online lecture 9	video 9
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, DISCIPLINE AND RELATED ISSUES
[Causes of Discipline Problems] [Foundations of Effective Classroom Management and Discipline Strategy] [Establishing Classroom Rules and Consequences] [Social Problems Affecting Schools]

Your reading for this lecture was Chapter 10 in the text, Educational Psychology, by Elliott et. al. We expect you will use the text to develop, review and update your knowledge of theories of learning and teaching, as fits your needs. Your primary learning experiences will also include exploring the concepts in the text and their applications using Internet and World Wide Web resources, including those that are hot links within the lecture.

INTRODUCTION

In this lecture, we will examine principles and examples of effective approaches to classroom management and to preventing and dealing with discipline problems. In addition, we will look at some of the social problems -- alcohol and drug abuse, gangs and school violence -- that plague many schools in the U.S. today. We will look at components of effective school discipline codes and examples of successful school discipline practices. It is valuable to recognize that making, by the year 2000, every school in the nation have a disciplined environment conducive to learning and free of problems that disrupt learning is one of the ten National Educational Goals.

The purpose of the lecture is to identify successful strategies for managing classrooms and creating environments in which the maximum amount of time can be devoted to learning. This conforms with the considerable research on time and learning demonstrating the significant effects that meaningful, engaged time has on student learning and including examples of successful programs. It is also aimed at helping teachers achieve the respect, discipline and support they want and need for their classrooms to function optimally.

These lecture notes are derived in part from the text, Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching, Effective Learning 3rd edition by S. Ellioltt, T. Kratochwill, J. LIttlefield, J. Cook and J. Travers (Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, 2000) and from Discipline with Dignity by R. Curwin and A. Mendler (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, VA., 1988.).

CAUSES OF DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS

Out-of-School Causes of Discipline Problems

There are at least four significant out-of-school causes of discipline problems, as discussed by R. Curwin and A. Mendler in Discipline with Dignity (1988).

• Lack of a secure family environment -- With increasing numbers of children raised in conditions of poverty and with the numbers of single-parent families experiencing significant economic and psychological problems also increasing, more and more children grow up in insecure family environments. With economic hardships, instability in family relationships, and inconsistent or harsh discipline practices, a foundation for behavioral problems at school is established.
• Limited interaction between parents and children -- Regardless of the family structure, the amount of time spent between parents and children has been on a steady decline during the past decade. Research shows that most children spend more time in interaction with adults in school than with their own parents. With the majority of families in the U.S. now having two working parents, the time children and adolescents have with their parents is limited, often resulting in a lack of clear parental guidance on behavior and discipline. Helping parents teach children responsible behavior for school and home can often be very valuable.
• Effects of the media -- It is now clearly established that violence on television affects the behavior of children. By the time they are adolescents, children typically will have viewed over 15,000 acts of television violence. The potentially damaging effects of such media violence has implications for the classroom and the school. It is important that schools help students learn to be discriminating and help families learn to give guidance in selecting and viewing television programming, recognizing the effects this can have on school behavior.
• Violence in society -- Children and adolescents are continuously bombarded with the violence in our society. Whether this is fights, shootings, bombings or terrorism, young people are constantly exposed to behavior that is a role model of brutal behavior on the part of adults. It is difficult to pinpoint precisely the effect of the reality children and adolescents in the U.S. now experience. However, we do know that young people learn through imitation of adults, and that it is critical that more positive role models be available to them.

In-School Causes of Discipline Problems

There are five primary in-school causes of discipline problems (R. Curwin and A. Mendler, Discipline with Dignity, 1988), and an overview of each is given below.

Unclear limits -- The most important factor in maintaining a productive and well-managed classroom is establishing clear limits. Students need to know the standards of behavior in the classroom and what will happen if these standards are not maintained. A lack of clear rules and failure to specify consequences for misbehavior leaves students without the ground rules they need to contribute to maintaining a well-functioning classroom. If there are no rules or unclear rules, students will often "test the limits" to see what is and is not successful, resulting in misbehavior.

