CANTER AND CANTERCLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

By: Maria Elena BrionesAnd

Lindsay Geiger

Learning Objective Following the lesson, Power Point

presentation, our colleagues will be able to identify assertive classroom management practices by listing at least three examples of its use in the classroom.

Lee and Marlene Canter Met in 1968 while attending college Lee wanted to be a teacher, Marlene

wanted to be a social worker specializing in children

Married in 1970, both hoping to make a difference in children’s lives

Marlene had a student with very disruptive behavior, which led the assertive behavior idea

Key Concepts and Ideas Teachers should insist on responsible

behavior from all students Students need it Parents want it and community expects it

Teacher failure goes hand in hand with discipline, keep discipline firm

Teacher and Student BER

(Basic Educational Rights) Teachers have basic educational rights in the classroom:-establish a learning environment-request and expect appropriate and good behavior-the right to ask for help when needed

Students also have basic educational rights in the classroom:-have teachers who limit misbehavior-the right to choose how to behave while knowing/understanding the consequences

In order for this to work, teachers must communicate their expectations and follow up with consistent consequences for the misbehaviors.

Assertive TeachersDescribed by Lee Canter

Teach students how to behave Establish clear rules for the classroom Communicate the rules to students Teach the students how to follow them Use positive reinforcement Praise every student at least once a day Use firm and consistent negative

consequences for rule breakers (Only as a last resort)

Assertive Discipline Involves

Catching students being good Recognizing them when they behave appropriately Let them know you like their behavior Identify expectations clearly. Be willing to say "I like that" or "I don't like that". Be persistent in stating expectations and feelings. Use a firm tone of voice. Maintain eye contact. Use nonverbal gestures in support of verbal statements. Use hints, questions, and I-messages rather than demands or requests for

appropriate behavior. Follow-up with promises (reasonable consequences, previously established)

rather than with threats. Be assertive in confrontations with students; include the use of statements

of expectation, indicate consequences that will occur, and note why action is necessary.

Most important BE CONSISTENT

To become more assertive using discipline

Practice assertive response styles. Set clear limits and consequences. Use follow-up procedures that are consistent Make specific assertive discipline plans and

rehearse them mentally. Write things down; do not trust to memory. Practice the 'broken record' technique when

reinforcing expectations. Ask school principals and parents for support

in your efforts to help students.

Specific Strategies Recommended

Request appropriate behavior hints, I-messages, questions, demands

Deliver the verbal limit using tone of voice, eye contact, gestures,

physical touch Use the broken record technique

Have a Discipline Plan Allows you to be consistent No plan leads to inconsistencies Apply it fairly to all students Send plan home to parents

Discipline Plan Components

Maximum of five consequences for misbehavior (Warning, 10 min timeout, 15 min timeout, Call to parents, Principal’s office).

Teacher must be comfortable with consequences

Need to be in the best interest of the students

No psychological or physically harmful punishment should ever be used

Assertive not Negative It is not a negative program Can be misused by negative teacher If teachers can’t become more positive,

they shouldn’t be teaching

Positive Discipline Three-step cycle of behavior management to establish a

positive discipline system.

1) Teach specific behaviors.2) Use positive repetition as reinforcement when they follow

directions (“Jason went back to his seat and got right to work” not “Bobby, you didn’t go back to your seat.”)

3) Use negative consequences outlined in Discipline plan only after at least two positive behaviors have been reinforced.

Focusing on negative behavior teaches students that negative behavior gets attention, that the teacher is a negative person and that the classroom is a negative place. (canter, 1989)

Think Pair ShareAssertive Actions

Think Pair ShareAssertive Comments

Positive Consequence Examples

Personal attention from the teacher Positive notes to parents Special rewards (i.e. spelling certificates) Special privileges (lunch with the

teacher) Material rewards (stickers, erasers, pens,

etc.) Group rewards (marbles in a jar) Word on the board (Ice Cream) for whole

class ice cream party

ReferencesCanter, L. (1989). Assertive discipline: more than names on the board and marbles in a jar. The Phi Delta Kappan, 71(1), 57-61. doi: JSTOR. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20404058

Malmgren, K. (2005). Models of classroom management as applied to the secondary classroom. The Clearing House, 79(1), 36-39. doi: JSTOR.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/30182104

The canter model of discipline. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.teachermatters.com/classroom-discipline/models-of- discipline/the-canter-model.html