_DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 221 916 EA 014 966

"AUTHOR Coy, Stanley CurtisTITLE Discipline: There Are Alternatives! A Handbook for

Elementary Teachei-and Principals.REPORT NO ISBN-0-932970-14-1PUB DATE 80NOTE 107p.

EDRg PRICEDESCRIPTORS

MF01/PC05 Plus Postage.Behavior Modification;"Classroom Techniques;Corporal Punishment; *Discipline; *Discipline Policy;*Discipline Problems; Educational Environment;Elementary Secondary Education; InserVice TeacherEducation; Student Behavior; Student Ri4hts;Suspension; Teacher Behavior; Teacher Role\

ABSTRACTThe 15 chapters of this handbook for teachers and

administrators draw together the results of discipline research and anumber of successful programs and policies from around the country.Chapter 1 considers curriculum deficiencieso family problems, anddiet as causes of disruptive behavior, The second chapter describesthe characteristics of disruptive youth and suggests a method forassessing student disruptiveness. Chapter 3 presents a series ofoverlays used in an inservice program for developing.gooddisciplinary practices in teachers. The-teacher's responsibility,toset a good example is noted in chapter 4. Several approaches toclassroom management are covered in chapter 5. Chapters 6 and 7 treatbehavior modification and student behiyior contracts. The value ofeye contact is emphasized in chapter 8. The 9th and 10th chapterscover detention and suspension. A system of merits and demerits isproposed in the next chapter. Disciplining the angry child ispondered in chapter 12. Chapter 13 deals with corporal punishment.Chapter 14 contemplates the relationship between school climata anddiscipline. Chapter 15 recommends synthesizing a discipline policyappropriate to the individuar situation from the handbook'salternatives and reviews the."Child's Bill of Rights." Thebibliography c,tes 34 sources. (PGD)

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U.& DEPAXTMENT OF 101iCATIONNATIONAL INSTRLITE OF EDUCATION

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DISCIPLINt:THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES!

A HANDBOOK FOR

Elementary Teachemand Principals

by

Stanley Curtis Coy

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Cover designed by Jeanne Sipahigil and Stanley Coy

1980

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"Ten Ways to Prevent Classroom Chaoe, "Excerpted from theOctober isstie of Teacher Magazine with permission of the publisher.This article is copyrighted, ; 1976 by MacMillan Professional Magazines, Inc. All rights reserved."

COPYRIGHT 1980

I.S.13 N. 0-932970-14-1

Printed byPrinit Press

Dublin, IN 47335-1980

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DEDICATED TO:My Mom and Dad.

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A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Jeanne Sipahigil for le lettering of the illustrations.

My wife, Darlene, for proofreading the handbook.e-

Charlie Popplewtli, Bannie Thompson, Stanley. Love,Bill Lukey, Betty Williams, William Glasser, JoeHalloran, R.F. Watts, George Weber, and Instructormagazine for sending me their ideas concerningdiscipline. -- i

Earl Prifinitz and his staff for their expertise in puttingtogether this handbook.

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. ., TABLE OF CONTENTg,

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tIntroduCtion 1Chapter ONE - The Disruptive Youth 3

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Chapter TWO - The Problem 9

Chapter THREE - In-Service Training - A Vahiable Tool . ". 12

Chapter FOUR - Teacher Behavior 33,

Chapter FIVE - Classriiom Management 36

Chapter S.IX - Behavior Modificatkm 51

Chapter SEVEN - Contracting 62

Chapter.EIGHT - Eye Contact 69

Chapter NINE - School After School 71

Chapter TEN - Out of School Suspension 77

, Chapter ELEVEN - Merit-Demerit System 79

Cliapter TWELVE - Discipline and the Angry Child 81

Chapter THIRTEEN - Corporal Punishment 85

Chipter FOURTEEN : School Climate - Vl.

Better Atmosphere - Better Discipline 92

Chapter FIFTEEN: Where Should We Go Now? 95

Biography ' 08

About the Author Back Cover

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INTRODUCTION-

With the revivill of the "Back to Basics" conceptin our schools today, a plea to "Back to Discipline 'can be heard 'beneath the shadow of our learningproblems in the classroom.

