Best Classroom Discipline strategies that stay IN the class
The question at hand is, “what are the most efficient ways to discipline students in the classroom?” During my 2nd semester of observing my cooperating teacher this year, I noticed that her go-to discipline action was to send students either to the “office” or the “reset room”. This is in the PE setting, and I believe that students need a daily period of PE, so this seems harsh and lazy on the teacher’s POV. Her reasoning for not wanting to deal with the students is that “I’ve given them too many choices”, or “they don’t deserve another chance”. These are excuses, and I believe that my CT is being on the lazy side and doesn’t want to interact with these troubling students. Some methods that I have seen work are: having a conversation with the troubled student, putting them in a temporary “timeout”, give them a choice between different discipline actions, and last, positive discipline. Some findings that I have found include; Students lose retention, skills, and social opportunities when they are sent out of the classroom. This is an old-fashioned discipline action, and often this is what students are looking for. Also, Giving PE students physical engaging punishments as discipline works at a higher clip than sending students to the office or reset room, when measuring retention rates and overall participation. Lastly, Tinto’s model of student attrition and Knowle’s theory of adulting both support in-class discipline, and having student leave class does not benefit anyone.
EDUC321- Classroom Relations & Management
Dr. Brian Kaelin
Poster Judging Contest (L203: 10am – Noon)