Dealing with disruptive behaviour is challenging. However, it is important for teachers to remember that they can’t directly control student behaviour, but they can only influence it.
Linda Albert, author of Cooperative Discipline, explains that teachers best influence student behaviour through cooperation. According to Albert, cooperation can be achieved through the 3 C’s - capability, connection, and contribution.
1) Helping students feel capable
How?
Correct mistakes in small steps, too many corrections are overwhelming;
Convey to students that learning is a process of improvement, not an end product;
Acknowledge the improvement and compare the student’s work only to his or her own past efforts;
Focus on past successes and ask students why they think they were successful in activities;
Make progress tangible, grades such as “B” and “satisfactory” tell little about specific accomplishments.
2) Helping students connect
As students develop positive relationships with classmates and teachers, they become more cooperative and helpful. “The Five A’s – acceptance, attention, appreciation, affirmation, and affection – are important in making connections” (Charles, 2005: 206).
How?
Communicate that it is all right for students to be as they are;
Greet students by name, listen to what they say, chat with them individually, recognise birthdays, send messages to absent students;
Show students that you are proud of their accomplishments/behaviour;
Make positive statements about students that recognise desirable traits (for example, helpfulness, cheerfulness, enthusiasm, kindness).
3) Helping students contribute
How?
Encourage students to help other students;
Ask students about routines, class requirements;
Invite students to improve the classroom environment.
Albert (quoted in Charles, 2005: 202) believes that "true cooperative understanding brings two prized results: First, the classroom can be transformed into a safe, orderly, inviting place for teaching and learning. Second, students have a good chance of learning to behave responsibly as well as achieving more academically".
Comments