Assertive Discipline How a teacher views his role in helping to prepare students to be productive citizens is in part a reflection of his values about behaviour, and its rewards and consequences. The name most associated with assertive discipline is Lee Canter. He maintains that the key to this technique is catching students being "good," recognizing and supporting them when they behave appropriately, and on a consistent basis letting them know you like what they are doing. For Canter, students obey the rules because they get something out of doing so, or conversely, understand the consequences of breaking the rules.
Assertive discipline is not without critics. One of the most interesting of these is John Covaleskie. He believes that the very simplicity of assertive discipline is one of its biggest problems. He believes that children should obey the rules because that is the right thing to do, not because there is some reward associated with obeying, or some punishment for not obeying. The long term implications of rewarding behaviour as suggested by the assertive discipline model are not yet well understood. The Canter and Jones Models These two sections spell out the Canter and Jones models in some detail. These are the two systems most in use in public schools. THE CANTER MODEL Assertively Taking Charge Marlene and Lee Canter have developed a discipline model based on thousands of hours observing teachers in the classroom. What they have included in their model is based on what the
successful teachers do.
Assertive Discipline is a direct and positive approach to make it possible for the teacher to teach and the students to learn. It is based on several principles: Teachers should insist on responsible behaviour. When teachers fail, it is typically due to poor class control. They can't teach and the kids are denied the opportunity to learn. Many teachers believe that firm control is stifling and inhumane. However, firm control that is maintained humanely is liberating. Teachers have basic rights as educators: The right to maintain an optimal setting for learning. The right to expect appropriate behaviour. The right to expect help from administration and parents when appropriate. Students have basic rights as learners: The right to have teachers who help them develop by helping them limit self-destructive and inappropriate behaviour. The right to have appropriate support from their teachers for their appropriate behaviour. The right to choose how to behave with advance knowledge of the consequences that will logically and certainly follow. These needs/rights and conditions are met by a discipline plan by which the teacher clearly states the expectations, consistently applies the consequences, and never violates the best interests of the pupils. Assertive discipline consists of: Stating and teaching expectations early. Persistence in stating expectations and wishes such as, "I need you to ..." and "I like that." ["I” messages don't interfere with the pupil's positive self-esteem. "You are no good, why won't you behave," does interfere.] Use of a clear, calm, firm voice and eye contact. Use of non-verbal gestures that support the verbal statements. Influencing student behaviour without threats or shouting. Practicing the broken record technique [calmly repeating the message every time pupil tries to argue] rather than escalating into an argument. The assertive teacher is more effective than the non-assertive or the hostile teacher. It is hostility and wishy-washiness of the teacher that causes confusion and psychological trauma in students, not calm, firm, consistent assertiveness. The assertive teacher is able to maintain a positive, caring, and productive climate in the classroom. A climate of care and support produces the climate for learning. According to the Canters, the climate of positive support and care is best provided by the careful application of assertive discipline. It replaces teacher inertia and hostile behaviour with firm, positive insistence. [Photo] FIVE STEPS TO ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE
Recognize and remove roadblocks to assertive discipline. Most of the roadblocks have to do with negative expectations about students: they have poor health, home, personality, genes, and/or environment and, therefore, they are expected to misbehave. Problems or no problems, no child should be permitted to behave in a manner that is self-destructive or violates the rights of peers or of the teacher. Recognize that the teacher can influence in a positive way the behaviour of all students in the class no matter what the problems. To do this, remember that: All students need limits, and teachers have the right to set them. Teachers are admired who have high expectations, set high standards, and stick to them. Teachers have the right to ask for and receive back-up help from parents, principals, and other school personnel. We can't always treat all students exactly alike. Some students may have to be given special incentive programs or behaviour modification programs before they can live up to the standards expected.
