MODELS OF CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE:

The Kounin Model

Kounin's model focuses on preventive discipline -- techniques and
strategies designed to prevent the occurrence of discipline problems in the
first place.
Jacob Kounin is known for two studies regarding classroom management
in the 1970’s. These studies emphasized how teachers could manage
students, lessons and classrooms to reduce the incidence of bad behavior.
Kounin identified specific teaching techniques that help, and hinder,
classroom discipline. According to Kounin, the technique used, not the
teacher’s personality, is the most crucial aspect in classroom management
of student behavior. His book, Discipline and Group Management in
Classrooms, focuses on preventive discipline. According to Kounin, good
classroom management depends on effective lesson management. Jacob
Kounin identified a cluster of proactive teacher behaviors that
distinguished effective classroom managers from ineffective ones. Kounin’s
key ideas include the ripple effect, withitness, overlapping, effective
transitions, momentum, smoothness and class management.
RIPPLE EFFECT
According to Kounin, when a teacher corrects the misbehavior in one
individual student, often this positively influences the behavior of other
nearby students. Known as the “ripple effect,” the effect is greater when the
teacher clearly names the unacceptable behavior of the student and
provides the reasons why the behavior is unacceptable. The ripple effect is
greatest at the beginning of the year and diminishes as the year
progresses. At the high school level, Kounin found that respect for the
teacher along with high motivation to learn leads to the greatest student
involvement and minimum misbehavior by students.
WITHITNESS
"Withitness," a term coined by Kounin, describes the need for the teacher
to be aware of what is going on in all parts of the classroom at all times.
We commonly refer to this as "having eyes in the back of the head.
“Students need to know that the teacher is aware of what is going on in the
classroom. According to Kounin, when students are off-task, the teacher
should send a clear message that communicates to students the awareness
that they are not working and that they need to become engaged.
Classroom applications of “withitness” include:
1. Continually being alert to the myriad of sights and sounds in the
classroom
2. Arranging the classroom so that all students are always within eyesight
3. Scanning the room periodically when working with individuals or small
groups of students
4. When helping an individual student, the teacher faces the rest of the
class
5. Briefly acknowledging student misbehavior at first detection to let the
student and the class know that the teacher is aware, thus preventing
an escalation of the misbehavior
OVERLAPPING
Overlapping is the process of attending to two or more events at the same
time. An example of overlapping could be when a teacher gives a student
individual feedback at one station and also monitors the performance of
other students in the room. Kounin suggests that overlapping is a teacher’s
ability to effectively handle two or more classroom events at the same time,
instead of becoming engrossed in one and letting the other be neglected.
When instructing one group, a teacher should be able to acknowledge
difficulties that students outside of the group may be having so that
instruction may continue. This also includes distractions from outside the
classroom such as notes from the office or students walking through the
hallways.
EFFECTIVE TRANSITION
Often classroom misbehavior increases when a classroom moves from one
task or activity to another. Student behavior is influenced by the
smoothness and effectiveness of transitions between tasks in a lesson.
Effective transitions, according to Kounin, include keeping lessons moving
with avoiding abrupt changes. Well-established routines, a consistent
signal for gaining the class attention, clear directions, preparing students
to shift their attention from one task to another, and concise explanations
that highlight the main points of the task help reduce student misbehavior.
Kounin emphasizes that providing smooth and effective transitions is one
of the most important techniques in maintaining student involvement and
class control.
MOMENTUM
Momentum refers to the force and flow of a lesson. An effective lesson pulls
the student along. Effective teachers move through the lessons at a brisk
pace and appear to have very few slowdowns in the flow of activities.
Maintaining such momentum and having a steady sense of movement
throughout the lesson helps engage the learners in activities and helps
prevent student misbehavior.
SMOOTHNESS
