Classroom Discipline

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses Alfie Kohn's ideas about offering positive reinforcement in the classroom, engaging students in authentic decision-making and the differences between authoritarian and authoritative discipline. The paper looks at several other works, including those of J. Kounin, W.W. Wayson and M. LaCompte. The paper emphasizes how many students are not acquiring societal values and behaviors necessary for later on in their lives. The paper discusses the responsibilities of schools and teachers to teach appropriate behavior and promote discipline.

From the Paper:

"What is the best way to discipline students in a classroom? Up until about a decade ago, most educators believed in the traditional means of negative reinforcement when they do not follow the expected path. In 1996, Alfie Kohn argued for reversing this scenario: offering positive reinforcement when a student listens and behaves and desired. Schools will not become productive inviting places for learning until we move beyond bribes and threats. Instead of making snap judgments, "He is a problem child," it is necessary to look behind the scenes at the motivation that leads to behavior. The bottom line is engaging students in authentic decision-making and giving them real power."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Brophy, J. (1977). Child development and socialization. Chicago: Science Research Associates.
• Brophy, J. (1985). Classroom Management as Instruction: Socializing Self-Guidance in Students Theory into Practice, 24 ( 4), pp. 233-240.
• Kohn , A ( 1993) Choices for Children Why and How to Let Students Decide Phi Delta kappan
• Kohn, A. (1996). Beyond Discipline, Alexadra, VI: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
• Kounin, J. (1970). Discipline and group management in classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston

More papers on Classroom Discipline:

• Descriptive Essay # 107795 : "Promoting Classroom Discipline"
• Essay # 18733 : " "Building Classroom Discipline" by C. M. Charles"
• Research Paper # 106360 : "A Study of Assertive Discipline"

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