Practice the use of assertive response styles. The Canters differentiate among three response styles: non-assertive, hostile, and assertive. Non-assertive teachers typically feel it is wrong to place demands on students, fail to establish clear standards of behaviour, and if they do, they fail to back up their words with appropriate actions. They are passive. Hostile teachers typically use an aversive approach characterized by shouting, threats and sarcasm. Both hostile and non-assertive teachers are violative of the student rights cited above. Both styles should be eliminated. Assertive teachers make their expectations clearly known to students, parents, and administrators. They calmly insist that students comply with those expectations. They back up their words with reasonable actions. When students choose to comply with teacher guidance, they receive positive benefits. When they choose to behave in unacceptable ways, the teacher follows through with consequences that reasonably accompany the misbehaviour. Example: Non-assertive: "Please try to stop fighting." Hostile: "You are acting like disgusting savages again!" Assertive: "We do not fight. Sit down until you cool off." [and then we will discuss the consequence (if appropriate).] The assertive teacher calmly, firmly, and clearly communicates the teacher's disapproval of the behaviour, followed by a statement of what the student is to do. Learning to set limits. No matter what the activity, in order to be assertive, you need to be aware of what behaviours you want and need from the students. Think in terms of what you want students to do, e.g., take turns, not shouting out, starting to work on time, listening to another who is speaking. Instruct the students about what behaviour is desired at the beginning of an activity. Specify what is desired. "Be nice" and "work hard" are not specific.
The expectations should be so clear that any student can instruct a newcomer as to how they are to behave at any time. Be sure to praise good behaviour more frequently than you apply negative consequences to bad behaviour. Teacher responses need to be appropriate--for most students, verbal acknowledgement is enough, for some situations tangible rewards or special privileges may be necessary to motivate the continuance of desired behaviour. Secondary students usually don't like to be singled out for praise--for them, the teacher will need to find more appropriate ways such as knowing looks, comments on papers, private conferences, etc. Teachers should not ignore inappropriate behaviour. They should stop it with a firm reminder of what is expected. They should decide in advance how they will handle a given situation. Eye contact is essential if the message is to have full impact--but don't insist that the student continue to meet your eyes since that is contrary to custom in some cultures. Use of the student's name is effective--especially if the message is being directed across the room. The broken record ploy is effective [when the student makes excuses, argues, etc., calmly restate the original direction as many times as necessary--used only when students refuse to listen, persist in responding inappropriately, or refuse to take responsibility for their own behaviour. Preface your repetitions with, "That's not the point...," or "I understand, but ...." Use broken record a maximum of three times. After the third time, follow through with an appropriate consequence if necessary].
Learning to follow through on limits. Limits are the positive demands you have made on students. Take the appropriate action when students either
refuse to meet the demands or
act in compliance with the demands. Either response requires follow-through. In the first case, the natural, undesirable consequences would be invoked. In the second, the natural desirable consequences should be invoked. Make promises, not threats. Establish the criteria for consequences in advance. Select appropriate consequences in advance. Practice verbal responses.
Implementing a system of positive assertions. Much of what has gone before is negative. Rules and limits are only one side of the discipline picture. The other side is the positive one. When systematic attention is given to pupils who behave appropriately, Your influence with students increases. The amount of problem behaviour decreases. The classroom environment becomes more positive.
What are some of the positive consequences that so motivate students? Personal attention from the teacher--greetings, short talks, compliments, acknowledgements, smiles, and friendly eye contact. Positive notes/phone calls to parents. Special awards--from comments on papers to certificates. Special privileges--five extra minutes of a desired activity for the whole class, choosing a friend with whom to work. Material rewards--posters, school pencils, popcorn. Home rewards--in collaboration with parents, privileges can be extended at home. Completing homework can earn extra TV time. Reading a book can earn a favourite meal. Group rewards--Preferred Activity Time. SUMMARY. The Canter model emphasizes stating rules/expectations clearly, applying positive consequences when expectations are met and negative consequences when they are not met, and being assertive rather than passive or hostile. [Photo] THE FRED JONES MODEL Body Language, Incentive Systems, and Providing Efficient Help. Frederick H. Jones is director of the Classroom Management Training Program which develops and promotes procedures for improving teacher effectiveness. The emphasis is on learner motivation and classroom behaviour. His model is based on extensive observation of classroom teachers and student behaviour. Teachers find the model is easy to understand because it is a refinement of the practices of effective teachers into a system. About 50% of
classroom time is lost due to student misbehaviour and being off task.
80% of lost time is due to talking without permission.
19% is lost to daydreaming, out of seat, making noises, etc.