Smoothness is maintaining direction in the lesson and not being diverted
by irrelevant incidents. This management practice refers to the teacher’s
ability to manage smooth transitions between learning activities. Valuable
instructional time is often wasted in the process of the teacher moving the
class from one instructional activity to the next. The time spent actually
instructing students is often known as “Time on Task” and can be
measured. Smoothness then refers to a teacher’s ability to preserve
instructional time by eliminating many of the common barriers to a smooth
class transition.
GROUP FOCUS.
The ability to keep members of the class or group paying attention to the
task is essential in maintaining an efficient classroom and reducing
student misbehavior. Effective grouping maximizes active participation and
keeps students engaged in learning. Accountability is a powerful force in
keeping students on-task. Accountability measures can include record-
keeping -- both teacher - and student-maintained (checklists, task cards,
etc.), public recognition, skill testing, and written work. When students
know that they will be held accountable for their learning and behavior and
teachers know how each student is progressing, student misbehavior
decreases. Another important technique is alerting -- focusing the attention
of the group. Directing students attention to the critical cues in the
demonstration, using questions to check for students understanding, and
varying the student who is called upon to give an answer are some ways to
focus the class attention. Student involvement is increased, and
misbehavior reduced when teachers hold the attention of the class.
MAINTAINING INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT. (Satiation)
Satiation, which means being satisfied or having enough, is used by
Kounin to describe student’s progressive loss of interest in the task. When
students experience satiation or boredom, other behaviors emerge.
Students may introduce variations into the task, work mechanically on the
task without giving it much thought, or try to create some excitement
through fooling around with a classmate or engaging in other forms of
misbehavior. Kounin suggests reducing satiation by providing students
with a feeling of progress, offering students challenges throughout the
lesson, and being enthusiastic. Variety reduces satiation and alleviates
boredom. Changing the level of challenges, restructuring groups, extending
the task, and using different teaching styles add variety to the lesson.
Summary.
Implementation of Kounin's techniques for class management can reduce
the incidence of student misbehavior and contribute to a positive learning
environment. Here's a short summary of how you can put Kounin's ideas
to work for you.
 Be aware of what is happening in all areas of the gym. Scan
frequently and systematically; Keep you back to the wall.
 Intervene early before the behavior escalates. Correct the appropriate
student and deal with the most serious issues first.
 Learn to deal with competing demands at the same time.
 Gain the students attention. Use routines, concise explanations, and
smooth transitions to keep students on-task.
 Keep students involved through active supervision and accountability.
 Reduce satiation or boredom by using challenges, extending tasks,
informing students of progress, and adding variety to lessons.
REFERENCES
Kounin, J. (1977). Discipline and group management in classrooms. New
York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. 
Charles, C.M. (1996). Building classroom discipline (5th ed.). New York:
Longman.  Barr, R., & Dreeben, R. (1977). Instruction in classrooms.
Review of Research in Education, 5, 126-131. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1167173
Reference: http://www.elearnportal.com/courses/education/classroom-
management-and-discipline/classroom-management-and-discipline-
discipline-theorists
SKINNER’S MODEL OF DISCIPLINE
B.F. Skinner is a psychologist well known for his study of and theories
regarding operant conditioning; a study proving that Behavior is shaped
by its consequences, by what happens to the individual immediately
afterward. Skinner is regarded as the father of Operant Conditioning
Skinner’s work was never directed towards classroom discipline, though in
1954 he did publish an article “The Science of Learning and the Art of
Teaching,” which make his theories quite applicable to the classroom.
Skinner firmly believed that behaviour can be shaped or modified through
systematic reinforcement, which in the classroom environment is known as
reward.
The following ideas reveal the essence of Skinner's model:
 BEHAVOIUR
 REINFORCEMENT
 BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION

