I’ve learned a great lesson from my teaching partner, Darlene, who has wonderful “people skills.” We share a grade one class. She begins the year with a quick phone call to every family, starting with those children who look like they may eventually have some behavior issues. She simply asks the parents to let her [...]
A few years ago, I posted some ideas regarding good intentions that Darlene and I had learned in our workshops with Dr. Gordon Neufeld, a well-known Canadian developmental psychologist. Gordon’s ideas about attachments and relationships are quite unique and extremely helpful to anyone interested in using DWS. Here’s the gist of his ideas regarding good intentions: As [...]
What it looks like to be positive in a negative situation.
I think I work with the most masterful and quick-witted teacher alive! Here’s just one very small example of how Darlene took a negative situation (partly created by me!) and instantly found the positive kernel inside that could make a child feel encouraged and hopeful. For the month of June Darlene and I decided to work [...]
If discouragement is the problem, then encouragement must be the answer
Recently I surfed into a parenting blog. It featured the following quote that spoke of an ancient form of what I would call “discipline positivity!” In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and [...]
Incorporate some daily positivity – with riddles!
Dr. Marshall encourages teachers to remember that people always do better when they feel better. Because young people are no different than adults in this respect, one of the three principles that form the foundation of the Disicipline without Stress Teaching Model is Positivity. Dr. Marshall reminds teachers to develop a coaching mindset from which misbehavior is [...]
One day last February we learned that a new boy would be joining our grade one class. In an effort to be proactive, my teaching partner, Darlene, planned a class meeting the day before he arrived. She wanted to encourage the students to welcome the new child and she also hoped to avoid a situation [...]
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 the level of their own behavior (and they can accurately assess it [...]
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! [...]
Sharing My Latest DWS Success!
Posted by J.E., a member of the Discipline without Stress mailring. Here is my latest success: Last Friday, three third graders left their homeroom in route to my class (science) and on the way, chose to yell and scream and play an impromptu game of tag. (At my school, we don’t walk the kids from [...]
It seems that every year my teaching partner and I introduce the DWS Hierarchy a bit differently from the year before. As we’ve become more familiar with the bigger picture of using DWS throughout the course of an full school year, we worry less and less about the initial introduction. Over the years, we’ve experienced [...]