Student boredom -- A primary factor responsible for school discipline problems is school boredom. While many students do behave regardless of the circumstances, many others act out if they are bored in school. While the student often is labeled negatively and the student then begins "acting this role," the origin of the problem is often simply that the student is bored and restless.

Sense of failure and attacks on student dignity -- Many students misbehave because they feel they cannot be successful in school. These may be any students who are having difficulty with one or more parts of the school curriculum or students who have disabilities that interfere with their learning. They see themselves as failing within the school system and want to protect themselves from being hurt. Consequently, they act out, as a way of protecting themselves and of dealing with what they see as an attack on their dignity.

Lack of acceptable outlets for feelings -- Absence of acceptable ways for students to express their feelings is another cause of discipline problems. In school, students have many emotion-laden experiences. Their feelings may be hurt, they may feel left out, they may feel inadequate to a task, or they may feel unwelcome. These are all true feelings for which children need an outlet. They are the emotions that, without an acceptable way of expressing them, often lead to acting out and misbehavior.

Sense of powerlessness -- Students often report feeling they have no "power" or that their wants are not "significant" in school. As described by William Glasser in Schools Without Failure (1969), they frequently rebel as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction over their lack of power and influence on the things that go on in schools. It is estimated that approximately fifty percent of high school students feel that schools are not meeting their needs and that they do not have the power to change them. Many older students who misbehave do so because they see schools as not meeting their needs and do not want to be there.

There are several factors that have been shown, in research syntheses of studies on discipline, to be associated with a positive classroom environment and with few discipline problems in a school or, conversely, to lead to increased discipline problems. They are described below (from R. Curwin and Al Mendler, Discipline with Dignity).

• Physical punishment and frequent disciplinary interventions lead to worse student behavior.
• Praise for good work and frequent public recognition for both good work and behavior is associated with better behavior.
• Schools and classrooms that are attractive, decorated with student work, posters, pictures, etc., have better student behavior.
• Teachers who are willing to see students about problems when the students ask to see them and who communicate that they care about the students have classrooms with better student behavior.
• In schools where a significant proportion of students have the opportunity to hold a position of responsibility, better behavior is observed.
• Classrooms that have an agreed-upon set of standards that are consistently maintained are characterized by effective management and discipline.
• Classrooms in which homework is assigned on a regular basis are associated with better student achievement and behavior.
• Teachers who begin class on time, walk around the classroom, and do not end class until it is over have better student behavior.
• In classrooms in which very little time is spent setting up equipment and materials, better student behavior is found.

WHAT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN EFFECTIVE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE STRATEGY?  

Eight factors provide the foundation for an effective classroom management and discipline strategy (R. Curwin and A. Mendler, Discipline with Dignity ). Each is discussed below. Addressing these enables a teacher to use the "winning ways" in classroom management that help create an environment in which the teacher is respected, the classroom is peaceful for all, and learning proceeds unhindered.