1. Behavior is shaped by its consequences, by what happens to the

individual immediately afterward.
2. Systematic use of reinforcement (rewards) can shape students' behavior
in desired directions.
3. Behavior becomes weaker if not followed by reinforcement. Behavior is
also weakened by punishment.
4. In the early stages of learning, constant reinforcement produces the
best result.
5. Once learning has reached the desired level, it is best maintained
through intermittent reinforcement, provided only occasionally.
6. Behavior modification is applied in these two main ways:
o The teacher observes the student perform an undesired act; the
teacher rewards the student; the student tends to repeat the act.
o The teacher observes the student perform an undesired act; the
teacher either ignores the act or punishes the student, then praises a
student who is behaving correctly; the misbehaving student becomes
less likely than before to repeat the act.
7. Behavior modification successfully uses various kinds of reinforcers.
They include social reinforcers such as verbal comments, facial
expressions, and gestures; graphic reinforcers such as marks and stars;
activity reinforcers such as free time and collaborating with a friend;
and tangible reinforcers such as prizes and printed awards.
The Skinner model can be a powerful model for classroom teachers, one
that can be easily modified and implemented with students of all ages and
backgrounds.
Types of Reinforcers
Types of reinforcers commonly used in schools fall into four categories:
1. Social.
Social reinforcers consist of words, gestures, and facial expressions. Many
students work diligently just to get a smile, pat, or a kind word from the
teacher. Some examples are:
 Verbal * OK. Wow! Excellent. Nice going. Exactly. Right. Thank you. I
like that. Would you share that.
 Nonverbal * Smiles, winks, eye contact, nods, thumbs up, touches, pats.
walk beside, stand near, shake hands.
2. Graphic.
Graphic reinforcers include marks of various kinds such as numerals,
checks, happy faces, and special symbols. Teachers make these marks
with felt pens and rubber stamps. They may enter them on charts or use a
paper punch to make holes in cards kept by the students. They may attach
stars or stickers that are commercially available in large quantities and
varieties.
3. Activity.
Activity reinforcers include those activities that students prefer in school.
Any activity can be used as a reinforcer if students prefer it to another.
Examples of activities that usually reinforce academic learning are:
 For younger students:
o Being a monitor, sitting near the teacher, choosing the song, caring
for the pet, sharing a pet or toy.
 For middle students:
 o Playing a game, free reading, decorating the classroom, having extra
recess time, going to an assembly.
 For older students:
o Working with a friend, being excused from a test, working on a
special project, being excused from homework.
4. Tangible.
Tangible reinforcers are real objects that students can earn as rewards for
desired behavior and are more powerful for some students than other types
of reinforcers. They are widely used with students who have special
behavior problems. Many primary teachers use tangible reinforcers
regularly. Examples of inexpensive reinforcers are: popcorn, raisins, chalk,
crayons, felt pens, pencils, badges, etc.
Skinner identified three types of responses, or operant, that can
follow behavior.
 Neutral operants: responses from the environment that neither increase
nor decrease the probability of a behavior being repeated.
• Reinforcers: Responses from the environment that increase the
probability of a behavior being repeated. Reinforcers can be either positive
or negative.
• Punishers: Responses from the environment that decrease the likelihood
of a behavior being repeated. Punishment weakens behavior.
Application of the Model
(Jack will not work)
Jack, in Mr. Jones' class, is quite docile. He never disrupts class and does
little socializing with other students. But despite Mr. Jones' best efforts, he
can hardly get Jack to participate in class activities. He rarely completes
an assignment. He doesn't seem to care. He is simply there, like a bump on
a log, putting forth virtually no effort. How would Skinner deal with Jack?
Skinner would suggest that Mr. Jones try the following approaches with
Jack.
1. Catch Jack being good (doing anything that is appropriate). Reward him
whenever he participates or works.
2. Reiterate the class rules regarding work. Praise Jack whenever he
follows the rule.
3. Consider stronger reinforcers. If praise is ineffective, use points, tokens,
or other tangible objects to reinforce and shape Jack's improvement.
4. Set up a contract with Jack. Identify a reward that is exceptionally
attractive to him. Outline what he must do in order to earn the reward.
Share the contract with Jack's parents to enlist their support. Reinforce
every improvement Jack makes.
Secondary Implementation of Skinner's Theories
In order to apply Skinner’s theories in your own secondary classroom,
you could do the following:
 Create (with student input, if necessary) a system of positive incentives
for individual, group, and class behavior. Reward positive behavior
before reprimanding negative behavior (for example, instead of
punishing one student for not turning in homework, give all other
students who did turn in homework consistent rewards until that will
induce that one student to follow suit with the rest of class).
 Ensure that positive reinforcement is immediate so that it can be
associated with the positive behavior. This is crucial especially when
secondary teachers see students for such a small portion of each day.
 Recognize the unique instructional needs of individual students and
individual periods and modify instructional material and methods
appropriately.
 Provide feedback as students work, not just after they are finished with
a particular task.
 Ensure that students have mastered prerequisite skills before moving
on, even if this puts different periods of the same class on different
tracks.
 Reinforce positive behaviors students exhibit, either with problem
students or with whole class to refocus problem students
Educational Applications
In the conventional learning situation, operant conditioning applies largely
to issues of class and student management, rather than to learning
content. It is very relevant to shaping skill performance.
A simple way to shape behavior is to provide feedback on learner
performance, e.g., compliments, approval, encouragement, and affirmation.
A variable-ratio produces the highest response rate for students learning a
new task, whereby initially reinforcement (e.g., praise) occurs at frequent
intervals, and as the performance improves reinforcement occurs less
frequently, until eventually only exceptional outcomes are reinforced.
For example, if a teacher wanted to encourage students to answer
questions in class they should praise them for every attempt (regardless of
whether their answer is correct). Gradually the teacher will only praise the
students when their answer is correct, and over time only exceptional
answers will be praised.
Unwanted behaviors, such as tardiness and dominating class discussion
can be extinguished through being ignored by the teacher (rather than
being reinforced by having attention drawn to them). This is not an easy
task, as the teacher may appear insincere if he/she thinks too much about
the way to behave.
Knowledge of success is also important as it motivates future learning.
However, it is important to vary the type of reinforcement given so that the
behavior is maintained. This is not an easy task, as the teacher may
appear insincere if he/she thinks too much about the way to behave.
REFERENCES
Charles, C. M., 1989, Building classroom discipline: from models to
practice, Longmans Inc., New York. (pages 40-54).
Hill, D. 1990, Order in the classroom, Teacher, 1(7), 70-77.
Skinner, B. F., 1971, Beyond freedom and dignity, Knopf, New York.
Tauber, R. 1982, Negative reinforcement: a positive strategy in classroom
management, Clearing House, 56, 64-67

