Essay on Discipline vs. Management

The Assertive Discipline Model is a model that comes under the Management Theories. The two main theorises behind this model if discipline are Lee and Marlene Carter, the husband and wife duo have put thousands of hours research into helping perfect this model (Allen, 1996). They see the Assertive Discipline Model as being an approach that is direct and positive; it allows the teachers to teach and the students to be in an environment where they are able to lean to their best ability (Allen, 1996). The Carter’s model of Assertive Discipline relies on the teacher to punish unacceptable behaviour in a way in which will deter the child from repeating this behaviour again (Allen, 1996). A key point that Carter and Carter make in their model of Assertive Discipline is that the behaviour that is expected in the classroom is well known, there are warnings given to the students about their behaviour reminding them what is expected of them and then it is expected that the teacher following through with the consequence that adheres with the incorrect behaviour (Konza, Grainger & Bradshaw, 2001). Teachers using the Assertive Model will under no circumstances tolerate students that disrupt them the teacher, or other students from learning (Konza, Grainger & Bradshaw, 2001). The consequences for students that have misbehaved must be clear and concise so that the students themselves have a clear understanding of what the punishment is and what the behaviour is that

In Kohn’s book, Beyond Discipline: From Compliance to Community, the first chapter focuses on the different classroom management theories regarding students in the classroom. The chapter discusses how many of these theories are incorrect, and how educators need to look at them under a fine tooth come before implementing them in their own classrooms. Kohn finishes the chapter by discussing what teachers should think about regarding their students when implementing classroom management procedures.

Students all have their own personalities, which affects their actions within the classroom. Many times, a students’ behavior is caused by outside factors causing them to act out with disruptive behaviors and disciplinary issues. During these times, a teacher must have a behavior management approach to deter similar behaviors in the future. Many first time teachers are unable to handle dealing with the behaviors and leave their jobs making it all the more important to come up with an effective behavior management approach to curtail those worrisome behaviors before it gets to that point (Sugai, 2009). In an effort to thoroughly discuss an efficient behavior management approach, a common disciplinary problem within classroom and the foundation of the issue will be considered. A combination of approaches may be to needed to stop behavioral issues, such as providing motivation and establishing rules and procedures in a clear way will deter behavioral issues. Finally, an in-depth look at the steps needed in order to implement the approach into the classroom.

Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline Model was designed to allow teachers to utilize specific strategies to reach individual students and help modify their behavior. According to Albert, students choose their own behavior. As teachers, we cannot control a student’s behavior choices, but we can influence them. “Using a comprehensive approach, "Cooperative Discipline" deals with all three discipline types: corrective, preventive, and supportive. It addresses the topics of student motivation, avoiding and defusing confrontations, ways to reinforce desirable behavior, building student self-esteem, when and how to involve parents and others, and how to discipline cooperatively.” (Albert, L., (1990))

It is important for a classroom teacher to set behavior goals for his or her students. Behavior goals should be directly related to the classroom management plan. Students should be expected to treat their peers and teachers with respect, show respect for classroom property, are kind and courteous in all speech and actions, work diligently to accomplish assigned tasks, and demonstrate self-respect and honesty. Establishing clear and consistent goals for the operation of the classroom helps to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and lends itself to alleviating opportunities for misbehavior. As a teacher I will work to provide my students with positive goals for appropriate behavior. I will also clearly define the consequences for misbehavior so that students understand fully the repercussions for failing to act in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the classroom management plan.

In creating the Problem Prevention Plan, I learned that a prerequisite for effective discipline should be setting wise limits according to the expectations of the school, the maturity of the students, characteristics of the class, and the teacher. In such case a teacher needs to think, design, and implement a systematic classroom problem prevention plan. This plan can be a weekly plan which may be initially designed by a teacher and later altered weekly on a mutual basis by the teacher and a representative of students either appointed by the teacher or by the students. I took from this that teachers who do not have a plan resort to disciplining by yelling, screaming, scolding, and demanding. If you do not have a plan, you plan to fail.