1% is lost to more serious misbehaviour. Most of
lost time can be avoided by systematically employing effective body language, incentive systems, and efficient individual help.
Effective body language causes students to stop misbehaviour without being costly in teacher time: eye contact, facial expression [calm, no nonsense look], posture [first step in "moving in"], signals and gestures, and physical proximity. Effective nonverbal acts typically stop misbehaviour and avoid verbal confrontation. [An appropriate gesture, e.g., pointing at the rule on the board, (or briefly calling the miscreant by name) may stop the disturbing behaviour, with little more than a pause in instruction, while failing to act "until I have time to deal with him" may allow the situation to deteriorate until significant time and emotional expenditure will be required.]
Incentive systems motivate students to start doing the right thing, maintain on-task behaviour, and behave properly. An incentive is something the teacher can provide that students like so much that in order to get it they will work throughout the period/week/month. Incentives like stars, being dismissed first, having work displayed, grades, etc. motivate only the achievers...the also rans have no realistic expectation and so, no motivation.
Preferred activity time [PAT] can provide incentives for the entire class. [Incentive systems are designed to build student cooperation so efficiently that almost any student will do as requested with a minimum of teacher effort.]
Positive instructional support. Students are motivated to complete work when teachers are able to move quickly from pupil to pupil [praise, prompt, and leave] and provide help efficiently
[Visual Instruction Plans (VIPs)]. Back-up Systems. A series of responses the teacher can call upon after the above fails. If some students continue to misbehave after being presented with appropriate instruction, well-planned and delivered, with immediate response to off-task behaviour with limit setting acts, an incentive system, and positive instructional support, then what to do? It is important that the teacher plan...and be prepared to use...in increasingly severe order--a sequence of consequences administered within the classroom and a backup system outside the classroom. The implementation of the plan sequentially to the point at which students are back on task insures minimum loss of instructional time. The knowledge of what to do next...if what you are doing doesn't work...instills confidence that you can gain control without getting upset.
Setting the stage. There a number of things that the teacher should do to manage a classroom effectively. These include: Set up the room to facilitate learning and movement. Talk to parents to gain their support at the start of the semester. Be aware of the nature of classroom disruptions so that responses are appropriate.
General rules tell what behaviour the teacher expects. Rules for rules: Must be
simple and clear.There should be very
few rules and they should be
posted.Don't make a rule unless it will be enforced
every time it is broken. Operational rules describe the nuts and bolts and must be specified to provide for smooth operations [however they are typically not part of the "discipline plan" general rules]. What
materials to use, e.g., paper size, pencil or pen.
What must be done to complete an
assignment, when due, etc. [Performance expectations.]
When to sharpen pencils, get a drink, go to the bathroom.
When it is appropriate to move about the classroom.
When and to whom it is appropriate to
talk.How to get
help.How and when to
clean up.How the class is
dismissed. Why do you need rules?
Pupils want to know what they can do/get away with. If you don't make the rules clear, they will test the limits until your limits are reached.
This is normal, human behaviour. Rules need to be
taught as carefully as any other lesson. Rules need to
re-taught at the beginning of an activity, after a vacation, when there is confusion. Rules need to be
enforced consistently, calmly and promptly. The drill sergeant approach is unnecessary and works at cross-purposes if your goal is to help pupils develop self-control. [Note: There are three basically different approaches to teacher/parental discipline: Permissive [low structure] Authoritarian [high structure, low justification] Authoritative [high structure, high justification] Adolescents are most likely to
follow their consciences rather than to give in to peer pressure if they grew up in an "authoritative" home...where rules are firm but clearly explained and justified...as opposed to "authoritarian"...where rules are laid down without explanation...or "permissive"...where children are able to do as they wish. This note is not from Fred Jones although it is consistent with him. Unfortunately, I am unable to retrieve the citation and apologize to the author.] Students like classrooms to be well-managed. Disruptions that interfere with work time, upset the teacher, and cause privileges to be withdrawn tend to be unpopular. A well-administered discipline plan with incentives
saves time so that the content of the course can be studied more effectively.
The teacher that is "too busy" to teach rules and enforce them promptly will be forever out of time. .