GLASSER’S CHOICE THEORY

Reality Therapy is an approach to counselling developed by Dr William
Glasser in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. Choice Theory
explains why Reality Therapy works. People often assume that Reality
Therapy has something to do with giving people “a dose of reality.” In fact,
the approach is far more people-friendly than that.
Choice Theory is a psychological model that explains why people behave as
they do and how we can build positive relationships with the people who
are important to us. As such, it is of great value to educators and others
who seek to engage young people in meaningful work
Our Five Basic Needs
Almost all approaches to psychology assume that people have certain basic
needs and, indeed, there is broad agreement on what these needs are.
In Choice Theory they are classified under five headings:
· Power (which includes achievement and feeling worthwhile as well as
winning).
· Love & Belonging (includes groups as well as families or loved ones).
· Freedom (includes independence, autonomy, your own ‘space’).
· Fun (includes pleasure and enjoyment).
· Survival (includes nourishment, shelter, sex).
One of the core principles of Choice Theory is that, whether we are aware
of it or not, we are all the time behaving to meet these needs.
Choice theory psychology states that:
All we do is behave
 Almost all behavior is chosen, and
 We are driven by our genes to satisfy five basic needs: survival, love and
belonging, power, freedom and fun.
 We can only satisfy our needs by matching the pictures in our Quality
World. These pictures motivate our behavior.
 In practice, the most important need is love and belonging, as closeness
and connectedness with the people we care about is a requisite for
satisfying all of the needs.
Choice Theory psychology, with the Seven Caring Habits, replaces external
control psychology and the Seven Deadly Habits. External control, the
present psychology of almost all people in the world, is destructive to
relationships and mental health. When used, it will destroy the ability of
one or both to find satisfaction in that relationship and will result in a
disconnection from each other. Being disconnected is the source of almost
all human problems such as what is called mental illness, drug addiction,
violence, crime, school failure, and spousal abuse, to mention a few.
Relationships and our Habits
Seven Caring Habits Seven Deadly Habits
1. Supporting 1. Criticizing
2. Encouraging 2. Blaming
3. Listening 3. Complaining
4. Accepting 4. Nagging
5. Trusting 5. Threatening
6. Respecting 6. Punishing
7. Negotiating differences 7. Bribing, rewarding to
control
The Ten Axioms of Choice Theory
 The only person whose behavior we can control is our own.
 All we can give another person is information.
 All long-lasting psychological problems are relationship problems.
 The problem relationship is always part of our present life.
 What happened in the past has everything to do with what we are today,
but we can only satisfy our basic needs right now and plan to continue
satisfying them in the future.
 We can only satisfy our needs by satisfying the pictures in our Quality
World.
 All we do is behave.
 All behavior is Total Behavior and is made up of four components:
acting, thinking, feeling and physiology.
 All Total Behavior is chosen, but we only have direct control over the
acting and thinking components. We can only control our feeling and
physiology indirectly through how we choose to act and think.
 All Total Behavior is designated by verbs and named by the part that is
the most recognizable.
1. Choice Theory: The Quality World-Each of us develops a unique Quality
World, the source of all motivation.
2. Choice Theory: Reality & Perception-Even though we all live in the Real
World; Choice Theory contends that what matters is our perception of
reality.
3. Choice Theory: The Comparing Place-Our brain continually compares
two images:1. our perception of reality 2. our Quality World picture of
what we want at that moment. The purpose of all behavior is to create a
match between what we perceive and what we want.
4. Choice Theory: Total Behavior. All behavior has four components
1. Acting 2. Thinking 3. Feeling 4. physiology
 When we change any one component of behavior, the other components
change as well.

