Dreikurs theory for classroom management
The Dreikurs theory for classroom management, sometimes called Rudolf Dreikurs' theory of Social Discipline, acts as a framework for thinking through how to respond to problem behaviors in the classroom.
"There are no shortcuts; there are no pat prescriptions. Much [of successful classroom management] depends on the individual personality of each teacher, on intangibles, on subtle expressions of attitudes, of emotional dynamics and almost spiritual values" [1]. This quote sums up why I am, at least for the purposes of this article, taking a stance and subscribing to a single theory of dealing with problem behaviors. I generally believe that theories in the psychology world should be used to build an individual's understanding of the world but should not be stated as if they are fact, as psychology is a soft science. However, Rudolf Dreikurs theory of Social Discipline acts more as a framework for thinking through how to respond to problem behaviors. Now, Dreikurs' theory reaches far beyond dealing with problem behaviors, reaching into overall strategies for running an effective classroom [2] and has even been expanded into how to raise children and encourage them through their development [3]. In this essay, we will only be exploring Dreikurs' theory as it relates to the classroom. Another reason I'm comfortable with Dreikurs' theory is because aligns well with current neuroscientists' research on motivation and consciousness [4]. But without further ado, I will briefly explain the rules I will have in my classroom and then jump into an exploration of what Dreikurs' theory can be used in the classroom.
Rules[edit]
I will have three rules for my classroom. These are not based in research, but instead based on the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) system at the middle school where I am completing my Teacher Assistant Practicum. They have three schoolwide rules, which are as follows:
- Be respectful.
- Be responsible.
- Be safe.
I like these rules for a couple of reasons. First, they are not a list of things students are not allowed to do. Instead, they are a list of things students should be. That kind of language is more positive in nature and, in my experience, resonates better with the younger generation. Secondly, the rules are broad but not vague. They're broad enough to cover a very wide variety of behaviors but have clear meanings. All of the students I've talked to at the school have understood what the words respectful, responsible, and safe mean. When these rules got introduced, all of the students in the school were assigned worksheets to complete, showing they know what types of actions are and are not respectful, responsible, or safe. Upon seeing my students respond to these, I have no doubt in my mind that these rules are clear and meaningful to them.
Step-by-Step Plan[edit]
Warning[edit]
In Dreikurs' method, the very first step in dealing with behaviors is always identifying the student's goal in acting out. We will explore the four goals a student may have later in the section about specific problem behaviors. In any case, this is done by analyzing how you as the teacher feel when the child displays the misbehavior, how you as the teacher may have responded in the past, and how the child responded to your previous attempts to correct the behavior [5]. Once the student's goal has been identified, the teacher should approach the student and gently ask him if they could be acting in the way they are in order to accomplish whichever of the four goals applies. In Dreikurs' own words, "It is most dramatic to watch the child, how he first considers it, and then the corners of his mouth begin to expand in a knowing smile and a gleam appears in his eyes. He begins to recognize what he was up to"[6].
Natural Consequence[edit]
After discussing the student's behavior with him, the student should face the consequences that naturally come as a result, assuming the student is safe [7]. For instance, if a student doesn't study for a test, the teacher should not reprimand him. Instead, the student will likely not do well on the test, which is a natural consequence that makes sense to the student. In the case of a student goofing around with a Bunsen burner, though, it may not be safe to let the student face the natural consequence. So, the teacher should use wise judgement to determine if the natural consequence of an action is safe. And if it is, that should be the student's punishment.
Logical Consequence[edit]
In the case that recognizing their behavior and facing the natural consequence does not defer the student from repeating the behavior, the student should face a logical consequence [8]. In Dreikurs' model, to be logical, a consequence must be related, respectful, and reasonable. In the example brought up earlier of a student not studying then doing poorly, a logical consequence would be the teacher making that student fill out a short worksheet that requires them to properly explain the material they missed on the test. This consequence is related because the worksheet deals with content from the test that the student missed. It is respectful because in having the student complete the worksheet, the teacher is demonstrating that he believes the student can understand the content. Finally, it's reasonable because it's not a massive amount of work.
