RAISING RESPONSIBILITY

Discipline“The best discipline is the kind nobody notices- not even the one being

disciplined.”

Discipline as opportunity:

- is a tool for teaching responsibility

- ultimate goal is self discipline-the kind of self control that underlies voluntary compliance with expected standards. This discipline is a mark of mature character and that a civilized society expected of its students.

John Goodlad a professor said : first public purpose of schooling is to develop civility in the young. Civility can only be achieved with self discipline.

-- derived from Latin word: disciplia that Implies instruction

- important to master a task(professional musician, athelete, craftsman)

- refers to our nature-consciously or non consciously we are the one to choose our responses to both our thoughts and emotions

“Discipline is understood in a very limited way by most educators - “How do we get these children to behave?” - rather than , ”How do we support the people in our charge as they learn to channel and direct their positive energy in ways that accomplish their goals and those of their community?”

--Richard E Clark

“Many teachers operate with a focus on obedience rather than on self discipline.”

Lee Salk, a child psychologist says that;

“To many people, discipline means punishment, But actually, to discipline means to teach. Rather than punishment, discipline should be a positive way of helping and guiding children to achieve self control.”

Marilyn Gootman;

“Discipline is teaching self control,not controlling or managing students.”

Richard Sagar says. “An effective discipline program requires three particular,vital educational functions:

-The maintainance of order-The development of internal locus of control-The promotion of prosocial behaviourStudents acknowledge the ownership of behaviour,self evaluates and develops a plan .In the process the students become self regulated.- The Locus of control is internal.

External control approach where the teacher takes possession of the problem, presents the students with a plan, overpowerment of some kind that is usually punishment.

Teachers who rely on external methods of control may succeed in getting students to tow the line under their supervision. What happens when the teacher is not around?

Self development is most effective if the person is commited. Commitment comes through internal motivation..Internal motivation is fostered in a positive learning environment where people feel they will not be harmed, where they are given choices that encourage ownership and empowerment, where self evaluation and self correction are the dominant avenues to growth, and where people learn that appropriated, responsibility behaviour is in their own best interests.

KEY POINTS

Discipline means both to teach and to learn.

Discipline is a tool for teaching responsibility.

A good discipline program requires the maintainance of order ,the development of an internal locus of control, and the promotion of social behaviours.

The real influence of teachers is reflected by what students do when the teacher is not with them.

THE RAISE RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM

- Young people want to be responsible but we are using wrong approaches to help them.

- handles disruptive behaviour simply and easily

- In the process builds self-discipline, respect for self and others, and both individual and and social responsibility.

- reduces stress for adults and young people

-the three phases are: Teaching the concepts, Checking for understanding and Guided choices.

1.TEACHING THE CONCEPTS

A IMAGING THE CONCEPTS:i. Blank A 4 Paperii. Fold paper horizontallyiii. Upper half print word”Anarchy”iv. Explain:Anarchy is behaviour in which there is no law and order and

anyone can do anything without any consideration for othersv. Draw any scene that comes to the mind –Anarchyvi. When finished draw Bullyingvii. Describe what you drewviii. When finished turn paper over, write “Conformity”ix. Describe drawingx. When finished turn paper over, write “Democracy”xi. Describe drawing

B ANALYSIS OF THE ACTIVITY.

1 Processing the concepts: ( Doraemon, Shin Chan, Seven Dwarfs ,The hole in the dyke etc)2 Ownership3 Meaningfulness

C EXPLAINATION OF THE LEVELS

Level A- Anarchy

Level B- Bullying

Level C- Conformity

Level D- Democracy

“Dr Edward Dcci says : Aotonomous functioning requires that an internalized regulation be accepted as your own; regulation must become a part

of who you are. It must be integrated with yourself. Through integration, people

become willing to accept responsibility for activities that are important but not

(necessarily) interesting-activities that are not intrinsically motivating.”

Behaviour at this level is manifested by qualities of character that individuals

habitually recognize as the right thing. The four classical virtues:

Prudence: is practical wisdom-recognizing and making the right choices

Temperance: moderation of all things.It is the control of human passions and emotions, esp anger and frustration

Fortitude: is courage in pursuit of the right path,despite the risks.It is the strength of the mind and courage to persevere in the face of adversity-

Justice: fairness, honesty, keeping promises

Responsibility and democracy is inseparable.

In a letter from Japan:

Several other teachers have begun using the same language to reinforce the childrens’s understanding and some have actually started using the same plan. Of course, this has added a great deal to its effectiveness. All of my students can now recognize their own level of behaviour and label it appropriately.They know almost instantly when they need to make better choices.This takes less time away from instruction and keeps the classroom climate stressfree and positive” -by Diane a teacher.

Applying and Teaching The concepts

IMAGES are more effective in understanding the concepts than are DEFINITIONS

The examples must be relevant to the learner. Young people need to be actively engaged in constructing examples specific to their classroom, playground, social or community setting. ”What would anarchy look like here?Bullying in the first grade is different from the fourth grade.The examples created when developing concepts are personal meaningful, interesting and relevant.

COGNITION AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT

- Awareness of the hierarchy is foundation of raising responsibility

- Awarenesss come before acknowledgement

- depended on cognitive growth(Piaget & Kohlberg)

- “In schools without such an environment morality and responsibility will only be words for most children” – William Glaser

- Awareness : Young people need to be helped to see that the negative emotion should be the result of what they do rather than the result of being found out.

