- Get to know students and what motivates them.
- Develop strong, caring relationships with students.
- Build a strong, positive, inclusive classroom culture.
- Provide timely, positive feedback and reinforcement for positive behavior.
- Teach good decision-making skills and provide opportunities to practice them.
- Coach students to develop and practice self-regulation.
- Monitor student learning trajectories and intervene early when performance begins to slip.
- Monitor stress levels in the classroom and provide opportunities to “de-stress” and help students to manage stress in their lives.
- Give students meaningful input and choices about their learning and classroom operations.
- Keep discipline discussions and actions private and out of public view.
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Behavior, In Your Corner
An Approach to Discipline Worth Rethinking
Our goals when disciplining students are simple. We want the steps we take to result in improved behavior now and increased ability of our students to manage their behavior in the future. Unfortunately, the popularity of discipline approaches does not necessarily mean that they are aligned with these goals. In fact, one set of popular classroom discipline practices can generate unhelpful and even negative outcomes, including outcomes that work against our goals to modify behavior and prepare students for their futures. Such practices, often referred to as progressive consequences, behavior charts, or behavior management systems, risk teaching students unintended lessons and undermining development of self-regulation. They can even increase the misbehavior of some young people.
These disciplinary systems typically include a process in which students begin the day at a desired or highest level of behavior on a publicly displayed chart. As the day unfolds, students progressively lose points, or move to a lower level (often designated by a color) each time they exhibit undesirable or unacceptable behavior, as determined by the teacher or another adult. The bet is that public shaming and increasing threats of consequences will encourage behavior compliance and discourage students from engaging in off-task and unacceptable behaviors.
Ironically, this system works best for students who seek to please the teacher anyway; the students least likely to misbehave. For students who do not feel a strong connection with the classroom community, such shaming and threats hold little significance. For students who seek attention, this system offers a convenient and effective way to satisfy their need, even if it is in a negative context. For students who struggle to learn, the behavior charting system provides a roadmap for behavior that will distract attention away from their learning challenges and reduce the pain and embarrassment of having their struggles revealed.
Meanwhile, these approaches teach students to comply with the expectations of others, not build an internal system of self-regulation. While compliance will continue to play a role in life success, learning to manage one’s behavior without constant reliance on the wishes, expectations, and consequential threats of those in authority is at least of equal importance.
We can and should replace these practices with others that have shown more impact and effectiveness in changing behavior and building self-management skills. Here are ten actions to consider:
In Your Corner, Student Learning
The Danger of Another Cycle of Learning Loss
The term “learning loss” has been applied in a variety of contexts and used to describe multiple circumstances over the past months. However, the only accurate application of the term is in reference to pre-pandemic academic learning that was not reviewed, reinforced, and practiced to keep it fresh and retrievable. Of course, the loss does not have to be permanent. Past learning can be rebuilt with attention, practice, and application. Unfortunately, the time and effort necessary to restore previous learning presents an opportunity cost for new learning. Consequently, learning loss is something we want to avoid.
Sadly, we may be at risk of unintentionally creating yet another cycle of important learning loss. The learning at risk occurred in the context of the challenges and opportunities students experienced when face-to-face instruction was disrupted, and learning shifted to hybrid and virtual environments.
Our students absorbed many important lessons about learning and life over the past months. Yet, in a quest to return to normal we may be neglecting to review, reinforce, and support students to practice and build on some of this crucial learning.
Consider that as students were asked to learn at home they figured out how to use technology for more than practice and reinforcement. Technology became a crucial support for connecting, discovering, and creating experiences and knitting them into learning. Technology shifted from a “nice to have” to a crucial learning tool. How are students experiencing technology in their learning now? Are we building on what students have learned, or have we retreated to more traditional instructional practices?
The pandemic learning environment challenged students to become more independent and practice self-discipline. No longer was behavior monitored minute by minute. Progress became a more important measure of learning than the amount of time spent doing in-class activities. Failure to focus and giving in to distractions no longer carried an immediate reminder from the teacher. How are we supporting students to practice learning independence now? How are we giving students opportunities and challenges to reinforce self-discipline habits and decision-making skills?
No longer was the classroom teacher the only source of instruction and learning support. In fact, students often had many teachers, including siblings, parents, peers, online resources, and others. Learning was supported by multiple sources and included varied perspectives. If one strategy or approach did not work, students learned to turn to others for additional ideas and other sources of experience. How are we supporting students to seek out and benefit from instruction beyond our own and learn from insights and experiences that are not presented via professionally prepared lessons?
Learning in virtual and hybrid environments reduced the separation between academic learning and life. Boundaries between formal learning time and the rest of the day often blurred. Some learners discovered that strategies on which they relied for out-of-school learning also were effective for academic learning. Figuring out when to separate formal learning and when to blend learning with other activities was an important lesson, potentially with lifelong implications. How are we supporting students to integrate academic learning and life now? What are we doing to help students find a healthy and sustainable balance between formal learning and other life activities?
Of course, living and learning during the pandemic taught the importance of connecting, supporting, and taking care of each other. The pandemic was experienced as a common challenge and invited a shared response to a shared threat. Competition often faded into the background with the realization that “we are all in this together.” Supporting each other was important for everyone’s well-being. Are we nurturing an environment of caring and support with our students? Are we coaching students to support, collaborate, and share as they are learning? How are we helping students to keep competition in perspective and respond to it in a healthy manner?
It is true that some aspects of academic learning may not have been regularly and robustly reinforced during the pandemic and were temporarily lost. However, with review, practice, and meaningful application most if not all of that learning can be recovered. The good news is that the same is true for the learning and life skills gained during the pandemic. We can review, reinforce, and build on these skills and avoid having them become lost learning. When we do, we not only communicate recognition and respect for their learning, we also build on skills that will serve our students for life.
Communication, In Your Corner
In Your Corner, Thinking Frames
In Your Corner, Student Learning
In Your Corner, Student Learning
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Share your story and the tips you have for getting through this challenging time. It can remind a fellow school leader of something they forgot, or your example can make a difficult task much easier and allow them to get more done in less time. We may publish your comments.
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As much as we sometimes want to take control and tell students what they should do when they face a difficult challenge, it usually is best to position ourselves as coaches, reflectors, and supportive advocates.
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