Assignment One 2007

Part I
Write a “Code of conduct “for parents and caregivers who wish to create a positive family environment for their children.

It is important to lead teenagers to an understanding of authentic well-being in all parts of their lives. The following principles could be applied to create a positive family environment:
Let the family have a meal together at least once a day. Exchange and share the events of your day, your ideas and interests.
Respect their privacy, be patient, learn to listen.
Be a role model in your behavior in relation to tobacco, alcohol, drugs and medication.
Spend time with your children before they start to become teenagers.
Show genuine interest in their lives, hobbies and friends.
Show them what responsible behaviour is. Give them plenty of practice of making choices and an understanding of responsible choices. With time they are able to make their own decisions.
Make sure your children are aware of a balance of their rights and responsibilities. With time they will realize that responsibilities come with rights. For example: They tell us to which party they are going to go. Let them pick a time when they want to come home.
Have things planned for weekends. Suggest projects and entertainments. So everyone is looking forward to it.
Teenagers who have interest in sport, music, dance, all sorts of activities, are not at such a high risk of falling into drug dependence as others. These activities boost self-esteem and create healthy social networks.
Support your child's self esteem and make them aware of all the good things they do.
Keep the communication open and honest. Be approachable and let them come with their troubles. Let them express their opinion even if you don't agree.
Give them rewards if they behavior is responsible and exceptional.
If in doubt, admit that you don't know all the answers. . You don't need to handle this by yourself. Get some help.

Part 2
What are the essential elements of an adequate discipline module?

We are finding a great deal of constructive Classroom management strategies in Gasser’s descriptions of his Reality Therapy, Control Theory and Choice Theory. A more recent term for Glasser’s approach to management of students’ behaviour is NONCOERCIVE DISCIPLINE. It involves the process of review and revision, and assists in dealing to the needs of each individual student. We are focusing here on teachers helping the students become more responsible for their own behavior.

The implementation of an essential management plan would require the following for the teacher:
# know the students, their needs and interests
# engage students in planning meaningful and need satisfying learning experiences;
# involve students in decision making about classroom routines, procedures, fair rules and logical consequences;
# conduct regular forums with students to review and monitor the learning progress and environment;
# reflect with students, on instances of misbehaviour or conflict, and assist in identifying causes and possible solutions and
# facilitate and monitor plans for eliminating problems behaviours.


Furthermore we need to have an underpinning teacher plan intervention to help with the classroom management difficulties.

# Punishment should be applied without anger and
# It should be a logical outcome of the agreement they made with the teacher in the social group discussion.
# Punishment should be fair and known in advance
# Challenging behavior, should be clarified, described by the student and discussed with the teacher and the student.
# Clarifying the appropriateness and effectiveness of the misbehaviours in relationship in helping for learning and supporting the other students and seeing if it breaks the rules which were established in the Class environment.




Any effective discipline model must be based on a well- understood system of beliefs.
An adequate discipline model is, in my opinion, one which expresses a fundamental respect for the human individual.
In a democratic society, this will be a model which assists the student in processes of self-regulation. The ideas of both Glasser and Deikurs address this fundamental issue.

Part 3

Critically reflect on the theories of at least two Psychologists and apply their theories to techniques for improving student motivation.

With human society evolving so fast, bringing about constant changes in young people, educators need to look towards a diverse and flexible theory of classroom management which has to center around the integrated student who becomes an active student and strives towards higher thinking. We have to engage the student into creative activities which engage and connect them with the learning material. The student centered learning is all about an active learning.
Glasser’s “Choice theory” is one of the very important theories contributing towards a modern approach to classroom management with the focus on teachers helping the student to take responsibility for their own behaviours. Glasser introduced the concept of a teacher who is a leader, not a boss. To be a leader teacher means to become conscious of creating an environment with major focus on the relationship between student and teacher and to develop trust and respect for each other. In that kind of environment the student also sees that every person can only control their own behaviour.
Rudolf Dreikurs added another more pragmatic and, for my taste, more profound side to Glasser’s theory in claiming that people are basically of a social nature and want to belong to a social group. Student’s misbehaviour, according to Dreikurs, is associated with the four following goals: attention, power, revenge and inadequacy. The cause and effect of students misbehaviour is been met by logical consequences which are imposed by a higher authority.
I think it is most important for the student’s welfare to let the student be part of creating the rules for the classroom order so they are later been met by logical consequences. The classroom should be a happy and engaging place to be in. Instead of delivering everything to the young people, I make sure that the students will create together the material whilst working in groups. The lesson plans should be laid out in attainable goals and Glasser’s five needs should be met in the lesson with love, power, survival, freedom, fun and learning. Another big motivation for the student is his/her self- concept of how much can be achieved from each individual.

An educator who takes these approaches is likely to be one who believes in the potential success of each student. This is of the greatest importance. A teacher who communicates to the students that they all are on a journey which will lead to achievement is likely to achieve great results and to minimize disruptive behaviour in the classroom. This is the attitude which is embodied in the educational theories of Rudolf Steiner. He advocated a respect for the individual gifts of each child, and a reverence for the individual path of each. This is met by creative and artistic teaching methods, and compatible with Gardner’s theories of multiple intelligence:


“Reverence, enthusiasm and a sense of guardianship, there three are actually the panacea, the magic remedy, in the soul of the educator and teacher.” Rudolf Steiner