HOW CHOICE THEORY IMPACTS LEARNING

When Choice Theory is applied in the classroom, as it has been in
schools across the world, it has a significant impact on how
instruction is delivered.
The Teacher as Manager
Glasser contends that teachers need to manage effectively if they hope to
successfully teach their students.The role of the teacher/manager is to
help students see that working hard and doing what the teacher asks is
worth the effort and will add quality to their lives. This is achieved by
developing positive relationships with students and providing active,
relevant learning experiences where students can demonstrate success.
Effective teacher/managers create shared Quality World pictures with their
students, so students are motivated to learn what the teacher wants to
teach.
The Needs-Satisfying Classroom
When creating lessons, teachers who practice Choice Theory ensure that
students can satisfy their needs by doing what the teacher asks them to
do.
Learning increases and disruption diminishes when students know that
they are able to connect, feel a sense of competence and power, have some
freedom, and enjoy themselves in a safe, secure environment.
Common Characteristics
Classrooms and schools that apply Choice Theory share the following
3 characteristics:
1. Coercion is minimized. Rather than trying to “make” students behave
by using rewards and punishments, teachers build positive relationships
with their students, managing them without coercion. Coercion never
inspires quality.
2. Focus on quality. Teachers expect mastery of concepts and encourage
students to re-take tests and continue to work on assignments until they
have demonstrated competence or quality. The emphasis is on deep
learning demonstrated through the ability to apply what has been learned.
3. Self-evaluation. Self-evaluation is a cornerstone of Choice Theory.
Given helpful information (rubrics, models, exemplars, etc.) students take
on greater ownership of their learning by evaluating their own performance
routinely. Encouraging students to self-evaluate promotes responsibility
and helps students pursue goals and become skilled decision-makers
because they are more actively involved in their education.
A typical example of choice theory and education are Sudbury Model
schools, where students decide for themselves how to spend their days. In
these schools, students of all ages determine what they will do, as well as
when, how, and where they will do it. This freedom is at the heart of the
school and it belongs to the students as their right, not to be violated. The
fundamental premises of the school are: that all people are curious by
nature; that the most efficient, long-lasting, and profound learning takes
place when started and pursued by the learner; that all people are creative
if they are allowed to develop their unique talents; that age-mixing among
students promotes growth in all members of the group; and that freedom is
essential to the development of personal responsibility. In practice this
means that students initiate all their own activities and create their own
environments. The physical plant, the staff, and the equipment are there
for the students to use as the need arises. The school provides a setting in
which students are independent, are trusted, and are treated as
responsible people; and a community in which students are exposed to the
complexities of life in the framework of a participatory democracy.
Sudbury schools are based on the premise that students are personally
responsible for their acts, in opposition to virtually all schools today that
deny it.
The denial is threefold: schools do not permit students to choose their
course of action fully; they do not permit students to embark on the
course, once chosen; and they do not permit students to suffer the
consequences of the course, once taken. Freedom of choice, freedom of
action, freedom to bear the results of action—these are the three great
freedoms that constitute personal responsibility. Thus, members of these
schools learn democracy by experience, and enjoy the rights of individuals.
Sudbury schools do not perform and do not offer evaluations, assessments,
or recommendations, asserting that they do not rate people, and that
school is not a judge; comparing students to each other, or to some
standard that has been set is for them a violation of the student's right to
privacy and to self-determination. Students decide for themselves how to
measure their progress as self-starting learners as a process of self-
evaluation: real lifelong learning and the proper educational evaluation for
the 21st Century, they adduce.

