the students assist in creating the
rules causes them to think long and hard about the rules that they are creating, developing a
learning environment that is conducive for all to learn. Give your students ownership of the
rules but inform them that the rules that are created must have a rational purpose. Explain to
them that you want to create rules that are “related to providing a safe and orderly environment”
(Walsh et al., 297). The goal of student discipline management to create a learning environment
that is safe and orderly for students that will allow for maximum learning. New teachers leave
the education field due to numerous issues, one of them being discipline management.
In creating these rules we must remember that they must be short and easily understood
by all. Having too many rules will only allow easy access for students to break them due to them
not being able to fully understand what the rules are implying. When creating your classroom
visions and rules your want to make sure that you give clear examples of what good behavior is
and what bad behavior is so that your students fully understand what the rule means and entails
so that if and when they break that rule, they understand what they did and why they are being
punished for breaking the rule. New Caney I.S.D. was faced with a lawsuit due to the language
in their rules not being clearly understood by students or outlined for them. They were taking to
court due to an anti-gang rule barring students from wearing rosary beads at school. In
Chalifoux versus New Caney Independent School District,
“the court viewed the wearing of rosary beads as religious expression protected by the
First Amendment. The case is instructive from the standpoint of rule development. The
federal judge noted that the district’s student handbook defined gang-related attire as any
attire that ‘identifies students as a group (gang-related).’ He observed that it is
inappropriate to define a word by using that same word in the definition” (Walsh et al.,
298).
As to not follow in New Caney I.S.D.’s footsteps, when creating these rules with your
classroom, it is imperative that the terminology is easily understood and it implies what you are
fully expecting to gain out of the rule that has been imposed.
Make sure that your classroom rules and vision is posted in the classroom and you could
even have every student sign the rules which them signing the rules would carry the meaning that
they agree with all of the rules and are able and willing to adhere to them at all times and are
fully aware of what the consequences are if set rules are broken. Following this process will ease
the discipline process early on in the school year.
Fuel Your Ride with Positive Energy
Like adults, students work better in an environment that is full of positive energy. When
teachers are working in an environment that is fueled by negative energy with no support, they
are more willing to either fall prey to the negative environment or move on; the same applies for
your students. Once you have set your vision and rules with your students you want to make
sure that you continue to fuel your classroom with positive energy. Introduce your students to
the equation, E + P = O. Explain to them that the “E stands for events in your life” (Gordon, 46).
You are responsible for the path that you choose to take in life, you might not be responsible for
the events that happen in your life, but ultimately you are responsible for the path you decide to
take. As a class, you have set forth these rules that everyone has agreed upon and it is up to you
to follow these rules. If you break one of the rules in the classroom, it is important that you are
the one that was ultimately responsible for the event in your life that led to you breaking the rule,
causing a disciplinary action to be taken. “The P stands for perception or positive energy”
(Gordon, 46). If you want the outcome of your life to be positive you must project and give out
positive energy. Thinking and reacting negatively will only lead to negative outcomes, whereas
positive thinking will lead to positive outcomes. “The O stands for outcomes. We can’t control
the events in our life but we can control how we perceive them and our perception and response
to the events determine our outcome” (Gordon, 46).
Keep in mind, just as you need to continue to fuel your bus with positive energy,
especially when you get into the second semester and are counting down the days until summer;
so do your students. They have been on this ride with you all year long and are going to need
some encouragement and positive energy from you to help them get to the finish line. Around
second semester and holidays is when students start losing their focus and discipline issues are at
an all time high. If we as teachers remember the rules that we have set with our classroom and
continue to pour out positive energy, high discipline times in the school year will not be a
problem in the classroom, creating a stress free environment for you and your students.
