The Canter Model
Lee Canter
Lee Canter
Researched Assertive Discipline
 Wrote Multiple Books in Classroom
Management
 Research and ideas about Assertive
Discipline has been around since the early
to mid 70’s

Canter Model
Based on thousands of hours of observing
effective teachers
 Discovered that Assertive Discipline helps
teachers teach and students learn
 Marlene Canter help in research and
development of model
 Developed both principles and step of
implementation
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Principles of Model
Teachers should insist on responsible
Behavior
 Failure to teach comes from poor class
control
 Firm control maintained humanely is
liberating.
 Teachers have basic rights as educators

Principles of Model Cont.
Students have basic rights as learners
 Teachers must clearly states the
expectations, consistently apply the
consequences, and never violates the best
interests of the pupils
 The assertive teacher is more effective
than the nonassertive or the hostile
teacher

Assertive Discipline
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Stating and teaching expectations early
Persistence in stating expectations and wishes
Use of a clear, calm, firm voice and eye contact
Use of non-verbal gestures that support the
verbal statements
Influencing student behavior without threats or
shouting
Broken record technique
Steps of Assertive Discipline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Recognize and remove roadblocks to
assertive discipline
Practice the use of assertive response
styles
Learning to set limits
Learning to follow through on limits
Implementing a system of positive
assertions
Advantages and Strengths
Develop good class control
 Student expectations are clearly stated
 Rules and limitations are also clearly
stated
 Helps build classroom respect
 Positive, caring, and productive classroom
environment

Disadvantages and Weaknesses
With out student/teacher respect model
will not work
 Teaching style may not fit the needs of all
students
 Can be a bad way to start off the year
 Teachers can become over controlling
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Example
Teacher: "Vince, you have work to do. Get away
from that window and sit in your seat."
Student: "But I want to see the cop give that guy a
ticket."
Teacher: "I understand, but I want you to sit down
now."
Student: "'Just one minute, OK?"
Teacher: "'No, Vince, I want you to sit down now.“
Student: "Aw, OK."
If student does not obey after third time, then
consequences should be placed into action
Canter and what we have learned
Classroom management is important to
providing a productive learning
environment
 Students safety is most important
 Students need to know and understand
what is expected of them and what is
required of them

Opinion
Model can be very beneficial in classroom
management
 Not for all teachers
 Teachers must stick to their word to not
lose creditability with students
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Links
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http://www.garysturt.free-online.co.uk/classman.htm
http://www.brains.org/classroom_management.htm
http://drwilliampmartin.tripod.com/classm.html
http://maxweber.hunter.cuny.edu/pub/eres/EDSPC715_
MCINTYRE/AssertiveDiscipline.html
http://www.math4lions.com/ePortfolio/canter.htm