Behavior Plan[edit]
If misbehavior continues even after the completion of a logical consequence, the teacher's focus should be on avoiding reinforcing the student's behavior and continuing logical consequences. (Dreikurs, 1986). It may be a good idea to re-evaluate what the student's goal may be with their behavior at this point, as well. Assuming the student's goal was properly identified, the teacher may avoid reinforcing the behavior based on which goal the student has. Dealing with each of the goals on a day-to-day manner will be expounded upon in the section about specific problem behaviors.
Preventative Measures[edit]
My absolute number one, most important preventative measure is building relationships with students so that I can encourage them and help them meet their social needs. This not only aligns with Dreikurs' theory [9], but it also aligns with other researched classroom strategies that are not specifically aligned with a single disciplinary theory[10] [11] [12] [13]). Mendler, Curwin, and Mendler, though not specifically aligned with Dreikurs' theory give what I consider a rather robust list of practices to build and sustain relationships with students[14]. This list includes items such as greeting each student every day, calling students by name frequently, knowing your students and building on their strengths, and more. More importantly than lining up with scholarly research, I believe that this idea of building relationships to prevent problems is Biblical. In 1 Thessalonians chapter five, Paul is writing to the Church in Thessalonica about avoiding "the darkness" and "the night," which are terms he is using to refer to unwise and unholy behavior. Paul states in verse ten that Jesus died for us so that we can live together with Him, away from the darkness. In order to do this, Paul instructs us in verse eleven to, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up" (ESV). While this is technically in the context of Church members keeping each other from falling and acting unrighteously, the basic principle is the same as my strategy for preventing problem behaviors in the classroom: know your students so you can help meet their social needs by making them feel like they belong and encouraging them just as Church members are called to encourage one another.
Specific Problem Behaviors[edit]
In Dreikurs' 1968 book, Psychology in the Classroom[15], he lays out four specific goals that students have when they misbehave. First, students misbehave because they're seeking attention. Secondly, students may be attempting to gain or display power and superiority over the teacher. Third, the student may be trying to get revenge. Finally, the student may be displaying either real or imagined inadequacy in order to get out of participating or doing work. These four goals have since been expanded upon, but still serve as the basis for understanding and responding to student behavior in Dreikurs' model[16]. Dreikurs gives pretty clear advice in responding to students who are seeking attention. He says, "a child who has tried to attract attention by destructive methods should be given opportunities to get special praise and recognition for useful efforts and accomplishment"[17]. Essentially, the way to handle attention seeking students is by ignoring any means through which the student tries to get attention that are disruptive and praise the student for his or her positive, constructive actions. In doing this, Dreikurs argues, the student will learn to seek attention through accomplishment rather than by creating distractions. "Difficult as it is to resist the child's provocation when he seeks attention, it is even more difficult to restrain oneself when he strives for power"[18]. These are the students who seemingly have no respect for the teacher. They are willing to start contests of power to show that the teacher does not deserve respect. To paraphrase Dreikurs' advice in responding to students who desire power, their desire is likely rooted in a deeper feeling of inferiority and is an attempt to relieve this feeling. Pulling a student off his high horse will only increase these negative feelings that are motivating him. So instead of displaying power over the student, the teacher should talk to the student privately and admit defeat. If the teacher can then get the student to realize the many difficulties teachers face, the student may realize that he has it in his power to help the teacher. If nothing else, Dreikurs argues that admitting defeat to a student disarms them because an uncontested fight for power proves nothing[19]. "The revenge-seeking child is so deeply discouraged that he feels that only by hurting others, as he feels hurt by them, can he find his place"[20]. In Dreikurs' model, revenge-seeking students are convinced so deeply that they are unlovable, they want to get back at the world and make others feel the way they feel. The only solution to revenge-seeking behavior, as is the case for all problem behaviors in Dreikurs' model, is to solve the root issue. In this case, that means making the student believe he can be and is loved. Methods for helping revenge-seeking students take perseverance and resilience on the teacher's part to not give in and stop loving the student. These methods may include group discussions to help promote mutual understanding and finding another student to be the revenge-seeker's "buddy." "As it is, most children have no difficulty in convincing the teacher that their own disbelief in themselves is correct"[21]. Children who don't believe in their own abilities are all too common in the world. Students like these often avoid trying because they don't want to fail after an honest effort. This is how normal-to-smart kids get labeled as having a learning disability. Dreikurs' 1968 book, Psychology in the Classroom,[22] doesn't even give a great solution to the problem of students not believing in themselves. He simply restates that the teacher must have a friendship with the student, then turn that friendly attitude into "constructive actions"[23]. He does give a little more solid advice in his book, Discipline Without Tears. He says that "Every possible attempt should be made to make the discouraged child feel worthwhile"[24]. Essentially, Dreikurs is saying here that the way to get a student to believe in himself is by believing in him and not giving up on him.
