|
School
Discipline
1. How to establish control from the first
days:
- The classroom should be attractive and
well-organized.
- The class rules list should be visible on a
display board. Review this list with the students.
- Each student's name should be placed on their
desk and on their coat hook in the cloakroom.
- Be "over-prepared" on the first day. Ensure
there's plenty to do.
The first school day should
feel like a real school day, including homework (very simple).
- Sharpen pencils in advance.
- Write the day's schedule on the board.
- Indicate that homework will be reviewed the
following day.
2. Opening remarks to establish your authority:
- Use short, concise, and clear sentences. For
example: "You, come here."
- Use non-verbal communication.
- Walk around the classroom. Don’t teach
while seated behind your desk.
- Speak softly, avoid raising your voice too much.
3. The first morning:
- Establish order as students enter the classroom.
For example: tell the
students, "Hang up your clothes, enter the classroom immediately, and
sit at your desk."
(You've already posted their
names on their desks.)
- Write your name on the board and read it aloud
to the students.
- Begin immediately with written work, like a
diagnostic test or a worksheet.
- Set a tone of work immediately.
4. How to gain respect in the classroom:
- Speak in short, clear sentences, emphasizing
verbs. For example: "You will walk in the hallway."
- Teach standing, with your head held high.
- Move around the classroom.
- Sometimes speak from the back of the room.
- Occasionally sit at an absent student's desk.
- Use your eyes as well as your voice.
- Address the class while shifting your gaze from
face to face.
- Use the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" technique by
leaning towards the student you are reprimanding.
- Avoid crossing your arms when reprimanding a
student, as it shows weakness.
- Be fair and consistent.
- Remember, a messy classroom tends to lead to
messy students.
5. How to establish group discipline when moving from one room to
another:
- Have students tidy up their desks.
- Invite the boys to line up first.
- Invite the girls to line up next.
- Avoid rushing or chaos.
6. How to foster cooperation:
- Tell the students you want your group to be the
best in the school. Create a sense of group importance.
- Establish mutual respect.
- Be fair but firm.
- Children must feel that you care for them.
- Use constant encouragement.
- Set up a responsibility system.
- Set goals and objectives with your class.
Display them and periodically assess progress.
7. How to give clear instructions to the class:
- Ensure you have the attention of all students
before speaking.
- Require nothing to be on the desks during your
explanation.
- Speak clearly, so everyone can hear you.
- Use simple vocabulary.
- Write page numbers on the board.
- Explain the lesson’s goal and show
them the finished product. Demonstrate the technique used.
- Avoid giving too many detailed instructions at
once; proceed step by step.
- Ask students to repeat the instructions.
- Invite questions before starting the assignment.
8. How to express anger without sarcasm:
- Describe what you see.
- Describe how you feel.
- Describe what needs to be done.
- Don’t attack the person.
Example: "When you tap your
pencil on your desk, it irritates me. Please stop."
9. How to be consistent in your actions:
- Ensure that the student clearly understands the
consequence of their actions.
Allow the student a choice, placing the
responsibility for their behavior on them.
Example: "If you hit Paul
again, you will have to work alone. It’s your
choice."
The student decides their own
fate.
Types of
consequences:
- Isolation
- Loss of privileges
- Detention
- Call to parents
10. How to establish rules:
- Every rule should be specific, not
vague, general, or abstract.
- The four methods for establishing
order are:
a) Suggestion:
"Everyone should be in their place."
b) Question: "Could
you please take your seat?"
c) "I" message: "I
want everyone to sit down."
d) Requirement: "Sit
down immediately!"
- A good rule identifies specific
behavior.
- It's important to involve the class in
the rule-making process.
- Praise the child who follows the rules.
11. How to praise:
- Describe instead of evaluating.
- Focus on the event, not the
personality.
- Describe your feelings without
evaluating character.
Examples:
"You thought that
through well, Jean."
"I appreciate how
you work quietly while I’m teaching."
"I’m happy
to see you working so well."
"Paulette knows how
to follow the rules."
"This team is
sitting and ready to begin."
12. Six needs of the undisciplined child:
1. The child must feel there’s
an adult in charge, responsible for them and their behavior.
2. The child must feel that the adult
will set and maintain boundaries for them.
3. The adult must teach them how to
separate emotions from actions.
Example:
"It’s okay to feel angry when Pierre tore your paper, but
hitting him is not the right solution."
4. The child must continuously feel that
an adult serves as a role model.
If the teacher yells or gets angry
often, the child feels that everyone lacks self-control.
5. The child must be reminded regularly
of how to handle small frustrations.
Children forget how to control
their emotions.
6. The child must be praised when they
demonstrate self-control; a simple word or gesture
from the teacher is
enough.
13. How to develop a program for group or whole-class discipline:
- Set formal rules.
- Establish a +/- evaluation system
based on how well the class follows the rules.
- Follow a systematic procedure where
you praise the entire class when rules are followed.
- Make a daily reward available to the
group when positive behavior is reinforced.
Example:
A list of rules is
created.
The list is
explained and posted on the board.
Divide the day into
20- or 30-minute blocks.
Every 20-30 minutes,
mark a + or - in the appropriate block depending on the class's
behavior.
Instead of
reprimanding the student who misbehaves, stay positive and praise the
student who behaves well.
Example of the
board:
9:00 to 9:30
+
9:30 to 10:00
-
10:00 to +, etc.
14. A corrective method that works.
Specific problems
1. The student who constantly talks:
- Keep a free seat near your desk. As punishment,
the student is assigned to that seat.
- Ask them questions to force them to pay
attention.
- Establish eye contact.
- Offer them a choice of punishment. For example:
copying or detention.
- Use non-verbal communication.
2. The provocative student:
- If possible, ignore the first incident.
- Isolate the child after the second incident.
- Note the incident in your discipline log. Make
sure the class and the student see you note the behavior.
- Calmly but firmly insist that the behavior
stops:
Example: "I won’t
have that in this class! That’s enough! Stop immediately!"
- Later, try to find the cause of the problem and
address it.
3. The student who cheats:
- Encourage the child to compete with themselves
rather than with others.
- Focus on the behavior that needs to change, not
the child. Disapprove of the behavior, not the child.
- Don’t humiliate the child in front of
the class. Speak to them individually.
4. The child who refuses to work:
- Praise the child when they work well:
Example: "Well done!
You’re working hard in art, physical education, etc."
- Ignore and avoid confrontations with the student.
- Help them experience success and appreciate
their effort.
- Avoid favoritism.
- Lower your expectations a bit. Accept small
improvements.
5. The hyperactive child:
- Have a well-structured class, with rules posted
and consistent procedures.
- Minimize distractions. Seat the child at the
front of the room, away from windows.
- Use non-verbal language and visual cues
simultaneously:
Example: "Work quietly." (At
the same time, put your finger on your lips.)
"Take out your math book." (At
the same time, show the book.)
- Slip a brightly colored construction paper under
the child’s sheet to help them focus on the task.
- Establish a quiet corner in the classroom where
the child can retreat for a moment of peace.
- Offer choices whenever possible.
Example: "Do you want to do
this or that?"
|
|