Curwin - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Curwin & Mendler: Discipline through Dignity and Hope

A presentation by

Suzanne

DenihanSlide2

Who is Richard Curwin?Born in 1944Earned a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1972

Began his teaching career in a 7th grade all-boys classroom

These boys’ behavior was out of control

This teaching experience led Curwin into a career that focused on school discipline Slide3

Who is Allen Mendler?Born in 1949Earned a PhD in Psychology at Union Institute in 1981

Over his career, he has served as a school psychologist and a psychoeducational consultantSlide4

The BreakthroughCurwin and Mendler attracted national attention when they co-authored a book in 1983 titled, “Taking Charge in the Classroom

”

In 1998, they revised and republished the book as, “

Discipline with Dignity”, because it more accurately reflected their approachSlide5

Contributions to DisciplineStrategies for improving classroom behavior through maximizing student dignity and hopeTheir ideas have been especially helpful to teachers who work with chronically misbehaving studentsThese students (about 5% of the student population) typically disrupt instruction, interfere with learning, and make life miserable for teachers

Curwin

&

Mendler describe these students as “students without hope” that are doomed to fail, unless treated with special consideration and careCurwin

&

Mendler

provide strategies to teachers to reclaim these studentsSlide6

The Central FocusThe central focus of the Curwin & Mendler model is on improving students misbehavior, while preserving their dignity and providing them with a sense of hopeIn the model, there are suggestions for motivating students, ensuring success, and helping students to learn how to behave responsiblySlide7

Curwin & Mendler’s VocabularyBehaviorally at risk:

this phrase describes students whose chronic classroom misbehavior puts them in imminent danger of failing in school. Most chronically misbehaving students have lost hope of encountering anything worthwhile in school. The teacher’s responsibility is to help these students believe that school can be of benefit and that they have some control over their lives.

Dignity:

indicates the value of human life. Students will do all they can to prevent damage to their dignity, to their sense of self-value. Misbehavior occurs as students attempt to avoid this damage.

School professionals and clients:

Curwin

and

Mendler

agree that school exists for students, not for teachers. Teachers are professionals placed in schools for the benefit of their clients, the students. The teacher’s role is simple: to do all they can to help students learn and behave responsibly. Slide8

The Underlying Principles of Effective DisciplineDiscipline is a very important part of teachingShort-term solutions are rarely effective

Students must always be treated with dignity

Discipline must not interfere with motivation to learn

Responsibility is more important than obedienceSlide9

Short-Term SolutionsShort-term solutions to discipline problems, such as writing students’ names on the board, often turn into long term disasters because they damage students’ dignity, reduce motivation, increase resistance, and promote desire for revenge.Slide10

Responsibility VS. ObedienceResponsibility, which involves making good decisions, almost always produces better long term behavior changes than does obedience to teacher’s demands.Slide11

Dimensions of DisciplineTo create a long-term discipline plan, it should include 3 dimensions: 1) Prevention – steps taken to stall misbehavior2) Action – steps taken when rules are broken3) Resolution – arrangements for improving misbehavior of out of control students.Slide12

Dimensions of Discipline: Prevention Prevention Dimension: The teacher formulates class rules and consequences. Rules need to specific, so that students know exactly what is acceptable and what is not acceptable in the classroom. Consequences must be established in advance to any misbehavior and must also be specific to the violation. Consequences should not be seen as a punishment but should be logical, which usually involves doing correctly what was done wrong. Slide13

Dimensions of Discipline: ActionAction Dimension: What teachers do when rules are broken. They need to identify the consequence that best fits that situation. They believe that it is an opportunity to interact productively with the student. They are encouraged to be aware of the method of implementation and teachers are encouraged to be mindful of student’s dignity. Slide14

Dimensions of Discipline: ResolutionResolution Dimension: This is used to formulate plans of positive actions for students who misbehave chronically. As already noted, these students have given up hope and are immune to consequences. When teachers interact with these non-cooperative students, they should find out what is needed to prevent the problems from occurring again, work out a mutually agreeable plan with the student, implement and monitor the plan, and use creative approaches as they are necessary. Slide15

ConsequencesConsequences are pre-planned actions used when classroom rules are broken.Consequences are planned by the teacher, with student input and agreement.Slide16

Insubordination RuleThis is a bottom line rule in the social contract. It states that whenever a student refuses to accept the consequences for breaking a rule, they will not be allowed back into the room until they have accepted the consequence.This rule requires the support of the school administrator.Slide17

The Social ContractWhen class rules and consequences have been formulated they are written and agreed to by students and teachers. This agreement is called the social contract.Slide18

Other Methods for Improving Classroom DisciplineCreative responses: These are unexpected responses to misbehavior that teachers can at times use effectively (exchanging roles with students, taping the class’s behavior, throwing the occasional tantrum)Preventing escalation:

Wise teachers de-escalate arguments by actively listening to the student, using I-messages, and keeping the discussion private.