• Letting students know classroom rules and consequences for not following them. This critical factor, described further below, is the step through which clear and specific classroom guidelines are established. There are three components to this. The first is establishing classroom rules -- the set of standards that all students will follow. The second is determining the consequences if these standards are not met -- the things that occur in the situation that rules are not followed. The third is the identification of rewards -- those ways in which adhering to standards is recognized and rewarded.
• Providing instruction at levels that match students' abilities -- Instruction should be at a level that is not too easy for students, leading to boredom, and not too difficult, leading to frustration. The ideal instructional level is that which is somewhat challenging to the student and which the student can attain -- consistent with the principle of the zone of proximal development described by Vygotsky. If instructional materials are not at the appropriate level for a student, there is a good possibility that the student will be frustrated and misbehave. Hence, assessing students' knowledge levels and identifying instructional materials that will enable them to learn in challenging ways is a key to effective classroom management.
• Varying the instructional approaches used in the classroom -- Research shows that elementary grade children tend to be able to attend carefully to one style of presentation for approximately 10 minutes, and secondary school students for approximately 15 minutes. When students are no longer paying attention, behavior problems occur. Hence, a valuable strategy for preventing classroom management problems is for a teacher to vary the style of classroom presentation and of classroom activities. If there is a change of pace with some frequency and if students have the opportunity to move from one type of learning to another during any class session, it is most likely that inattentiveness and restlessness will be minimized.
• Providing a number of learning choices -- Giving students a number of choices for undertaking a class assignment enables them to choose the one that is most personally meaningful to them and makes clear that they do have influence on what occurs in school. It can prevent the difficult situation in which, with only one learning path, some children do not succeed, with the result that they act out because they feel like failures. We know from the work of Howard Gardner that children learn in different ways, and presenting them the opportunity to do so enhances the likelihood of a well-managed classroom.
• Expecting students to be responsible for their own learning and behavior -- We know that the best way to foster responsible behavior is to give students responsibilities, and the way to foster irresponsible behavior is to deny students responsibility. Teachers need to remember that if they "demand a lot," they will get a lot. If they "expect a lot," they will get a lot. But, if they "ask for little," that is exactly what they will get. Students should be expected to complete and turn in their homework. They should be expected to be in class on time and ready to learn. They should be expected to try hard and apply themselves in every assignment. And, they should be expected to help create a well-managed classroom, free of discipline problems. If they know they are responsible for these things, there is a far greater likelihood that they will consider them meaningful, personal priorities than if they consider them someone else's responsibility.
• Listening to what students are thinking and feeling -- One of the most important things a teacher can do is to listen empathetically to students' needs. This has the potential for preventing or eliminating misbehavior. We need to recognize that behavior problems occur when students feel anxious, hurt, afraid, angry or rejected. If a teacher listens to a child who is having negative feelings and gives him a socially acceptable way of communicating his feelings, the need to resort to misbehavior is eliminated. This means more than simply letting the child or adolescent talk. It means having a teacher communicate with empathy the concern the teacher feels for the student. It means helping the student try to find an avenue to solve the problem that is causing the negative feelings.
• Legitimizing behavior that cannot be stopped -- There are some behaviors, such as conversation among adolescents, that is difficult to keep away from the classroom. With peer culture of great significance to adolescents, they continually want to interact with one another. There are many ways that teachers can build learning environments that recognize the traits of students and build on the behaviors that are characteristics of groups of learners at particular stages or of various backgrounds. Collaborative learning, for example, enables adolescents to work together, turning their need for peer interaction into an asset rather than a liability. Similarly, young students want to be active. Creating learning environments which require them to be active, moving about the classroom as they solve problems, for example, builds upon the characteristics they bring to the educational environment.
• Recognizing that there are some students who have serious behavior problems -- It is often stated that you can best understand the patterns of behavior in a classroom if you recognize the 80-15-5 rule. The rule states that approximately 80% of students will not be a behavior problem in a well-managed classroom. If instruction is matched to their level of ability, they are likely to adhere to the expectations for them and will rarely if ever be a behavior problem. Approximately 15% of students will be a discipline problem some of the time. These are children who may be experiencing difficulties at home or in learning, thus feeling frustrations that they deal with by misbehaving. Their behavior is acceptable some of the time, but not acceptable other times.

  The remaining 5% are students who are difficult to deal with much of the time. These may be students who are under serious stress, who have learned in the past to misbehave, or who are involved in non-school behaviors (drinking, taking drugs, etc.) that lead to significant problems in school behavior. It is very important that teachers not develop a sense of failure due to difficulties in dealing with this type of student. Rather, help needs to be sought from administrators at the school or from a psychologist to give the student the kind of assistance beyond the classroom necessary to identify and address the problem.

Materials in the following section are adapted from Assertive Discipline by Lee Canter and Marlene Canter, A Publication of Lee Canter and Associates.

Teachers who are good managers make classroom standards and rules known to students on the first day of class. These rules are explicit, concrete, clear and functional in creating a productive learning environment. There are not too many rules -- only those that are essential. These teachers remind their students of the rules. Three important principles for setting and following through on rules, spelled out specifically in what are referred to as school or classroom Assertive Discipline plans, apply across all grade levels:

• Decide on a limited number of important rules.
• Be certain that the rules are absolutely clear to all students.
• Enforce the rules for all students, ensuring that this is done equitably.