Invite People on Your Bus and Share Your Vision for the Road Ahead
You will always have students coming in and out of your classroom. As this rotation
happens, invite them on your bus with you. You want to make sure that you personalize your
classroom and the new rules that everyone has collaboratively worked and agreed on by inviting
everyone in your classroom along for the ride. Let your students know that by accepting the ride
one your bus they will reach their short term destination of making it to the next grade or course
the following year. Like stated in Gordon’s book, give out to your students personalized bus
tickets inviting them along for the ride of their life. When you give students their personalized
bus ticket they will see that it was made just for them and you not only empowered them in the
rule making process, but you are empowering them with the decision of accepting the rules and
getting on your bus. “The more people you pick up along the way the more energy you create
during your ride” (Gordon, 56). Once you get your classroom routine down, you can invite and
introduce more teachers to your rules.
Don’t Waste Your Energy on Those Who Don’t Get on Your Bus
Although rule number five states for you not to waste your energy on those who don’t
want to get on your bus, you can’t give up on your students. It is up to you to find a way to get
them to go along with the classroom environment and join the team. Usually, once they see that
majority of the class has agreed to come along for the ride, they will too. “Some people are
going to get on your bus and some people won’t. Don’t worry about the people who don’t get on
your bus. Don’t try to make them get on. You can’t drive anyone else’s bus. You can only
drive your bus” (Gordon, 70). Be patient with the students who do not choose to get on the bus
with the class, but make sure that they realize that not getting on the bus has consequences too.
By not being a part of the classroom rules and guidelines set forth by the class, let them know
that they are agreeing to forfeit any reasoning for breaking a school rule and any rule breaking
will be handled by the principal with no outlet from his or her classmates. They choose not to
get on the bus with the class, so they have lost their support system. By agreeing to get on the
bus with the class, you have also agreed to accept the support and strength that comes along with
the passengers on the bus. “Every person and every team will be tested on their journey. It was
part of the curriculum of life” (Gordon, 67) but it is up to us on how we handle that test.
Although the student refused to get on the bus at first, by showing them that you do not
appreciate their behavior when a school rule is broken but you will be there for them when they
face the set consequences set forth by the school, they will ultimately decide to join your bus.
Post a Sign that Says No Energy Vampires on Your Bus
Post a sign beside the rules that you have developed with your class stating that “No
Energy Vampires are Allowed”. Explain to your students that you will not allow other students
to suck the positive energy out of the classroom and bring down others. In doing so, you are
setting a standard that you will not allow students to mistreat or bring down others; you only
want positive energy and people in your classroom. Also remind the students that agree to get on
the bus, that because you are going to have some energy vampires trying to steal your energy,
you must continue to fuel yourself with positive energy. Share the following story with them to
drive your point of feeding yourself with positive energy:
“A man goes to the village to visit a wise man and he says to the wise man, ‘I feel like
there are two dogs inside of me. One dog is positive, loving, kind, and gentle dog and
then I have this angry, mean-spirited, and negative dog and they fight all of the time. I
don’t know which is going to win.’ The wise man thinks for a moment and he says, ‘I
know which is going to win. The one you feed the most, so feed the positive dog’”
(Gordon, 49).
Remind students that there are constantly going to be negative people in this world, classroom
and school; so it is up to us to continue feeding and focusing on the positive energy and things
that we have outlined and set forth in the classroom. We cannot let a negative person bring our
energy down ruining the positive classroom environment that has already been established.
Everyone is not going to buy into the new regime that you are trying to establish in your
classroom within you and your students. You have to look at the long term goal and the road
ahead and stay focused on those who are on your bus and are filled with positive energy. Yes,
you will still have discipline issues with those students who have decided not to buy into what
you are establishing in your classroom and refuse to get on your bus. But, the discipline issues
will be with a few students and they will come far and few in-between issues, not draining your
positive energy to the point that you want to give up and stop teaching. The students that are on
your bus, pouring out positive energy will outweigh those who are spitting out negative energy.
