LEE AND MARLENE LEE AND MARLENE CANTERCANTER

ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINEASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE

Barb Allessie, Lisa Bly, Don Fureman, and Glen Knudsen

Lee and Marlene CanterLee and Marlene Canter Met in 1968 while Met in 1968 while

attending college.attending college. Lee aspired to be a Lee aspired to be a

teacher, while teacher, while Marlene wished to be Marlene wished to be a social worker a social worker specializing in specializing in working with children.working with children.

Lee and Marlene married in 1970 and focused Lee and Marlene married in 1970 and focused on the hopes for the future – to make a on the hopes for the future – to make a difference in children’s lives.difference in children’s lives.

Lee now was pursuing a Master’s degree in Lee now was pursuing a Master’s degree in social work, while Marlene was finishing work on social work, while Marlene was finishing work on gaining a teacher certificate and advanced gaining a teacher certificate and advanced special education training.special education training.

Lee worked several years in the social Lee worked several years in the social work field, and then started to focus on work field, and then started to focus on teacher training and school consultation as teacher training and school consultation as a career. Marlene was teaching special a career. Marlene was teaching special education as she pursued the study of education as she pursued the study of child development and special education child development and special education techniques.techniques.

During Marlene’s teaching experience, she During Marlene’s teaching experience, she encountered a child whose behavior was encountered a child whose behavior was so disruptive that she needed to search for so disruptive that she needed to search for new techniques that would help the child new techniques that would help the child to reach his full potential.to reach his full potential.

Lee and Marlene began researching Lee and Marlene began researching disciplinary problems in the classroom, as disciplinary problems in the classroom, as well as those methods used by successful well as those methods used by successful teachers to handle these problems.teachers to handle these problems.

Thus Assertive Discipline came to the Thus Assertive Discipline came to the forefront of their lives.forefront of their lives.

The focus began with a behavior The focus began with a behavior management plan based on consistency, management plan based on consistency, clear expectations, follow-through, and the clear expectations, follow-through, and the development of positive relationships.development of positive relationships.

What is it?What is it? Assertive discipline is a Assertive discipline is a

systematic and objective systematic and objective way of ensuring a way of ensuring a teacher-controlled teacher-controlled classroom.classroom.

Teachers are demanding Teachers are demanding yet treat everyone fairly.yet treat everyone fairly.

Has a discipline plan that Has a discipline plan that clearly outlines clearly outlines expectations as well as expectations as well as positive and negative positive and negative consequences.consequences.

How has it evolved?How has it evolved?

Developed in the mid-70’s as an Developed in the mid-70’s as an authoritative approach.authoritative approach.

Now is more democratic to fit into today’s Now is more democratic to fit into today’s classroom environments.classroom environments.

The theory is more of a mindset and is The theory is more of a mindset and is often taught in classes or sold as often taught in classes or sold as prepackaged programs.prepackaged programs.

Both individual classrooms and schools as Both individual classrooms and schools as a whole can benefit from the program.a whole can benefit from the program.

What is the theory behind it?What is the theory behind it?

No pupil should prevent a teacher from No pupil should prevent a teacher from being able to teach and a student from being able to teach and a student from being able to learn.being able to learn.

Teachers should act assertively right away Teachers should act assertively right away in dealing with a behavior, as opposed to in dealing with a behavior, as opposed to passively dealing with the behavior later.passively dealing with the behavior later.

The teacher entering the classroom needs The teacher entering the classroom needs to be trained in behavior management in to be trained in behavior management in order to have a successful school year.order to have a successful school year.

Teachers have the right to determine Teachers have the right to determine what is best for their classroom and what is best for their classroom and tailor the program to fit their needs.tailor the program to fit their needs.

Students actually want teachers to Students actually want teachers to control their behaviors.control their behaviors.

Society requires that its members act Society requires that its members act appropriately in all situations.appropriately in all situations.

Teachers have the right to request Teachers have the right to request and get assistance from parents, and get assistance from parents, administrators, and society.administrators, and society.