HOW TEACHERS CAN AVOID CONTRIBUTING TO DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS: COULD I BE PART OF THE PROBLEM? (2014). National Forum of Educational Administration & Supervision Journal (pp. 64-70). National Forum Journals

In an article he recently wrote to “clarify [his] views for Kappan readers, Lee Canter asserted that classroom behavior management was significantly more than just “names on the board and marbles in a jar” (Canter). The idea was appalling to him that educators could have been so misinterpreting his management strategy that this was all they were taking away from it, and yet increasingly, this was the feeling he was acquiring after untold conversations with numerous educators—thus the article. “The key to Assertive Discipline,” he stated, “is catching students being

Disruptive students trudge down the hallways to the principal’s office knowing their fate as soon as they walk through the door. Detentions, suspensions, or corporal punishment are usually their options and most students hope to decrease their class time when they misbehave and detentions and suspensions accomplish this. Corporal punishment is the spanking of students which creates fear. School punishments are ineffective and need to be altered toward counseling techniques between the student committing the offense and the teacher to lower student misconduct.

Classroom management is the process by which teachers and schools create and maintain appropriate behavior of students in classroom settings. When classroom-management strategies are executed effectively, teachers minimize the behaviors that impede learning for both individual students and groups of students, while maximizing the behaviors that facilitate or enhance learning. Classroom management is really hard and there are many theorists that talk about it and each is different from the other where each theorist has his/her own ideas and thoughts. Some of them are mentioned below.

Preventing misbehavior is widely preferable rather than dealing with it after it has occurred. A Preventive discipline plan involves steps taken in a classroom to avoid disciplinary problems. Potentially this discipline deals with the distractions in the classroom and how a classroom environment can be modified so it is more compatible with the learning needs of its children (Edwards, 2004). Preventive discipline plan refers to the strategies that can be implemented to inhibit inappropriate behaviors from occurring in the first place (T.L.Musy, Personal communication, October 10th, 2006). Kounin’s concepts of withitness and overlapping skills of a teacher help in preventing discipline problems (Evertson, Emmer, and Worsham,

This note will be used as the basis of monitoring and reviewing performance, and will remain valid for 6 months. If an employee’s unsatisfactory performance is sufficiently serious, it may be justifiable to move directly to a final written warning.

School discipline is to ensure that students and the campus staff are safe and peaceful. According to the U.S. Department of Education on Rethinking Discipline (2017), “Teachers and students deserve school environments that are safe, supportive, and conducive to teaching and learning.” The idea is to decrease bad behavior and school violence which will lead to fewer suspensions and expulsions. There are rules and limitations when it comes to student discipline; there are acts in which students can and must be disciplined. For examples, if a student quality’s for special needs some different guidelines protect them under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s (IDEA). Furthermore, the Education Code, Section 48900 was implied to discipline students who committed any wrongful doing such as attempting or threatening to physical harm another person. In the case f any wrongfulness, the student is forced to be disciplined by being suspended or expulsed from school.

In today’s competitive landscape, organizations must utilize every resource to its fullest in order to achieve profitability. Peter F. Drucker, who is known as “the founding father of the discipline of management”, informs us that employees are assets, which should be treated as a company’s most valuable resource. The key players involved in utilizing this valuable resource are the managers of a company. Managers have a vital role in a company and the effort they put forth into their tasks and responsibilities will directly affect the success of a company. In Drucker’s book Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices (Revised Edition), he explains the role of a company’s management team and the secrets to becoming a great manager.

The article discusses findings from four years of empirical research regarding behavior management in the classroom. More specifically, the article focuses on the findings and implications of a rarely discussed behavior known as “teacher retreating.” Teacher retreating is defined as the “behavior that occurs in the classroom when a teacher backs down after one or more students undermine the teacher’s authority by failing to comply” (Ratcliff, Carroll, & Hunt, 2014, p. 170). Furthermore, the research consisted of four independent studies where a total of 91 classrooms from grade levels 2, 4, 6, 8, and high school were observed. It’s important to note that the teachers involved in the study were required to have completed a college preparation program and have a minimum of three-years teaching experience. As a guide for the study, researchers focused on various components of classroom management behaviors. For instance, researchers examined both teachers and students’ interactions during the administering of behavior management, the length of time teachers devoted to managing student behavior and the effect it had on direct teaching, and how different classroom management techniques affected the rate of student on-task behavior.