Discipline Answers

QUESTION: I want to make an banner for my room.  Do you have a good quote that would encourage students to make good choices? DR. MARSHALL’S RESPONSE: Here’s one I used in my classes: Responsibility finds a way. Irresponsibility finds excuses.  

QUESTION: I have a problem.  My entire school district has been requested to update our classroom discipline plans for review by the new superintendent before the end of August.  My principal knows how I feel about the punitive discipline approach used across our district.  Last year he allowed me leeway––I didn’t have to post rules, [...]

QUESTION: Today was the first day of school and I had quite a hard time with my first graders. I’m trying not to give consequences but my students did not respond very well when I asked them to identify their levels.  I also had a hard time coming up with questions to ask them when they [...]

QUESTION: I am a Computer specialist working with over 500 students a week.  I see most students only once a week for 45 minutes at a time. I’d like to try using  Discipline without Stress. From the Teaching Model I know I should begin by establishing classroom management procedures.  Can you help me with this? [...]

Last week I spent an evening with Teresa, an old friend of mine who just happens to be a fabulous grade six teacher at a nearby school.  As it always does, our talk eventually turned to two of our favorite subjects––teaching and whatever good books we’ve read lately! One thing I always admire about this [...]

In our second year of working with DWS, my teaching partner and I had a student with special needs.  Chronologically he was old enough to be in grade three but emotionally and cognitively grade one was a much better placement for him.  At that time I wrote about one experience with this boy that taught [...]

I recently came across a book from the public library and thought that I’d pass along the title for those who enjoy reading about Level D! The book is called “Everyday Greatness–Inspiration for a Meaningful Life.”  It’s actually a book of excerpts from Reader’s Digest that have been organized into various themes.  The Table of [...]

Several months after I’ve taught all four levels of the DWS Hierarchy, I like to read Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall. This story is especially valuable for discussing a DWS concept, that of ”choosing your teacher.”  In other words, when a student acts on a high level, the teacher is encouraged to respond in kind.  When a student acts on a low level, again the teacher [...]

QUESTION: I’ve  just ordered Dr. Marshall’s book.  I have read mixed reviews online but mostly everyone says positive things about DWS. RESPONSE: This is just a guess, but I would say that those who who feel they didn’t have much success with the DWS approach may have misunderstood the goal of the program or may [...]

QUESTION: I have a first grade girl who, no matter how many times she is asked about what level she is on and how she can change to Level C/D, will not change her behavior. At what point would you give a think sheet?  It was a VERY long first day of school! RESPONSE: During the [...]