Discipline Answers

Shared by Robin Tzucker on the DISCIPLINE Without STRESS Mailring: One of the reasons I like this system so much is that it feels much nicer to be in a place where everyone is treated equally. Kids don’t always need the same things, so there will always be plenty of times when we need to [...]

QUESTION: Next year, I’m going to be the first teacher in my school to implement DISCIPLINE without STRESS. My concern is that our school has a store and students can receive “Duck Bucks” for behaving, doing good deeds, etc.–our mascot is a duck. At the end of the quarter, the kids can buy things. I [...]

QUESTION: I am a student teacher in a 1st grade class. Love the kids but I have a really hard time getting them to listen during our morning meeting time! At least three are ADD but some are just immature. The kids seem to enjoy the activities and greetings I present but their inattention creates [...]

QUESTION: I have recently taken over a classroom, as a substitute for three weeks. The teacher of this classroom has been on leave for some time and the students have had many temporary teachers. I feel that I am using all the correct educational practices but the discipline problems in this class are extensive. I [...]

In the first year of our journey toward using Discipline without Stress at my K-6 school, staff members decided to focus on improving common concerns within the school as a whole. Our first goal was to improve student behavior at school assemblies. Following Part I of the DWS Teaching Model, we began by establishing school-wide [...]

In discipline situations, Dr. Marshall suggests that before moving to the second phase of the Raise Responsibility System—Checking for Understanding—effective teachers will first try to make use of various “unobtrusive techniques.” These are explained in detail on pp. 90-93 of DISCIPLINE WITHOUT STRESS, PUNISHMENTS or REWARDS. The use of very simple techniques involving body language, [...]

QUESTION: School has been in session for just two weeks. This is my first year of using the DISCIPLINE without STRESS approach. Already I find myself completely overwhelmed with discipline and behavior issues. I’m actually feeling quite a bit of stress about discipline! What should I do? DR. MARSHALL’S RESPONSE: Revisit the four-part DISCIPLINE without [...]

Dr. Marshall encourages teachers at any level, to establish classroom procedures as the first step in using the DISCIPLINE without STRESS Teaching Model. Regardless of the age of the students, an important procedure to teach on the first day of school, or a term, is one that allows the teacher to quiet the students and [...]

QUESTION: I have just finished reading the section of Dr. Marshall’s book, Discipline without Stress, Punishments or Rewards, dealing with the importance of creating, teaching and practicing procedures for attention management (p. 206-7.) I’d like some more ideas for how to effectively get the attention of students in the classroom. RESPONSE: Yes, it is a [...]

QUESTION: I teach kindergarten and all my students seem to be getting the idea of the levels. Today I found out that a special needs student will be joining my class. Although she is five years old, test results show that she is functioning at a 23-month old level. I am worried that this will [...]