Research & Analysis
Chapter 4
COPING WITH PROBLEMS
EFFECTIVELY
(Read classroom vignettes for elementary
and middle school)
Dealing with Minor Inattention
and Misbehavior
 Monitor
the Entire Classroom Regularly

scan the room
 “nip problems in the bud”
 Ignore Minor, Fleeting Misbehavior

intervention may be more disruptive

decide what is “fleeting”
 Stop Sustained Minor Misbehavior
Minor Inattention & Misbehavior
(cont’d)
 Use
the following techniques to
redirect inattentive students:
 Eye
contct and gesture.
 Touch.
 Physical proximity.
 Asking for responses.
 Name dropping.
Dealing with Prolonged or
Disruptive Misbehavior
Appropriate
Direct
Correction
Name the student
and indicate what
they should be
doing.
Remind students of
rules and
expectations.
Brief rule reminders
are more desirable
than demanding
behaviors.
Dealing with Prolonged or Disruptive
Misbehavior (cont’d)
Inappropriate
Direct
Correction
Do not as questions
about obvious
Misbehavior.
Avoid unnecessary
threats & displays
of authority.
Avoid dwelling on
misbehavior
(nagging).
Conducting Investigations
Talk
in private.
Some questions about intentions may be
needed to establish what the student was doing
and why.
Do not berate students, impugn their motives or
raise issues that they cannot answer.
When responses conflict, point out the
discrepancies.
Construct a list of student behaviors that are most
likely to embarrass you or make you anxious. Practice
how you will deal with these.
Conflict Resolution
Thomas Gordon AND Jones & Jones’
7-step problem-solving model
Students with chronic personality or
behavioral problems
THOMAS GORDON –”No-lose” approach
Analyzes degree to which each party “owns” the
problem.
 Teacher-owned problem when teacher’s needs
are being frustrated.
 Student-owned problem when the student’s
needs are being frustrated.

Thomas Gordon
Behavior Window
Other owns the problem
Active Listening
No Problem
You own the problem
We own the problem
Collision of values
“I“messages
Conflict Resolution
Values Clarification
Gordon’s 6-step “no-lose” method
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Define the problem.
Generate possible solutions.
Evaluate those solutions.
Decide which is best.
Determine how to implement the best solution
Assess the effectiveness of this solution after
implementation. If it is not working for all
concerned, negotiate a new agreement.
Jones & Jones 7-step model
for solving classroom problems
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Establish a warm, personal relationship.
Ask clarification questions to find out the
nature and reasons for the behavior.
Help student make a value judgment such as,
“Is this behavior helping you?”
Work out a plan he/she can do differently.
Elicit a commitment from the student to follow
the plan.
After a time, meet to see if plan is working.
When students don’t follow through on their
commitments, persist and develop a new plan.
Schoolwide programs
Curwin & Mendler--Discipline w/ Dignity


The Discipline with Dignity model stresses that
teachers must offer choices to students as a
result of their actions, use humor, and disregard
excuses. Teachers are largely responsible for
the behavior that students display in their
classroom.
Prevention: What can be done to minimize problems.
 Action: What is to be done once problems occur.
 Resolution: What can be done for the chronic
misbehaver.
Fay & Funk
Teaching w/ Love & Logic
The Love and Logic philosophy states the
importance of adults providing limits in a caring
way. It involves building students up so they feel
more capable, even after being disciplined.
When interacting with students, educators need
to stay calm and avoid provoking, threatening,
moralizing or lecturing. Educators should use
polite statements that are enforceable and
offer children choices within limits, thus
avoiding power struggles. They describe
childhood misbehavior as an opportunity for
helping children grow through their mistakes.
Their methods help children learn to be
responsible and gain self-confidence.
Jerome Freiberg & Carl Rogers
Freedom to Learn
 The
role of the teacher is to facilitate
experiential learning by:
1. setting a positive climate for learning
2. clarifying the purposes of the learner(s)
3. organizing and making available
learning resources
 4. balancing intellectual and emotional
components of learning and
5. sharing feelings and thoughts with
learners but not dominating.
Freiberg-- Consistency Management and
Cooperative Discipline (CMCD)
--- a research-based, classroom-tested model that
builds on shared responsibility for learning and
classroom organization between teachers and
students. The teacher creates a consistent but
flexible learning environment and joins with the
students in establishing a cooperative plan for
classroom rules, procedures, use of time, and
academic learning that governs the classroom.
Five themes: Prevention, Caring, Cooperation,
Organization, and Community. Each theme includes
strategies and activities that allow students to
become real partners in the classroom.
Punishment (Healthy Active Children Policy in
North Carolina)
http://www.nchealthyschools.org/components/healthyactivechildrenpoli
cy
Section 3. RECESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Structured/unstructured recess and other physical
activity (such as, but not limited to, physical
activity time, physical education or intramurals)
shall not be taken away from students as a form of
punishment. In addition, severe and/or
inappropriate exercise may not be used as a form
of punishment for students.
Section 3. RECESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(Cont.)

A minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to
vigorous physical activity shall be provided by
schools for all K-8 students daily. This
requirement can be achieved through a regular
physical education class and/or through
activities such as recess, dance, classroom
energizers, or other curriculum based physical
education activity programs. However, such use
of this time should complement and not
substitute for the physical education program.
Section 3. RECESS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
(Cont.)
 The
physical activity required by this
section must involve physical exertion of at
least a moderate to vigorous intensity level
and for a duration sufficient to provide a
significant health benefit to students.
Positive Behavior Intervention and Support
(PBIS)
Recently implemented in most CMS
schools:
**focuses on teaching, modeling, practicing,
and reinforcing desired behaviors.
**different instructional strategies are used
w/ students who struggle w/ behavior,
just as schools use to help students who
struggle with academics.
Punishment

Achieves limited, temporary success
 Increases tension and conflict
 Develops overt obedience but not covert selfcontrol
 Signifies that teacher cannot cope with the
problem
 Communicates lack of confidence in students
and that they are not trying to improve
 Can damage self-concept and reduce
cooperation
Effective Punishment



Used only as a last resort, after continued expressions of
concern and assistance, when students repeatedly fail to
respond to more positive treatment
Not appropriate for isolated incidents
Should only be part of a planned response for repeated
misbehavior

***Apply without anger or vengefulness:
Fair warning
Ensure students last resort----no other choice
Ensure students you don’t enjoy punishing
Apply w/ quiet, professional tone

Should be related to the offense and reasonable



Inappropriate Punishment
 Abusive
Verbal Attacks- no corrective
function and causes resentment to attacker
 Physical
Punishment- teaches to attack
others when angry, not appropriate behavior
 Extra
Work- schoolwork is then seen as
drudgery---may complete a behavior statement
followed by a discussion with teacher
 Lowering
Academic Grades- further
alienated low achievers from academic efforts
Other Approaches to
Classroom Management
Textbook authors (Brophy & Good)
3 approach to classroom management are
eclectic, stressing principles gathered from
many theories.
Three of the most prominent will
conclude chapter 4.
 Assertive Discipline
 Contingency Contracting
 Cognitive Behavior Modification
Assertive Discipline
Lee & Marlene CANTER