Assertive
Discipline
The Canter and Canter Model
By: Tamara Braden and Rebekah Rodrigues
Assertive Discipline
Who are Canter and Canter?
Lee and Marlene Canter is a married couple who have dedicated their lives to improving
classroom environments as a means for creating a better experience for both students and
teachers. They have studied the habits of successful teachers and used the information to
formulate their own classroom management program that has been used by teachers for years.
The concepts that their model presents are not difficult but the Canters stress the importance of
including all aspects as to not misinterpret or misuse their model. Both of the Canters have a lot
of experience in the education field and hope that their work will help to improve the classroom
experience for all involved.
Lee Canter attended California State University, Northridge where he earned a
Bachelor’s Degree in History before pursuing a Master’s degree in social work from the
University of Southern California. He has written more than forty books that deal with training
parents and educators to create positive relationships with children in order to facilitate good
behavior. His studies are well known throughout the educational community and he has become
somewhat of a discipline and management celebrity.
Marlene Canter began her career as a special education teacher and with her husband,
Lee Canter, developed a leading teacher-training program that trains as well as provides
resources for educators. Generally speaking she devotes much of her career to the well-being of
children, sitting on boards within the education community, and even contributed to the ban of
junk food in schools. Together, Marlene and her husband have changed the face of classroom
discipline forever.
What is Assertive Discipline?
Assertive Discipline is the program developed by the Canters that encompasses positive
consequences just as much if not more than negative ones for children’s behaviors. That is, it is
just as important to praise and reward students for good behavior as it is to provide punishments
for students who are misbehaving. It relies on the idea that teachers must clearly outline the rules
and the expected behavior at the beginning of the year or even before each specific lesson. This
way the students can assure that there will be negative consequences if they choose to misbehave
because they will understand what proper behavior is. The consequences must also be firm and
outlined clearly so that the teacher can be sure to be consistent. Canter suggests that teachers
have a plan that outlines a maximum of five consequences for discipline problems. For example,
have the first be a warning and the fifth be a trip to the principal’s office with incremental
consequences for the three steps in-between.
One of the popular misconceptions about the Assertive Discipline model that needs to be
cleared up is the fact that its focus is around positive reinforcements and catching students
behaving well and not that it is about punishing misbehaviors. The consequences are only in
place for those students who do not act the way that they have been taught to behave. Some think
that it is a negative program but instead it is simply misused by negative teachers. As always,
embarrassment and corporal punishment are never appropriate in a classroom. A positive teacher
is also an imperative factor for successful Assertive Discipline. Canter believes that if a negative
teacher “cannot become more positive, they should not be teaching.” Those teachers are referred
by Canter as hostile. Equally ineffective are teachers who are too lenient and passive, and allow
chaos in the classroom. Those teachers are referred to as non-assertive.
This model is not the be-all, end-all in classroom management according to its creator. It
serves as a beginning point for teachers to gain control of their classroom and incorporate other
appropriate management skills (such as counseling, group process and help for children with
behavioral deficits). Teachers must also be aware that all the aspects of the model must be used
in order to create a fair and balanced environment. Canter supports the idea that teachers must
constantly be developing as a professional and classroom management is one of the things that
needs to constantly be worked on. No one can take a one day seminar on Assertive Discipline
and expect to be an effective instructor for the rest of their career. Workshops, literature and
other resources (like administrative and parental support) must be utilized throughout the entirety
of an educator’s career in order to have a successful functioning classroom.
Regarding the legitimacy and effectiveness of this model in the classroom, Canter kept up
with many different studies that used the model and the outcome was overwhelming. Behavior of
students was dramatically improved in classrooms where the teacher used the skills as outlined in
the model. Canter states that “teachers who use assertive discipline reduce the frequency of
disruptive behavior in their classrooms, greatly reduce the number of students they refer to
administrators, and dramatically increase their students’ time-on-task.” Despite the research to
show the success of the program, it advocates that the concepts are not new; they are just
concepts that need to be used together, used consistently and used in the teaching style of the
teacher who is using them.
Key Concepts:

Clearly Outlined Rules

Teach Behaviors Expected of Students

Positive Reinforcements

Consistency in Administering Consequences

Understood Consequences (5 Levels)

Constant Development as a Professional

Parental/Administrative Support

Fair and Appropriate Consequences

Being non-assertive and being hostile can have negative effects on classroom
management
Suggestion for Application:
 Make sure to be clear with students about what behavior is expected of them. Ex:
Let your students know before you begin a lesson that begins with a lecture that
they are to remain seated and facing forward with no talking and that they must
raise their hands before speaking out. That way when a student does something
outside of this structure, they understand that there will be a consequence.
 Be sure to regularly praise students for exemplifying ideal behavior. This will
reinforce the idea of what ideal behavior is as well as keep the students
motivated through positive reinforcements.
 Don’t put names on the board because it can be distracting for the class and may
embarrass the students. Instead, discreetly keep track in a binder or have a chart
that includes students in the whole class and have all of their names in the good
behavior section until someone misbehaves and their name gets put into the
needs improvement section. This still emphasizes the idea of a unity among the
classroom and makes note of the students who are still behaving as instructed.
Clothes pins work well for this type of chart.
 Constantly reflect and adjust your technique until you find something that fits your
style. This also requires regular research and workshops as a way to keep your
techniques modern and effective.
 Create a set of consequences with no more than 5 steps that you stick to so that
students know how they will be punished if they choose to misbehave. Canter
gives the example of Step 1 being a warning, Step 2 being a 10 minute time out,
Step 3 being a 15 min time out, Step 4 being a call home and Step 5 being a trip
to the principal’s office.
Works Cited
"Assertive Discipline | Child Discipline in the Classroom." BehaviorAdvisor.com Dr. Mac's
Amazing Classroom Behavior Management Site. Web. 05 May 2011.
<http://www.behavioradvisor.com/AssertiveDiscipline.html>.
Cantar, Lee. "Assertive Discipline." Phi Delta Kappan (1989): 57-61. Web. 4 May 2011.
"Classroom Management and Discipline - The Canter Model of Discipline | - Classroom
Management a." TeacherMatters. Web. 05 May 2011.
<http://www.teachermatters.com/classroom-discipline/models-of-discipline/the-cantermodel.html>.
"Lee Canter." Solution Tree. Web. 4 May 2011. <http://www.solutiontree.com/Public/ProfDev.aspx?node=&parent=&ShowPresenter=true&ProductID=SHF0
87>.
"Marlene Canter Bio." Web. 04 May 2011.
<http://www.lausd.net/lausd/board/secretary/BoardMembers/canter/canterbio5-08.htm>.