Raven's Guide to
Special Education
Discipline - 2
Involve other students in helping a discouraged student behave better and feel like a productive member of the class.
Give students cues, or nonverbal reminders about what you expect. By raising a hand for silence, flipping a light switch to get attention, or displaying an obvious facial expression, you can remind students of your rules, procedures and expectations.
Use "I-messages" to tell your students exactly how you feel and what you want. Such communication is more effective than "you-messages," such as "You stop talking." which invite confrontation. I-messages allow you to express your feelings in a non-critical way, e.g., "I feel frustrated when you do not listen to me." rather than "You frustrate me when you are not listening."
Avoid punishment but give consequences. Punishing children causes them mental or physical pain, only brings a temporary change in their behavior, and invites them to retaliate. A more effective way to discipline is to give students logical consequences (events that follow behavior) for the choices they make. When a student misbehaves, give him one warning, then a choice of changing the behavior or getting a consequence. Automatically give consequences that fit the behavior. Do not allow arguing, excuse-making or bargaining. Discipline students immediately following their misbehavior.
Negotiate and offer choices. Tell misbehaving students you expect them to change, but avoid forcing them to do something. Instead, discuss alternatives and choices with them. If you do not give them choices, you may encourage them to test your rules and push limits.
Avoid overreacting. Correct behavior problems before they become serious by taking the least action that is effective in changing the behavior. Do not yell, threaten, or ignore problems and then overreact by taking drastic action because you let many minor infractions accumulate. Expect to change the student's behavior while understanding that changing the student's attitude may take much longer.
Make tomorrow a better day. If one of your students has a bad day, plan a positive activity for that student the following day.
Be in the right frame of mind. You will be more effective in disciplining students if you are not emotionally involved. Do not respond to a misbehaving student with criticism, anger, or insults. In a calm, matter-of-fact way give the student a choice to either make his behavior acceptable or receive a consequence. If you use consequences to threaten or to express your anger, they stop being consequences and instead become punishment. Your students will quickly learn the difference and will fight back or become resentful. Assure your students that you like them even though you may dislike something they have done.
Use a point system. Use a point system to quickly reward classroom performance. For example, give students individual cards identifying desirable social and academic behaviors. Then enter points or check marks on the cards when they complete tasks and display appropriate behaviors. Allow them to use the accumulated points or check marks to earn privileges such as extra free time, a visit to the library, leisure reading or special group activities.
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James Baldwin |
| Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.
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Use social isolation for serious misbehavior. When a student misbehaves during an activity and does not respond to a warning, remove the student from the group but allow the student to stay in the classroom. If the student continues to disrupt class, remove the student from the room. If serious misbehavior persists in spite of all of your efforts, request administrative help to impose an in-school suspension or suspension from school.
Removal from school. If you have to send a student home, ask the parents to ensure that being home during school hours is unrewarding for their child. For example, ask them not to let him watch television, listen to music or sleep-in; instead, have them give him schoolwork during the time he normally would be in school. To return to school, require the student, in writing (or orally if unable to write), to describe the misbehavior, accept responsibility for it, and propose a plan to prevent it from happening again.
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