In my school, the stereotypical students that got detention were those of two types. You had the children who couldn’t stop talking or were disruptive in some way in the classroom, and then you had the students who wanted to be anywhere than in the classroom and so behaved in any manner that would let them escape! Sound familiar? (Just to point out I was neither!)
Atkins et al. (2002) investigated whether detentions and suspension in urban, low-income schools were a punishment or a reward? They compared the rates of disciplinary referrals of the children who hadn’t received detention/suspension (never group), students who had had 1+ detention/suspension during fall but not spring (fall group) and students how had 1+ detention/suspension in each the fall and spring (fall + spring group). They found that the number of referrals over the year increased for the ‘fall + spring group’, highlighting that detention/suspension was functioning as a reward and not a punishment.
This study to me sounds far too familiar in many schools. So is it not time to re-vamp the punishment system… find something that actually will benefit children?
Upon researching I came across ‘Choice Theory’… let me expand!
Recently a large-scale study established there are 3 major characteristics that differentiate teachers who are able to manage pupils well to those who don’t. An effective teacher can be characterised as:
– Has insight to where the child’s behaviour has originated from and/or what is causing it
– Understand that no-one can actually control another individual
– Have control of themselves when dealing with the child’s behaviour.
Internal control psychology enables us to understand why individuals behave in a particular manner. Choice theory, like other internal control theories, argues that each behaviour exhibited by an individual has a purpose. That purpose involves satisfying biological and psychological needs (Survival, Love and Belonging, Fun and Enjoyment, Power and Self-worth, and Freedom).
This theory is called choice theory because all behaviour is our best effort, at that particular moment, to control ourselves. Individuals have full responsibility for their behaviour; they cannot be ‘made’ to do anything by another, and this is why authoritarian management (like used in schools) will not results in long-term behaviour change! Behaviour is internally motivated. Short-term compliance can be established via rewards and sanctions, but will also not result in long-term behaviour change.
When choice theory is used in the classroom as the teachers frame of reference, hey begin to notice how their efforts to control the students via nagging, criticising, punishing and rewarding demolishes the relationship that could be characterised as trustful and harmonic. Many schools that use internal control psychology instead of traditional coercive techniques associated with school discipline now stimulate responsibility and respect!
These types of schools can be identified by their methods to:
– Abolish punishment and instigate approaches that educate and support pupils
– Empower students as appose to control them
– Allow and encourage students to evaluate their own behaviours and reflect on their individual learning strategies
– Encourage discussion about ‘quality’
– Establish a recognition between students and teachers that they should be allies in a learning community and not enemies
Academics that spend a little more time planning how they will handle their classrooms to make sure that they are needs-satisfying environment for both staff and pupils, should find they have less episodes of disruption, violence and absence, and the children may even produce a higher standard of work! Win-win all round I think!
So let’s see a little less detention and suspension, and standing outside the class… and lets have a little more understanding!
Every Student Can Succeed (2001) – describes what to do and say to challenging students.
Theory in the Classroom (1998) – proposes the use of learning teams to capture the excitement students experience in sport.
The Quality School Teacher (1998) – outlines he specifics that teachers need to create a quality classroom.
The Quality School (1998) – discusses the need to replace coercive management with systems that bring staff and students closer together.
Schools without Failure (1969) – proposes a programme based on involvement, relevance and thinking
cassharp 