RESPONSE STYLESRESPONSE STYLES

The Canters believe that a teacher’s The Canters believe that a teacher’s response style sets the tone of his or her response style sets the tone of his or her classroom. This response style impacts classroom. This response style impacts students’ self-esteem and the students’ students’ self-esteem and the students’ success in the classroom.success in the classroom.

3 RESPONSE STYLES3 RESPONSE STYLES

The 3 response styles, according to the The 3 response styles, according to the Canters, are as follows:Canters, are as follows:

★ ★ NonassertiveNonassertive

★ ★ HostileHostile

★★ AssertiveAssertive

••Your task is to work with your group Your task is to work with your group members to define each of the 3 response members to define each of the 3 response styles in your own words.styles in your own words.

NONASSERTIVENONASSERTIVE

One in which the teacher is passive in One in which the teacher is passive in response to student behavior. response to student behavior.

Expectations are not clearly Expectations are not clearly communicated to the students.communicated to the students.

No solid leadership is provided.No solid leadership is provided. Inconsistent in response to student Inconsistent in response to student

behaviors.behaviors.Students may be confused by this style. Students may be confused by this style.

HOSTILEHOSTILE

One who is able to meet his or her own One who is able to meet his or her own needs in the classroom, but may do so at needs in the classroom, but may do so at the expense of the self-esteem of his or the expense of the self-esteem of his or her students.her students.

Uses discipline to control students rather Uses discipline to control students rather than to empower them and teach them than to empower them and teach them how to behave in an appropriate manner.how to behave in an appropriate manner.

Views the classroom as him or her versus Views the classroom as him or her versus the students.the students.

ASSERTIVEASSERTIVE

The teacher identifies the expectations The teacher identifies the expectations clearly and follows through with clearly and follows through with consistency.consistency.

The teacher explains to the students what The teacher explains to the students what behavior is unacceptable and acceptable.behavior is unacceptable and acceptable.

The consequences of various behaviors The consequences of various behaviors are made clear to the students. are made clear to the students.

An assertive teacher An assertive teacher understands the understands the needs for students to needs for students to have limits. have limits.

A positive attitude is A positive attitude is prevalent in an prevalent in an assertive teacher’s assertive teacher’s classroom.classroom.

Appropriate behavior Appropriate behavior does not go unnoticed does not go unnoticed in the assertive in the assertive teacher’s classroom.teacher’s classroom.

Classroom Discipline PlanClassroom Discipline Plan

RULESRULES

POSITIVE POSITIVE RECOGNITIONRECOGNITION

CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES

POSITIVE RECOGNITIONPOSITIVE RECOGNITION

Will motivate students Will motivate students to behave to behave appropriately.appropriately.

Reduces problem Reduces problem behaviors.behaviors.

Helps to build Helps to build relationships with relationships with students.students.

Increases students’ Increases students’ self-esteem.self-esteem.

CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES

Something that will not be liked by the Something that will not be liked by the students, but is never potentially harmful students, but is never potentially harmful to them.to them.

Consequences must be delivered to the Consequences must be delivered to the students as a choice.students as a choice.

Consequences do not have to be severe Consequences do not have to be severe or harsh to be effective.or harsh to be effective.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

Canter has been criticized for some of his Canter has been criticized for some of his suggestions to monitor classroom behavior, suggestions to monitor classroom behavior, such as writing the misbehaving student’s name such as writing the misbehaving student’s name on the board.on the board.

In an article in response to this criticism, Canter In an article in response to this criticism, Canter (“Assertive discipline: More than”) writes: “It (“Assertive discipline: More than”) writes: “It troubles me to find my work interpreted as troubles me to find my work interpreted as suggesting that teachers need only provide suggesting that teachers need only provide negative consequences – check marks or negative consequences – check marks or demerits – when students misbehave.” demerits – when students misbehave.”

Canter emphasizes that the key to an effective Canter emphasizes that the key to an effective assertive discipline program is to “catch” assertive discipline program is to “catch” students behaving appropriately by students behaving appropriately by recognizing them and supporting them when recognizing them and supporting them when they are being good.they are being good.

Canter’s wish is to assist new teachers in their Canter’s wish is to assist new teachers in their classroom management so they continue to classroom management so they continue to pursue education as a lifelong passion and pursue education as a lifelong passion and commitment.commitment.