Discipline Answers

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 not have spent adequate time to study the entire Teaching Model before they began to implement  it.

I’m not sure why, but sometimes people have the mistaken impression that this program promises that once you introduce your students to the concept of being internally motivated, you won’t have any more discipline problems. Of course, this perception sets them up for great disappointment!  This approach doesn’t promise a complete end to discipline problems. Instead what it does promise is a roadmap (that doesn’t rely on rewards or punishments,) to guide teachers in dealing with students who have discipline problems. That’s the real goal.

One unique thing about this approach is that you can also use the same roadmap to benefit students who don’t have discipline problems. These kids grow amazingly with this program because they are given an opportunity to learn the value of becoming internally motivated. This is one of the main reasons I love this approach–it elevates everyone. Unlike most other discipline plans I read about, it’s not just focused on stopping unwanted classroom behavior. It’s focused on teaching students (of any age) about the highest level of human behavior–that which is internally motivated, that which comes straight from the heart!

It gives students concrete information that will allow them to consciously understand they always have choices in life. Each and every moment we are making choices, the results of which gradually but surely determine the quality of our lives. To me, this is perhaps the best feature of DWS: I can give my students a method for assessing choices on a moment to moment basis. (Notice I didn’t say that this approach ensures that they will always make the highest choice. That’s not a realistic goal. Instead my goal is to provide them with a tool that will allow them to make decisions for themselves–knowing full well their range of choices.)

Some teachers are interested in taking time to learn how to use DWS well and others are more focused on just finding some new trick that they hope will easily ensure the obedience of their students. Those who are simply looking for a quick trick often try out only parts of the Teaching Model–the parts that deal with actual discipline situations. They ignore the most important steps in the Teaching Model–the steps that would proactively give them the eventual success they are looking for and then wonder why they don’t see much success with the program.

The more that I work with this approach, the more I realize that it’s the first two parts of the program that make the biggest difference in creating a classroom that runs smoothly and encourages students to become self-disciplined.

PART ONE of the DWS Teaching Model explains the importance of good classroom management (which is different than student discipline.) In other words, a lot of discipline problems are actually created when teachers don’t proactively set up classroom routines and consistently have students practice them (with the expectation that they should be followed.) This is another DWS idea that I find very exciting and helpful––I can use procedures to teach students in a positive way to operate at an acceptable level of behavior (Level C in DWS language.)

PART TWO of the Teaching Model involves a study of three principles; positivity, choice and reflection. Each year I understand better how these principles can help me create a classroom environment where students are happy to take on more personal responsibility.

Learning to use DWS is a journey. Think of it in that way and you’ll find encouraging successes right from the start as you start to implement each smaller part of the overall plan!   If you have found value in being internally motivated yourself, you will be able to get the ideas of DWS across to your students!