In a recent Gallup Poll concerning our schoolproblems, the top choice mentioned was lack ofdiscipline:The poll stated:

"Discipline continues to top the list ofmajor problems facing tkpublie schools ofthe nation, as it has duringight of the lastnine years of the Gallup Education Poll."(34:27)

The public, as well as teachers and administra-tors, are feeling that the disruptive youth in theclassroom are wasting 'the minds of millions ofstudents each year.

Diecipline has become a big ill to our schoolsystems. Educators "feel lack of discipline hascaused such problems as: declining test scores,public's poor attitude toward schools, moralstandards decreasing, teachers becoming lesssatisfied with their jobs, and the public crging foraccountability.

In this hangbook, discussion will include thewhys of discipline, the ways of correcting discipline,and the programs being developed throughout the

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United States and Canada dealing with discipline.The reason for such a full scope handbook on

discipline is to provide programs and innovatiqnsthat can be of benefit to teachers andadministrators in solving their discipline problems.

To say we don't have a problem or that it will takecare of ittself is unrealistic thinking. Time hascaused the problem, maybe it's time to solve theproblem of DISCIPLINE!

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CHAPTER ONE THE CAUSES

It's when things seem worstthat I dare not quit.

What causes discipline problems? This chapter willtake an indepth look at three areas of concern dealingwith the cause of discipline problems in the classroom.

Before we, as.teachers and administrators, try to solvethe problem of discipline, we need to know the root of theproblem.

Trying to narrow down the causes is tin endless task.In the process of elimination, I have suggested threeareas of concerns. These concerns are:

1. Curriculum deficiency.2.,Changes in the family.3. Diet.

The first area of concern is:CURRICULUM DEFICIE/4CIES

William Van Til believes that if schools have bettercurriculums, they will have better discipline. Van Tilgives these reasons:

1. Curriculum does not make sense to the learn-er.

2. Content bears no relationship to the needs ofthe learner.

3. Curriculum is trivial.4. Poor teacher planning.5. Poor teacher motivation.6. Poor teacher presentation of material.

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He feels that better discipline will prevail when:1. Learning experiences relate closely to the-

present interests and needs of children whosee the use of what they are learning.

2. Learning is related to the social realitieswhich surround the child.

3. We practice .what we preach as to respectfor personality.

4# We develop active student participation,creative contributions, social travel, and allelse that fosters significant experiences.(30:35-36)

Another educator who feels that curriculum is toblame is William Glasser. He believes:

, "That much of the disruptive behavior in to-day's schools result from the students' failureto learn to read properly. This failure is due tosuch factors es reading assignments that aremeaningless, excessive exposure to television,and especially feeling of neglect and failure."(13:7) _

All of this can be traced back to the curriculumdeveloped in the classroom. t

Speaking .. from experience, one can ecome verydisinterested in a subjeet if the matedal is dull orteaching is less than adequate. Try sitting in a classroomfor an hour if you are bored. It's not easy. Curriculumchange could make a big difference.

The second category is: ...CHANGES IN THE FAMILY

The many changes in the family lifestyle have causedproblems for the student in school. What changes in thehome has caused the child. to become disruptive? Arecent research report by a University of Michigandoctoral candidate has confirmed earlier research thatsays divorce affects students behavior in school. Dr.Janice M. Hammond said:

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"Teachers rated boys of divorced parentsmuch higher in the school behavioral problemsof "acting out" and "distractibility" thanthose of intact families. The boys of divorcedhouseholds also rated themselves and theirfamilies as less happy than those in the non-divorced group and expressed more dissatis-faction with the time and attention they re-ceived from their parents. The girls in thestudy showed no significant differences on anyof these measures." (14:3)

George B. McCellan, a former Commissioner of theRoyal Canadian Mounted Police, also feels the problemstarts in the home. I think he sums it up.rather wellwhen he refers to it as "parental delinquency" instead ofjuvenile delinquency. In his opinion, the product of irre-sponsible homes and irresponsible parents are theproducers of disruptive youths. The parents plant