Enthusiasm Attracts More Passengers and Energizes Them During the Ride
As the year winds on, you will be able to pick out those students who are really into your
classroom rules and your energy bus and have taken that leadership role in the classroom fueling
it with positive energy and encouraging others. Once you have established who those students
are, make them a CEO of the classroom, a Chief Energy Officer. Remember that “a life touches
a life that touches a life. It spreads one person at a time” (Gordon, 106). Appointing these
students as Chief Energy Officer will assist you in continuing to fuel your bus/classroom with
positive energy so that you guys are constantly feeding the positive dog. These Chief Energy
Officers can also help you with the energy vampires. Sometimes when a student hears the point
of view of another student or that student lays out the positives of jumping on board with the
class, that energy vampire will change their mind and turn in their bus ticket. Better late then
never!
Love Your Passengers
As on the road you are driving down you use signs to direct you, there are also signs in
life that you must direct your attention on. Maybe the student that is giving you such a hard time
in class is dealing with issues inside, wither it is issues at home or at school, this student is
probably acting out due to an underlining issues. It is up to you to read the signs and offer
direction to that student. That student that you, and probably everyone else on your campus,
have dubbed as a trouble maker and a problem student is acting out because he or she is seeking
the attention of someone else for help. Become a love magnet and show them that you and the
class are there for them and that everyone genuinely cares about their well being. When you
reach out to that student and show them that you care and are there for them, the discipline issues
that were occurring in your classroom while become null-and-voided.
Make time for your students, show them that you really care about them which entail you
coming from behind your desk, moving about and interacting with the students. Doing this will
not only show them that you care, but this small task will also cut down on discipline in the
classroom. When the students see that you are up and moving, they don’t see that outlet for them
to act disorderly because you are always moving around. Listen to your students; often you are
the parental figure in their life. Once they see that they can trust you, they will come to you to
seek advice. Remembering all of your student’s names is another personal touch that shows
them you care. They know that it will take you some time to remember everyone’s name but try
to accomplish this by the second week of school. That little personal touch of recognizing a
student and calling them by name can make a difference. Let them know that you are here for
them and you want to bring out their personal best. When you show them that you are there to
assist them and help them understand what was taught in class, either through tutorials or just by
them asking questions in class, it relays the message to them that you care about them and their
future and you are a person that cares and that they can count on for support and guidance.
Drive with a Purpose
Make sure that you are driving your bus with a purpose. Your students are looking to
you for guidance and assurance, and have agreed to become passengers on your bus, so make
sure that you are driving that bus with a purpose. Don’t lose sight of the goals that the class is
trying to achieve. As the year winds down, you will become increasingly worn out, but you have
a purpose for being there, teaching was your calling. Give your students all that you have and
they will usually give back to you one hundred percent.
Have Fun and Enjoy the Ride
Teaching can be one of the most rewarding jobs there is. Seeing your students
matriculate from one grade to the next, knowing that you had an impact and influence on that
student’s life, is one of the best feelings there is. “It is consistently reported that the greatest
source of satisfaction for teachers is watching the students learn and grow over the years”
(Bradley and Loadman, 6). Once you have achieved and gotten over the hardest step stone,
discipline, you will have more fun with your students, engaging them in activities that will
stimulate their mind, adding to your realization of why you became a teacher and disproving
recent studies by lasting beyond your fifth year of teaching. Teaching is one of the most
enjoyable fields in the working force once you have conquered classroom management and
formed a lasting and trusting relationship with your students. Achieving the enduring task of
classroom management will allow you to relax and enjoy the ride of teaching.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, utilizing Jon Gordon’s 10 rules in your classroom as a guide to formulate
your own will assist you with discipline management in your classroom. Through empowering
your students and placing the idea of assisting with creating the classroom rules in their hands,
you are giving them responsibility and ownership of their own actions. Developing these rules
will ultimately keep you sane throughout the year and provide much needed support and
guidance for your students.
References
Bradley, K. & Loadman, W. (2005). Urban secondary educators’ views of teacher recruitment
and retention. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 89 (644), 2
– 28.
Gordon, J. (2007). The energy bus: 10 rules to fuel your life, work, and team with positive
energy. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Fischer, L., Schimmel, D., & Kelly, C. (1999). Teachers and the law. New York, NY:
Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Walsh, J., Kemerer, F., & Maniotis, L. (2005). The educator’s guide to texas school law.
Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
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