My Personal Model of Discipline

By C. Radhakrishnan

Incorporate my own style of working with people, developed through my career as a teacher.

Utilise "Strengths Perspective", recognizing and building upon strengths, with the belief that every individual has areas of strengths.

Utilise "systems" approach, seeing students not just inside the classroom, but recognising their relationship with other systems in their lives.

Utilise my strengths in working with others: building relationships through empathy, listening, respect, and presenting new ideas and skills in a way which does not pose as a "threat" or encourage defensiveness.

Models of Classroom Management Incorporated in my Personal Style

Assertive Discipline (Canter): Clear rules are laid out, consistently enforced, and used with praise.

Gordon's ideas of positive and negative consequences.

Strategies in Classroom Management

Involve class in developing rules. Clearly post rules in the classroom. Provide copies for students to sign, and share these with parents.

Utilise positive discipline techniques in describing behaviours which I want to see, in contrast to a long list of "don'ts".

Use of praise: I will acknowledge good behaviour and efforts, verbally and through the use of non-verbal.

I will not praise just those who are excelling, but those who are "trying", even if it is a struggle.

I will keep in mind that "not every student will like me, nor will I necessarily like every student". I will try to find at least one thing I can respect each student for, even if it is just showing up for school.

Communicate to parents the strengths and successes in their children, through phone calls or emails.

Offer students choices, so that they have some "positive control". (Keeping in mind that developmentally, students are looking for independence, individuality, and control).

Give students some choices in projects to be completed for class (selecting their own topic, way to present the material, etc).

Have students develop their own "goals" for the class, and have students review their progress.