Whitney Whitehair Allison Moore October 14, 2009 EDUC 360

Thomas Gordon

About Thomas… Clinical psychologist Head of the Gordon Training International Largest human relations training organization in the world Two million people have used his training program Wrote a number of books Received the American Psychological Foundation’s Gold Metal Award for Enduring Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest

Gordon’s Plan for Discipline There are six major elements: Influence Rather than Control Preventative Skills Discipline and Who Owns the Problem Confrontive Skills Helping Skills No-Lose Conflict Resolution

Influence Rather than Control Control  students coping mechanisms Fighting (combating the person with whom they have the conflict) Taking flight (trying to escape the situation) Submitting (giving into the other person) Cut off communication and willingness to cooperate

Preventative Skills Three things to prevent problems: Use I-Messages These influence students’ future actions. Set rules together with students Setting rules together with students allows time for discussion and working together to collaborate an effective means. Use participative management Sharing power with students with different types of assessment, rules, preferred activities, etc. This motivates students and gives them confidence.

Discipline and Who Owns the Problem Gordon explains that misbehavior is behavior that “..produces undesirable consequences for the adult”(p. 81). When the class is uncontrolled, the teacher is said to own the problem. But at times, the student may own the problem. With confrontive skills and helping skills, this will solve the problem and who owns it.

Confrontive Skills When the teacher owns the problem, one of these discipline steps should be taken: Modifying the physical environment (rather than the student)  Provide music or minimize distractions Sending I-Messages regularly  Instead of scolding, work on I-Messages throughout the day to keep them constant with everyday teaching Shifting gears  If this does not work, listen to the student’s side of the story and continue with another I- Message (show sensitivity!)

Helping Skills When students own the problem, teachers use two main helping skills Listening and avoiding communication roadblocks Four kinds of listening Passive Listening  little more than attentive silence, but is enough to encourage students to talk. Acknowledgment responses  verbal and nonverbal cues that demonstrate teacher’s interest. Door opens  invitation for students to discuss their problems. Active Listening  Mirroring back what students say.

Helping Skills Continued… Avoiding communication roadblocks Examples: giving orders, warning, preaching, advising, lecturing, criticizing, name calling, analyzing, praising, reassuring, questioning, withdrawing. Turn your book to pages 82-83

No-Lose Conflict Resolution Reach agreements and find a solution that satisfies both parties Egos are preserved and relations remain undamaged Ex. “I wonder what we might do so you boys won’t feel like fighting anymore.” Prevents either boy from feeling that he has “lost” the dispute.

What Every Teacher Should Know How teachers can bring out the best in their students!

References