Curwin & Mendler: Discipline with Dignity

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Curwin MendlerDiscipline with Dignity
All life is precious and needs to be respected,
protected, and valued. Richard L. Curwin

• Stephanie Abt, Stephanie Meredith,
• Jen Rochon, LuAnne Sansevere,
• Krystal Sier

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Discipline with Dignity

• Dignity respect for life and oneself
• This theory is designed to help teachers maintain
  a positive classroom learning environment by
  emphasizing student dignity and providing a
  genuine sense of hope to students who are
  otherwise likely to drop out of school. It also
  provides tools that lead to long-term solutions.
  Discipline with dignity is used for all students,
  but is especially helpful to those students who
  are difficult to manage.

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Nature and Practice

• Students who are difficult to manage feel that
  their personal dignity is always under threat and
  they will never be successful in school. These
  students feel they cannot be good in school, but
  they can be very good at being bad.
• Teachers should first understand that helping
  students behave acceptably in school is an
  essential part of teaching. Teachers should do
  everything possible to instill hope and promise
  of success.

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Four-Phase Plan

• Identify the Core Values
• Everyone works together to specify a set of core
  values that shows how they want individuals in
  the class or school to conduct themselves and
  relate to each other.
• Create Rules and Consequences
• Model the Values
• Use No Interventions that Violate Core Values

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Students Who Are Behaviorally At Risk of Failure

• Students whose willful behavior severely inhibits
  learning and puts them in danger of failing
  school.
• These students are difficult to control for many
  reasons including history of academic failure and
  unable to maintain dignity.
• They see themselves as losers.
• To maintain a sense of dignity, the students feel
  its better to stop working and be known as a
  troublemaker rather than being stupid.
• Students who are behaviorally at risk need a
  renewed sense of hope and help and the
  opportunity to learn how to accept responsibility.

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Dealing with Students Who Are Difficult to Control

• Students who are at risk need no further
  humiliation.
• Punishment destroys their motivation to cooperate.

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Consequences

• Always implement a consequence when a rule is
  broken
• Be private
• Arrange to speak to the student later
• It is not a win/lose situation
• Sometimes it is best to let the student choose
  the consequence
• Use active listening
• Insubordination rule if the student refuses to
  accept consequence.

• Logical
• Conventional
• Generic
• Insubordination Rule

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Dealing with Aggression, Hostility, Violence, and
Conflict

• Students are becoming increasingly aggressive,
  hostile, and violent, and are doing so at an
  earlier age.
• Increase in violence has occurred in part because
  society has been rewarding and punishing students
  in school, home, and community rather than
  teaching them values.
• Teenagers are 2.5 times more likely to experience
  violence than people over the age of 20.
• Fighting is the only way some students know how
  to maintain dignity, win the respect of peers, or
  to be successful.

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Techniques Suggested

• Use the six-step solution
• Solve my problem
• Learn to have patience
• Wear an invisible shield
• Use words that work
• Plan for confrontations
• Indicate to the student politely but clearly what
  you want

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Dealing with Bullying and Hate Crimes

• Discuss, role-play, and other activities during
  class to reduce these.
• Involve parents or guardians
• Form friendship/support groups
• Establish a confidential reporting system
• Develop an action plan

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Regain Hope in Students

• Teachers can do a great deal to help students who
  are victimized or at risk regain a sense of hope.
  When students regain hope, their behavior will
  improve.
• Help students develop sense of self-esteem and
  give them the encouragement and tools necessary
  for making responsible decisions both in and
  outside the classroom.

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Motivating Students

• Punishment destroys students motivation to
  cooperate and teaches them its ok to break a
  rule if they do not get caught.
• Select lessons that may interest the students
• Set up authentic learning goals
• Involve students actively in the lessons
• Give students numerous opportunities to take
  risks and make decisions
• Show your own energy and interest for a topic or
  activity

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Key Points

• Dealing with student behavior is an important
  part of teaching.
• Be prepared to talk with students.
• Always treat students with dignity and respect.
• Dont allow the discipline tactics to interfere
  with students motivation.
• Emphasize responsibility rather than obedience
  let the student have a choice.
• Lasting results are achieved only over time.
• Equity vs. Equality
• P.E.P Privacy, Eye Contact, Proximity

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Curwin Mendler Reminders

• Let students know what you need.
• Provide instruction at levels that match
  students abilities.
• Listen to what students are thinking and feeling.
• Use humor.
• Vary your style of presentation.
• Offer choices.
• Refuse to accept excuses.

• Legitimize behavior you cannot stop.
• Use hugs and pats when communicating with
  students.
• Be responsible for yourself and allow students to
  be responsible for themselves.
• Accept that you will not be successful in helping
  every student.
• Start fresh every day.