What Are Examples of Effective Rule Systems?

Classroom Principles

You can establish classroom management rules directly or can begin by establishing some basic classroom principles with your students. These principles place rules in a broader context and give them added meaning. They are not designed to be enforced because they are very general. However, they provide a strong foundation for discussing classroom management rules. Examples of such principles are:

• Be respectful of the rights of others.
• Be courteous when others are speaking.
• Be prepared and on time for your classwork.
• Treat others as you would have them treat you.
• Try to do your best whenever possible.

Classroom Rules

With a group of principles such as these as a foundation, a set of specific rules can be established. Many teachers have their students help them to do this, and this has the effect of increasing students' sense of personal meaning and responsibility toward the rules. Most educators suggest that no more than five to ten classroom rules be established. They also suggest that they be as specific, clear and brief as possible. Finally, it is best if the rules are stated positively.

When suggesting guidelines for classroom rules, educators typically suggest that they:

• Be observable.
• Be in the students' best interest.
• Be limited to five in the beginning of the school year, increasing up to ten as needed.
• Include the rule "Follow directions when they are given."
• Be posted in the classroom where students can see them.

  Examples of classroom rules might include:

  • Be on time to class.
  • Be in your seat and read to begin class when the bell rings.
  • Let the teacher and other students complete what they are saying before speaking.
  • Move around the class and school carefully and run only where allowed.
  • Complete and turn in your homework on time.

Establishing Negative Consequences

Once rules have been established, consequences must be identified for those students who misbehave and break the rules. Typically, consequences are arranged in a hierarchy, beginning with a warning to the students. Each time a student breaks a rule, the consequence is more serious.

In developing disciplinary consequences, it is important that a teacher be comfortable with them. They should comply with school and district policies. And, while they are intended to punish negative behavior, they should never be psychologically or physically harmful to the students.

Examples of negative consequences, in ascending order of seriousness as a result of repeated patterns of behavior, would be:

1. A warning from the teacher.
2. A one-minute detention after class.
3. A fifteen-minute detention after school.
4. Student sent to the Assistant Principal's office.
5. Students' parents are contacted.

Establishing Positive Consequences

It is also important to have positive consequences or rewards to recognize good behavior for both individual students and for the entire class. These positive consequences should be things that a teacher is comfortable with and that the students like and that comply with school and district policies.

Positive rewards for individual students can range all the way from verbal praise to notes to parents to gift certificates donated by local merchants. The following are examples of positive rewards for individual students recognizing their good behavior:

• A note from the teacher at school.
• A call to parents.
• A positive note sent home and addressed to the student.
• A reward (gift certificate, discount at school store, free admission to school function).
• A lunch line pass (to get in the beginning of the line).

Whole class rewards should also be given to recognize the good behavior of the entire group of students. These should be earned as a result of good behavior by the class over a period of time and should provide rewards to every member of the class. Examples of positive rewards for an entire class are identified below.

• Conduct class outdoors.
• Class field trip.
• Gift certificate for all members of class.
• Entire class is served first at lunch for a week.
• Class "party" (pizza party, popcorn, etc.)

Although it is not the primary topic of this lecture, it is important that teachers have access to resource materials that help them understand and, to the extent necessary, deal with the major social problems facing young people in the U.S. today. There are therefore links in this lecture that relate to school-family partnerships to prevent misbehavior, drug use and drug prevention, gang prevention and eliminating gang influence, conflict resolution, implementing school uniform policies, establishing school safety procedures and maintaining safe schools, preventing school violence, and getting control of violence in the school if it does occur. 

[WEBLIOGRAPHY for Lecture 9]

[ED173 Online Home Page]

[UC Irvine Department of Education Home Page]

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[Causes of Discipline Problems]

[Foundations of Effective Classroom Management and Discipline Strategy]

[Establishing Classroom Rules and Consequences][Social Problems Affecting Schools]