GORDON’S INTERNATIONAL MODEL OF

EFFECTIVE TRAINING - Ethical Issues in Treating Behavioral
and Instructional Problems

The beginning of the Gordon Model can be seen in these concepts

described in that chapter:
 Leadership is a set of functions that are the property of the group and
should be “distributed” to group members.
 The most effective leader is one who creates the conditions by which
s/he will give up the typical leadership role and become more of a
group member. Consequently, group members will then carry out
some of the functions of the leader.
 Group problems require “participative group problem-solving.”
 Leaders should create the conditions in which all the members feel
safe to communicate their ideas and feelings.
 Group-centered leaders need to set a model of attending to others by
using “reflection of feelings and meanings” or “empathic listening,”
the principal skill used by client-centered therapists.
 Group-centered leaders must convey “acceptance of the members’
communication.”
CONCEPTS AND METHODS:
The method emphasizes effective communication and conflict resolution
using the win-win strategy. Other skills from his program are active
listening and the use of messages. Besides P.E.T., Dr. Gordon and his
organization has introduced Gordon workshops for leaders (L.E.T.), adults
(Be Your Best), youth (Y.E.T and Resolving Conflicts at School), teachers
(T.E.T.), salespeople (Synergistic Selling). Be Your Best (B.Y.B.)
Conflict Resolution Workshop (C.R.W.)
Leader Effectiveness Training (L.E.T.)
L.E.T. Refresher Workshop
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.)-
The Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) program, which he introduced in
1962, is widely recognized as the first skill-based training program for
parents. It spawned the widespread parent training movement in the U.S.
and it has been taught to over a million parents in 43 countries around the
world.
Synergistic Selling
Teacher Effectiveness Training (T.E.T.)
Youth Effectiveness Training (Y.E.T.)
1. The “wisdom of the group,” to describe the creative resources of group
members.
2. A four-step problem-solving process developed to help groups tackle
problems more systematically and effectively:
 Recognizing and defining the problem
 Diagnosing the problem
 Making the decision
 Accepting and carrying out the decision
3. The leader’s limits and group’s “area of freedom,” leaders have limited
areas of freedom beyond which they are not authorized to let their
group make certain action decisions.
Apply Thomas Gordon Model of Classroom Management to
the Classroom
Thomas Gordon, author of a model of classroom management called
Teacher Effectiveness Training, derived T.E.T. from principles of psychology
in an attempt to shift the responsibility for behavior from teacher to
student. The management style promotes problem-solving techniques,
positive relationships and communication strategies, and often includes
school-wide strategies. There are four basic components to T.E.T.: the
behavior window, active listening, I-message and no-lose conflict
resolution.
The Behavior Window: Owning Problems
Gordon's classroom management philosophy is based on the behavior
window, a framework for problem ownership, he created in the late 1960s
as part of parent education. The initial framework divides parent view of
children's behavior into upper and lower portions, which represent
acceptance and unacceptance of the child's behavior. Later models
included varying levels of acceptance and unacceptance, but the goal was
to determine how the adult view of the situation affected acceptance of
behavior and acknowledge that acceptance could change. In the classroom,
the behavior window is designed to help teachers recognize problems that
interfere with classroom instruction and determine ownership for the
problems. In the model, problems are owned by either the child, the adult,
both parties or no parties.
Active Listening: Understanding Messages
Integrating the Gordon model into the classroom includes the use of active
listening as a strategy for communication between student and teacher.
The active listening strategy is employed when the problem belongs to the
student; it gives the student an opportunity to express his feelings with the
knowledge that the teacher will understand and accept what he's feeling
and saying. For example, if a student routinely doesn't complete
assignments, instead of creating consequence for the disruption, the