Conclusion[edit]
In conclusion, the way a teacher should respond to student misbehavior is counter to what may feel natural. In a roundabout way it makes sense, though. Students spend a lot of time around their teachers. If they have a strong desire for attention or power, they have a considerable amount of time to practice getting those things from their teachers. So, if a student is misbehaving in order to make a teacher feel or act a certain way, that teacher should probably not act that way. All-in-all, Dreikurs' theory is very flexible toward different teaching styles and leaves a large amount of space for building respectful relationships with students, meeting their needs, and encouraging them.
References[edit]
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Grey, L. (1968). A new approach to discipline: Logical consequences. New York, NY: Hawthorne Books. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Cassel, P.; Ferguson, E.D. (2004). Discipline Without Tears (Revised ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Search this book on
- ↑ Dinkmeyer, Don; Dreikurs, Rudolf (1978). Encouraging Children to Learn: The Encouragement Process. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Search this book on
- ↑ Miller, R.; Taylor, D. D. (1 July 2016). "Does Adlerian theory stand the test of time?: examining individual psychology from a neuroscience perspective". Journal of Humanistic Counseling. 55 (2). doi:10.1002/johc.12028.
- ↑ Tauber, R. T. (1999). "Classroom management: sound theory and effective practice".
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Grunwald, B. B.; Pepper, F. C. (1971). Maintaining sanity in the classroom: Illustrating teaching techniques. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1950). Fundamentals of Adlerian psychology. New York: Penguin. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Grey, L. (1968). A new approach to discipline: Logical consequences. New York, NY: Hawthorne Books. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dinkmeyer, Don (June 2976). "Logical Consequences: A Key to the Reduction of Disciplinary Problems". Phi Delta Kappan. 57 (10): 664–666. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Koul, A (2017). "Straight from the professional development classroom: A practical experience". Teaching Science. 63 (1): 49+.
- ↑ Mendler, B. D.; Curwin, R. L.; Mendler, A. N. (2008). Classroom strategies for the teacher. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd. Search this book on
- ↑ Tobia, V.; Riva, P.; Caprin, C. (May 2017). "Who are the children most vulnerable to social exclusion? the moderating role fo self-esteem, popularity, and nonverbal intelligence on cognitive performance and following social exlusion". Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 45 (4): 789–801. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0191-3.
- ↑ Mendler, B. D.; Curwin, R. L.; Mendler, A. N. (2008). Classroom strategies for the teacher. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Bitter, J. R. (1991). "Conscious Motivations: An Enhancement to Dreikurs' Goal of Children's Misbehavior". Individual Psychology: The Journal Of Adlerian Theory, Research & Practice. 47 (2): 210.
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Cassel, P.; Ferguson, E.D. (2004). Discipline Without Tears (Revised ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf (1968). Psychology in the Classroom (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Harper & Row. Search this book on
- ↑ Dreikurs, Rudolf; Cassel, P.; Ferguson, E.D. (2004). Discipline Without Tears (Revised ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd. Search this book on
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