HAIM GINOTT:

DISCIPLINE THROUGH
CONGRUENT COMMUNICATION
By: Allison Shouse

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Classroom teacher (early in career)
Earned doctorate at Columbia University
Held professorships in Psychology

Adelphi

University
New York University Graduate School

OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS

Published author
Served as a UNESCO consultant in Israel
(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization)

Served as Resident Psychologist on the Today Show.

Wrote a weekly syndicated column titled Between us

Dealt with interpersonal communications

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER MUST

REMEMBER

1. Learning always takes place in the present tense.

2. Learning always is a personal matter to the student.

Do not prejudge or hold grudges.

If working with a large class, one must remember that each

student learner is an individual who must be treated as such.

3. Respect students privacy.

4. The key to working EFFECTIVELY with students is
communication.

Congruent Communication *Main focus!*

THE EFFECTIVE TEACHER MUST

REMEMBER TO

Invite Cooperation
Do not dictate to students or boss them around
Be open with all emotions
Express your anger and all feelings
Be sure to use I-messages, rather than You-messages
Use Laconic Language when responding to or redirecting a
students misbehavior
Short and to the point responses
Always ask yourself, How can I be most helpful to my
students right now?

CONGRUENT COMMUNICATION

A style of communication in which teachers

acknowledge and accept students feelings about
situations and themselves.
The

cardinal principle of Congruent Communication

is that is addresses SITUATIONS, not the students
character or personality in any way.
Use Sane messages when addressing misbehavior

Messages that focus calmly on what needs to be corrected

without attacking the students character or personality.

TEACHERS AT THEIR BEST

Do not
Preach

Moralize
Impose

guilt
Demand promises

Instead- they confer dignity on their students by

treating them as social equals capable of making
decisions.

THOUGHTS ON PRAISE

Evaluative praise is worse than none at all

Instead, use Appreciative praise

Praise

effort.

that expresses gratitude or admiration for

ON THE OTHER HAND

When correcting inappropriate behavior, teachers

should avoid using why questions when
discussing behavior.

May make children feel guilty or defensive

Avoid any sarcasm or punishment

Produces
Never

hostility, rancor, vengefulness

makes students really want to improve

Instead, advises simply teaching students how to behave

properly (not reprimanding the students misbehavior)

TEACHERS CAN IMPROVE, TOO!

Should continually strive for self-discipline in

their work with students.
Must

be careful not to display behaviors you are

trying to eradicate in students

Raising your voice to end noise

Acting rude toward students who are impolite
Berating students who have used inappropriate language.

Always try to promote humaneness and selfcontrol within students.

Classroom

discipline is attained gradually.

Series of little victories!

SMARTBOARD ACTIVITY

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