ADVANTAGES TO TEACHING THE HIERACHY

-Oliver Wendel Holmes said :

“The human mind, once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions.” When young people become aware of levels of social development, they become conscious of social responsibility in their own behaviours and in relationships with others”

- serves as a means of communication (Brings clarity of understanding and assists communications between teacher and student.

- encourages students to maintain conducive environ for learning

- awareness as a responsible citizenship

- raises awareness for individual responsibility.

-calls attention to the fact that people are always making choices.

-empowers young people

-encourages students to achieve the highest behaviour

-encourages mature decision making

-fosters character education

-serves to distinguish between the inappropriate behaviour and the person who acts inappropriately.

-focus on labeling behaviour and not people

-fosters understanding about external and internal incentives.

-leads to improve self esteem.

“ The building Blocks of self esteem are skills.The more skillful a person,the more likely he or she will be able to cope in life and situations.By fostering skills of personal and social responsibility,schools can help students increase their behavioural options”.

-California State Dept of Edn 1990

Self esteem is closely related to self satisfaction.

-Students learn their behaviour plays a role in determining how they want their their teachers to relate to them.

-fosters student self management

KEY POINTS

1 The Raise Responsibility Sys is proactive. The plan is to set the stage for dealing with disruptive behaviours before they occur.This is in contrast to a reactive strategy of dealing with disruptive bahaviours after they occur

2 A deductive approach is used.Four concepts are taught first.

3 The person identifies a level of development-separating the bahaviour from the person.

4 The program uses internal motivation so the young person develops a desire to be responsible-both individually and socially

CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

“People need to know you mean them no harm”

Mental Frame: essential to maintain control. A teacher must claim a positive outlook, viewing the situation as one for guiding rather than punishing, as an opportunity to help the student readjust bahviour.The student perceive the teacher as attemping to help rather than punish.

i. Unobstrusive techniques: body language,mannerisms,posture,tone of voice,pacing of speech,feelings and language

ii..Visual: Face-tool of coomunication-friendly smile,expressions,eyes,eye contact,lowering of head to student etc

iii. Verbal: Pause,Change of voice inflection,Use of release tension Breathing in outState needs s.a. I need your help.Thanks for your consideration,If you could do something about changing that,what would you choose?

iv. Kinetic: Move to different location,proximity,positive rappo

QUESTIONS AS INQUIRY

- testing and checking for understanding

- encourages the respondent to clarify thoughts

- the teacher simply asks the student to identify their level of behaviour the teacher can guide if the students don’t know

Asking:

The person who ask the question conrols the situationA student may “test” ignorance.The teacher must acknowledge the situation level. The power of the strategy is that when the student acknowledge the level of behaviour,the misconduct stops and usually apologizing is carried out.

Cautions

Effectiveness of answers will depend on the effectiveness of the questions

Effective questions is a skill

Tone-essential ingredient of communication

TONE OF VOICEIt’s not much what you say

As the manner in which you say itIt’s not so much the language that you use

As the tone in which you convey it

“Come here!”I sharply saidAnd the child cowered and wept

“Come here.” I said-he looked and smiledAnd straight to my lap he crept

Words may be mild and fairBut the tone may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer airBut the tone may break my heart

Words come from the mindAnd grow by study and art-

But tone leapts from the inner selfRevealing the state of the heart

For if you want behaviour to change,Of this you must remain aware-

More than words. it is the tone of your voiceWhich communicates how much you care.

KINESICS

-non verbal body language

PRACTICE IS THE MOTHER OF SKILL

KEY POINTS

I The strategy starts by setting the mental frame : irresponsible behaviour is viewed as a teaching opportunity for fostering responsibility

Ii First use unobtrusive visual ,verbal or kinetic techniques to stop distractions.

Iii When handling disruptive behaviours, a stress reducing mode is used. A non coercive guidance approach is employed rather than an authoritarian coercive approach

Iv An asking rather than a telling-approach is employed because asking is a more effective strategy for encouraging self evaluation

v. A disrupting student is asked to identify the level of chosen behaviour not the behaviour itself

vi. If he questioning is done in front of the entire class, classroom time is not wasted

vii. The classroom maintains a positive learning environt at all times

GUIDED CHOICES

1 If a student has acknowledged unacceptable behaviour and continues to disrupt learning, Guided Choice is employed.

2 Employment of authority is essential with youth who go beyond acceptable behaviour standards. But it is not used without being authoritarian .Authoritarian shuts down the desire for change and growth.

3 Win- Win strategy and situation

4 fulfills 4 purposes: -stops disruption - isolates the student from the class activity - gives the disrupting student a responsibility-producing activity to encourage reflection - allows the teacher to return to lesson promptly5 Activities depends on creativity of the teacher6 Essay: A form filled by student a self evaluate activity: What did I do? What can I do to prevent it from happening again? What will I do?7 Self Diagnostic referrals:

KEY POINTS

-Guided choices refers to using authority without being punitive The strategy is based on offering choices

-any such activity fulfills four purposes -stops disruption - isolates the student from the class activity - gives the disrupting student a responsibility-producing activity to encourage reflection - allows the teacher to return to lesson promptly

-Primary students are given an activity that is similar to a time out but includes the young person’s becoming engaged in a self evaluating activity.

-With older students consists of the student’s completing a form refered to as an essay. In cases where a student continues to disrupt the lesson,Self Diagnostic Referals are used.

-Authority is combined with guidance, and sending a student to an administrator becomes unnecessary.