Motivating the difficult-to-manage student:

Providing these students with interesting lessons on topics of personal relevance that permit active involvement and lead to competencies that students value.Slide19

Creative Responses to Chronic MisbehaviorRole ReversalHumor and NonsenseAgreement with Putdowns

Improbable Answers

Paradoxical Behavior

Teacher TantrumsTaping Classroom BehaviorSlide20

What Not To Do:Traditional methods of discipline are not effective for students who are behaviorally at risk.They are immune to: scolding, lecturing, sarcasm, detention, extra assignments, isolation, names on the chalkboard, or trips to the principal’s office. It does NO good to tell these students what they did wrong – They already know.Slide21

A Steady Decline…What begins with academic failure, leads to the repeated damage of a student’s dignity, and students may feel good when they lash back at others. As they continue to act out, they find themselves systematically removed from opportunities to act responsibly.When they misbehave in class, they are made to sit in isolation. When they fight, they are told to resolve the dispute and make amends. In such cases they are taken out of the very situations in which they might learn to behave responsibly. Slide22

Why At Risk Students are difficult to DisciplineThey usually have a history of academic failureUnable to maintain dignity through achievement, they protect themselves by withdrawing or acting as if they don’t care.(Refer to scenario) Slide23

Students who are Behaviorally at Risk“It is what students do under the conditions they are in, not who they are, that puts them at risk

” (

Curwin

, 1992, p. xiii). Characteristics include:

1) They are

failing

2) They have received, and

do not respond to

, most of the punishments and/or

consequences

offered by the school

3) They have

low self-concepts

in relation to school

4) They have

little or no hope

of finding success in school

5) They associate with and

are reinforced by similar students

.Slide24

Students who are Behaviorally at Risk Continued… The number of behaviorally-at-risk students is increasing steadily and results in the loss of hope in the young. The reasons for this increase are many:Failure of the family unit to provide emotional, social, and intellectual securityIncreased

violence

in society

Birth of infants addicted to alcohol or cocaineReemergence of racial tensionsLack of admirable models

for children to emulate

Replacement of a sense of right and wrong by

personal gratificationSlide25

HopeHope is what inspires us – we need it to live meaningfully. It provides courage and incentive to overcome barriers. When hope is lost, there is not reason to try.Curwin & Mendler believe that children who are Behaviorally-at-Risk have lost hope. Slide26

Helping Students Regain HopeStudents can be helped to regain hope and as they do so, their behavior will improve.This can be accomplished by making learning more attractive and provide students with success.To ensure success, teachers can explore ways to re-design the curriculum and encourage different ways of thinking, provide various learning styles, allow for creativity, provide encouraging feedback without damaging the student’s willingness to try.Slide27

Quote from Curwin“For students who are alienated, are fearful, or believe that school offers them nothing of importance, we must alter conditions to create hope”Slide28

DignityDignity refers to life and respect for self.Students with chronic behavior problems see themselves as losers and have stopped trying to gain acceptance in normal ways.They tell themselves that it is better not to try, than to fail yet again, that it is better to be recognized as a trouble maker than to be seen as stupid.Slide29

Dignity continued… Teachers should recognize all students as human beings. They come to school as whole people – not simply as brains waiting to be trained. We must understand that their negative behaviors are based on protection and escape. They do the best they can with the skills they have under the adverse conditions they face. When students are acting they out – they are defending themselves from attacks on their dignity.Slide30

Supportive TeachersMany teachers become cynical and give up on these defiant students. As professionals, teachers are there to help their “clients” – the students. They should enter the profession with that understanding. They need to accept that they can and will make a difference in their student’s lives – even though that difference may not be apparent for a long time. Slide31

Case Study: JoshuaJoshua, larger and louder than his classmates, always wants to be the center of attention, which he accomplishes through a combination of clowning and intimidation. He makes wise remarks, talks back (smilingly) to the teacher, utters a variety of sound-effect noises such as automobile crashes and gunshots, and makes limitless sarcastic comment and put-downs of his classmates. Other students will not stand up to him, apparently fearing his verbal and physical aggression. His teacher, Miss Pearl, has come to her wit’s end.