teacher would speak with the student privately and listen to the student's
reasons for his behavior.
I-Messages: Communicating Teacher Needs
When the problem is determined to belong to the teacher -- such that the
teacher is not able to perform her job because of interference from a
student -- the I-message strategy is employed. In this strategy, the teacher
communicates to the student -- without blame, in a nonjudgmental way --
how the student is causing problems for the teacher. The principle behind
this communication strategy is that students will develop a respect for the
teacher's right to meet her own needs. For example, if a student routinely
disrupts classroom instruction, the I-message would include the teacher's
inability to complete her lesson plan and do her job.
Gordon also describes a 3-part I-message, called a "confrontive" I-
message, with the following parts:
 non-blameful description of the listener's behavior.
 the effect of that behavior on the speaker.
 the speaker's feelings about that effect.
No-Lose Conflict Resolution
In cases where active listening or the I-message strategies don't improve
student behavior, Gordon suggests six steps for no-lose conflict resolution.
The goal of this process is to find a solution that's acceptable to both
student and teacher. The foundation of no-lose conflict resolution should
be implemented in classroom language and atmosphere long before any
problems appear. Students should know that blame will not be placed, and
their needs will be listened to and considered. Conversation focuses on
concerns rather than sides of the two parties, a practice that can also be
implemented in both active listening and I-messages. The six steps to the
no-lose conflict resolution are to define the needs of teacher and student,
brainstorm solutions, evaluate solutions, choose a solution, implement the
solution and check the results.
Ethical Issues in Treating Behavioral and Instructional Problems
Most professions have codes of ethics. The largest teacher organization,
The National Education Association (NEA), has a code of ethics. The NEA is
divided into two sections: teacher commitment to students and teacher
commitment to the profession. The code lists actions teachers "shall" and
"shall not" take to fulfill obligations to students and the teaching
profession."
- It is important for teachers to under stand the "shall nots" of teaching
that serve as guidelines to help us avoid unethical situations and their
consequences."Ethics tell us what we should and shouldn't do. Ethics are
standards of conduct based on moral judgements. Because ethics are
grounded in personal belief systems, what is ethical in one person's view
might not be ethical from another's perspective. Although most of the time
what is lawful is ethical, and what is ethical is also lawful, this is not
always the case from everyone's viewpoint."
"An ethical teacher is guided by a set of beliefs that leads to attitudes and
actions focused on what's best for students. Being ethical means taking
the high road and behaving professionally in the midst of big issues as well
as in everyday decision making in the classroom.
-6 Characteristics that form a conceptual basis for making ethical
decisions.
1. Appreciation for moral deliberation 2. Empathy 3. Knowledge 4.
Reasoning 5. Courage 6. Interpersonal sklls
"Helping students build these traits is a tall order and one we must fulfill
with ethical attitudes, decisions, and actions. The results will be positive
and cumulative."
The "shalls" of teachers":
1. Purposefully serve as positive role models for their students
2. Put students' best interests ahead of other considerations
3. Involve families often and positively
4. Support colleagues and work collaboratively
5. Create and maintain a productive learning environment
6. Diversify instruction to address student differences
Professional Ethics
"When we habitually apply ethical thinking and actions to situations, we
are contributing to the development of students who ideally will do the
same. As we model morally sound decision making, it is helpful to have a
vision of desirable traits we want to promote in those we profoundly
influence through ethical teaching. We want students to be...
1. Smart but not arrogant
2. Flexible but not easily deterred from their hopes and dreams
3. compassionate toward others but not overly accommodating
4. Self-confident but not too preoccupied with themselves
5. Proud but not exclusive"

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