Although first year students complete their internships, many of them do not operate in full capacity until they are certified and offered a teaching position. Until they get their feet wet, new teachers must try out different discipline philosophies before settling on one that compliments their education philosophy. The Assertive Discipline philosophy may be a good starting approach for new teachers, as it caters to the needs of the teacher.
The Assertive Discipline approach, which was created by Lee Cantor, satisfies the teacher's needs rather than focusing on the students' needs. The philosophy emphasizes punishing unacceptable behaviors and reinforcing positive behaviors, by using reinforcements that are pleasing to the teacher. The Assertive Discipline model requires the teacher to be assertive, self-assured, and confident.
There are six basic steps to implementing the Assertive Discipline model. The first requires the teacher to establish a positive student-teacher relationship. Teachers have to build genuine relationships with their students in order to gain their trust and respect. Once relationships are knitted, it is important that teachers model trust and respect themselves. The second step is for teachers to define expectations and establish rules and consequences that are verbally and thoroughly communicated to the students, and written out and displayed for at a glance reference.
Misbehavior must be carefully tracked so that students are aware they are being monitored and that they are in danger of receiving negative consequences for their behavior. It is important for teachers to follow though on consequences. One commonly used consequence endorsed by Cantor is "time-out." Time-out is a form of isolation, whereby the student is placed in a screened part of the classroom without view of their class members. Time-out typically works best with elementary school children.
Teachers must be cognizant to implement a system of positive consequences. Some teachers spend so much time dealing with unacceptable behavior that they forget to acknowledge exemplary behavior. It is essential for teachers to recognize good behavior, as this illustrates to the class what type of behavior pleases the teacher. Children that receive positive consequences are more likely to repeat their good behavior.
Another essential component of the Assertive Discipline approach includes creating and maintaining strong parent support. Teachers should make every effort to keep in constant communication with parents. This can be achieved through parent-teacher meetings, conference calls, and notes. Teachers should also make parents aware of classroom disciplinary rules and guidelines, so that they can provide support on the home front when necessary.
Although the Assertive Discipline's primary focus is on the teacher, the approach does benefit the student. When teachers implement Assertive Discipline, students are limited in their exposure to inappropriate behavior. Learning environments free of constant disruptions provide students an area to perform at peak level and excel in their academic endeavors.
For first year teachers, classroom discipline is an area of challenge. Perhaps you chose to earn a teaching degree online through online classes and have had little field experience. If you have not discovered your discipline philosophy, you may want to consider adopting the Assertive Discipline philosophy and see how well it works for you. In the meantime, take time to review all of the classroom discipline philosophies and find one that best fits your teaching style and adopted education philosophy.
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