Welcome to DISCIPLINE ANSWERS The intention of DISCIPLINE ANSWERS is to offer support to educators and parents using Dr. Marvin Marshall’s DISCIPLINE without STRESS approach to promote self-discipline and responsible behavior. Kerry Weisner, a teacher of more than 30 years, from British Columbia, Canada, shares her own enthusiasm, experiences and thoughts, as well as those of Dr. Marshall, and members of the DISCIPLINE Without STRESS mailring. The goal is to encourage and help those who see value in motivating youth to act from a place of internal motivation. Most questions featured on this site were originally posed on the DISCIPLINE without STRESS mailring: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Disciplinewithoutstress/ Kerry shares three teaching positions, all with the same partner: a grade one classroom and two literacy positions, working with struggling readers aged 12-19, at a regular middle school and an alternate high school. Please feel free to respond or share your own experiences by using the comment box under each entry. |
How can I control voice levels during centers?
QUESTION:
I’m looking for some different things to try to control the student voice level during centers. I really don’t believe that whispering is a natural thing for anyone, adults included. That said, in order for me to work with small groups I need them to be quieter than their regular talking voice level. I have [...]
For some students, they see “sub” and think “anarchy!”
QUESTION:
As a grade 7-12 substitute teacher, I was thinking of “travelling” with the ABCD poster and briefly explaining it, but I wondered if that would be too disruptive to kids if I’m only with them for a day or two. I’m finding that getting good behavior as a sub is far more difficult than when [...]
Can I use DWS in a small group/pull-out situation?
QUESTION:
I teach small groups in a reading pull-out program. I have students for 30-45 minutes every day. Do you think I could implement the Discipline without Stress approach effectively in my small group setting?
RESPONSE:
It is certainly possible to use the DWS approach in a small-group teaching situation. DWS is an effective tool to motivate students [...]
Role-playing Level C – a good idea!
Sherry, a fabulous grade six teacher at my school, mentioned to me one day that when she sees a child operating on Level B in her classroom, she uses the opportunity to do some role-playing. After she has asked the student to assess their level of behavior (and they can accurately assess it as Level [...]
Isn’t DWS very similar to Love and Logic?
A response by Claudia Payne, a member of the DWS Mailring:
My school has spent a great deal of money training us on L&L. Buy DWS. It includes Jim Fay’s philosophy and is much easier to use since it is a “system” and can be used “publicly” without any demeaning of the student.
When I need to [...]
How do I help students realize they are responsible for their own grade?
QUESTION:
I teach a 10th grade remedial math class. My problem is this: Very few of the students are doing their home and class assignments. I am trying to get them to realize how it’s affecting their grade, however I noticed that whenever I give them a progress report they seem to feel that I am [...]
My students are too young to write a reflection sheet.
QUESTION:
Occasionally I feel the need to give one of my Kindergarten students a reflection sheet but at this age they can’t write. Then what?
DR. MARSHALL’S RESPONSE:
Establish a reflection table for misbehaving students with the comment, “It seems to me that you need some reflection time to bring your behavior to a higher level. On one [...]
With all these reflective questions, B students are getting all the attention!
QUESTION:
I want to recognize my Level C and D students more but it seems that the B ones are getting all the attention; I keep having to asking them reflective questions! For example, if they are all squirmy and loud in the hall I have been asking them, “Do you think your behavior is [...]
10-15 students are arriving late – every day!
QUESTION:
I am currently in a situation where I am the permanent teacher, taking the place of another teacher. I have been in this position for about 3 weeks now, and I have noticed that many students arrive late every day. Not just one or two but 10-15 students are arriving late to my class! [...]
How can I handle students who won’t take no for an answer?
QUESTION:
I teach a class of remediation seniors who have not passed the high school exit exam. They are very difficult to control. Nothing fazes them. There are two or three who simply do not take no for an answer. They ask to go to the bathroom, get a drink, make a phone call. I say [...]
