A teacher can play an enormous role in shaping the lives of youngsters, in passing along not only educational content, but overseeing the entire classroom environment, managing and modeling behavior, with the potential to loom over students as a powerful figure of authority and influence. Unlike the parent, however, the teacher need only preside until the 3’o clock bell. Teachers can call it a week each Friday, or say farewell for good in late June. The temptations to use methods that work short-term are therefore greater – hence the many class lessons we see that involve candy or treats. But I believe an enlightened teacher, armed with knowledge of the student-centered management philosophies above, would want nothing more then to see their students thrive long-term, both academically and behaviorally. The initial benefit of this would be the peaceful classroom environment which, if achieved, makes the job much more pleasant day in and day out, but understanding the long term developmental needs of kids is paramount. If the responsibility of the teacher is to prepare students for later life, the roles played in doing so are numerous: surrogate parent, psychologist, social worker, cop, etc. Elementary classrooms in particular become microcosms of the outside world, with their own population, organization, sociopolitical hierarchy and even a form of economy, where the prevailing currency is a combination of time and attention, dictated by influence through communication and personality. The teacher is the logical starting point, as coordinator of activities, but can be as dictatorial or benevolent as any captain of a ship, or world leader, loved, feared or hated all at once. In this mini-society, the teacher must negotiate the fact that some kids lead others via their popularity, appearance, physical strength, or force of their personality. Misbehavior can chew into valuable class time, giving each kid power the ability to seize center stage if they dare. So it is crucial to form and maintain viable rapport with each student to maximize useful class time. A generation gap can render the teacher “uncool” unless she can make inroads. Inevitably, trouble may brew and it will specifically be the handling of these situations that will test the teacher in the eyes of the students, building or shaking confidence with each interpersonal exchange. In the end, a democracy may be the best vehicle to give voice to all, and rule not by decree but by the considerations common to teacher and student alike.
In applying the theories of Gordon, Kohn or Dreikurs, the teacher’s role differs from the parent in that they are applying the theories wholesale, without the time to explore with as much depth for each student, but teachers should apply the principles consistently nonetheless. Whether using active listening, deducing underlying causes, or enlisting student help in conflict resolution, application of the theories should be similar for parents, though teachers must operate within all professional boundaries for issues such as disciplining, privacy, guidance and reporting, while parents observe a different set of rights and privileges. In instructional practice, each of the three theories discusses how valuable establishing teacher-student relationships are to a nurturing learning environment based on fairness and honesty. Kohn’s approach seems more targeted towards the concerns in schools then the psychology of relationships in general, but certainly all address the adult-child dynamic and comment on how misuse of power can affect young lives. As educators deal with many more children in the course of a day then other adults, the methods prescribed by Gordon, Dreikurs and Kohn can be used as a formula, with the intention of becoming more adept in recognizing cues and providing helpful reactions or interventions. Some of the action plans developed through Dreikurs’ work may be more deductive, asking teachers to determine which type of consequence is right in each situation, but the three theories all agree in enlisting students’ participation, giving evaluation-free feedback, rethinking traditional adult practices like undue praise and resisting rewards. Though individual schools may differ in application of behavior guidelines, disciplining and consequences for rule breaking, each teacher who has exposure to a variety of philosophical theories should be able to tailor their classrooms to match their personal convictions to make the most of instruction time.
My Take on the Philosophies: Pros, Cons and Classroom Uses
Till now, I’ve believed that establishing parental control and expecting obedience was in the best interest of a child who may be too young to understand “complex” adult matters like safety, schedules, and more. I felt that many parents today overly molly-coddle their young, or allow their children to “rule the roost” and I wanted to avoid that, but I now know I improperly connected good behavior with obedience a la Gordon’s You-messages. I am guilty of raising my voice, using time-outs and ordering around my girls. Even with love and best intentions, long-term child development requires parental self-discipline, patience and understanding. For example, I keenly recall how my demands for compliance escalated in times of defiance – just the opposite of the guidance a child needs to become more responsible, independent and aware for the long term. I was in fact demonstrating how to engage in a power play, and by example, doing a wonderful job of training my daughter how to never back down. Upon understanding these alternative philosophies I can only wonder how much of my children’s rebelliousness is in reaction to the authority imposed upon them. Especially as a beginning teacher, I now see the importance of how things are stated to children, and how their accomplishments or actions are constantly seen through an adult prism and judged as worthwhile or not. I do not believe making children behave is possible without traumatizing discipline, but that it is entirely possible that by modeling self-control and cognitive structuring consistently, these habits can rub off. In times of misbehavior or conflict, demonstrating poise and how to thoughtfully regroup and re-approach a situation can convey a calming, nonjudgmental methodology whose constant re-use can gradually become second nature. Lest anyone believe this means “yielding” to a child, it’s more the way water in a stream gives way to, but eventually shapes a stone. Working out problems more deliberately and less confrontationally has a beneficial and equalizing effect where adult and child come to understand their own relational behavior more deeply.
I am very much in favor of using these methods as absolute go-to formulas for forming student-teacher relations on a daily basis. Particularly Kohn, whose up-to-the minute research speaks volumes. Dreikurs’ four causes for misbehavior may be too few for the social complexities of 2007, but the concept of searching for underlying motives is still a valuable part of the overall student-centered classroom. Gordon’s program was the most comprehensive, overlapping the others in many ways, but has sort of a “packaged” feel with its proprietary catchphrases. These minor points do not detract from the powerful overall message conveyed in tandem by all three philosophies. The old saying “There is a difference between doing something 99 times and one hundred” reminds us that every child learns at a different pace and that providing opportunity and unwavering support is essential – more so then any content in the curriculum. The extra effort needed to turn so many learning opportunities into a long-term behavior plan may be seen as a disadvantage, battling the competing negative influences such as peers, dictatorial relatives or mass media messages, but it is my hope that children would steadily gravitate to a teacher who offers evaluation-free encouragement and the trust and respect of an equal.
References
Gordon, T. (n.d.). The Case Against Disciplining Children At Home Or In School. Retrieved June 27, 2007 from Project NoSpank Website:
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
