JenniferKathryn

KatherineLyndaScottAlan

Canter Primary School 6 Assertive Drive

Modellsville WA 6000

Classroom Management

Strategies Developed by Lee Canter

Behavioural

Welcome to Canter Primary School!Topics of the Assertive Discipline Model:

Core Principles

Learning Environment

Implementation

Individual Management Plans

Child Development

Shortcomings

Core Principles

Background

Developed by Lee and Marlene Canter in 1976 and since then it has evolved and developed into a model which is still used widely in many schools today.

Similarities between this model and that of Skinner's Behaviour Modification.

Assertive Discipline is a very structured and systematic approach to all areas of classroom management, in which the teacher is always in charge and in control.

Core Principles

Principles

Three ways in which a teacher can respond to classroom situations:

1. Non-Assertive2. Hostile3. Assertive

Core Principles

Rights of Teachers and Students

1. A teacher has a right to teach, just as a student has a right to learn

2. Good teaching involves the development of trusting, personal teacher student relationships

3. Teachers have the right and responsibility to put in place rules and expectations that clearly define what children are required to do These will include both acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. These rules need to be enforced consitently without discrimination or bias

4. Students do not automatically self regulate without guidance therefore teachers have the responsibility to teach children to follow rules consistently throughout the school day

Core Principles

Rights of Teachers and Students

5. Teachers have the right to expect support and assistance from Principals, School Administration and Parents

6. Teachers need to use a hierarchy of discipline in their classroom that is appropriate for the year level that they teach

7. An assertive teacher is more effective than a non-assertive or hostile teacher

Learning Environment

Implementation

Assumptions. Prior to implementation you have:

1. Created a classroom discipline plan.2. Presented your plan to your administrator.3. Taught your discipline plan to your students.4. Communicated your discipline plan to parents.5. Prepared a discipline plan for substitutes.

Implementation

Implementing the class discipline plan:

1. Determine specific directions for your classroom.2. Teach specific directions to your students.3. Use positive recognition to motivate students to

behave.4. Redirect disruptive (off task) behaviour.5. Use consequences for disruptive or continual off

task behaviour.

Individual Management Plans

When your general classroom discipline plan is not effective with a student, an individualised behaviour plan can be implemented using a Behvioural Contract.

What is a Behavioural Contract and how does it work?

1. It is a written agreement about how the individual will behave.

2. It indicates appropriate consequences for misbehaviour.

3. It gets students to realise their problems, overcome them and enables them to link specific behaviours with specific consequences.

Individual Management Plans

What are the benefits of using a contract with individuals?

By implementing the contract with a student who has input into the conditions, the student is more likely to abide to the terms of it.

Other Benefits?

Individual Management Plans

How are Behaviour contracts created?

1. Decide on specific behaviours to be focussed on.2. Meet with student to write contract.3. The document should also include…

Child Development

:

1. .2. .3. .4. .5. .

What are the Shortcomings?

The disadvantages of Assertive Discipline are:

1. There is no guarantee that the rules written by the teacher are healthy, rational, and humanising for the student. Nor are there any provisions to ensure that the students’ needs and wants are being met. Furthermore, there is no research that proves that students’ needs can be met only when their teacher’s wants are satisfied.

2. The “cookbook” approach may promote a lack of individuality in dealing with students. Some students may have a legitimate reason for refusing to follow a teacher’s demand, or at least a need to explain. Teachers may be so concerned about following the procedures that they ignore these legitimate exceptions.

What are the Shortcomings?

3. The procedure is in direct opposition to the current trend of teaching students how to manage their own behaviours. The teacher is definitely in control and makes all the decisions.

4. The verbal limit-setting procedures may unintentionally reinforce some students, especially problem students who often crave teacher attention even though it is negative.

5. Although the approach specifically requires that a balance of limit-setting and positive consequences be maintained, the emphasis in the discipline plan on negative consequences may cause teachers to be more negative in their interactions with students.

Should Assertive Discipline be used in the classroom?

1. Yes2. No

Should Assertive Discipline be used in the classroom?

Yes No

50%50%

1. Yes2. No

Please join us for a beer at the Canter Tavern afterwards!

Canter Primary School 6 Assertive Drive

Modellsville WA 6000

Thank you for watching our presentation!