Teachers Q&A

I have two students that continue to test me and what the consequences will be. I have discussed their behavior with them one on one when we are both calm. We have thought of solutions together. The students have chosen their choice of solution. It would work for a few minutes and then back at it again. Interesting enough a solution has been offered that consists of asking the student to stop. They choose this one and within a few minutes are doing the behaviors again.

I'd like your opinion on the following discipline technique used by one of my 7th grade son's teachers: 
My son's table (4 students) was told to leave the classroom during correction of a test because someone at the table was talking. The teacher knew who was talking. She told all four students that the guilty party needed to come forward and confess or the three non-guilty students needed to confidentially come forward and tell her who was doing the talking. 

Question:

Questions:

I've got a student whose frequent behavior is slamming books on desks, disrupting other students, giving dirty looks, and calling me a dirty bitch—suggestions please?

Q. Is there any teaching style (i.e. cooperative classroom vs. traditional teacher centered classroom) that is more conducive to a disciplined class when students are lower level and are lacking in the basic social skills?  If you feel that one is better than the other, will you please give a reason for this.

Thank you for your input here.  This idea is one that is important to me and the students in my Encouraging Student Discipline and Responsibility class. 

 

Q. I wanted to tell you how much the positive discipline techniques have helped my teaching. I experimented with class meetings at the end of the past year. It was a great success. Let me begin by telling you that I teach band. I tried the meetings with my small bands (approx. 25 people). I want to try to have meetings with my high school band, but there are 50 people in that class. I don't know if I have enough time to have meetings with that many people and still get all the work done that I need to get done. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for my situation.

To: Jane Nelsen

Our K-4 elementary school punishes minor infractions with detention. This has come to, for some teachers, standing facing the wall at recess from 10 to 30 minutes depending on the seriousness or number of infractions. Many parents have requested a more constructive method of discipline. Any suggestions?

Dear Jane Nelsen

I am concerned with my daughter's kindergarten teacher saying, "I hear a tattle-teller" when the children bring their problems to her. I feel that this statement negatively labels appropriate behavior for five-year-old children. I would prefer she first listen to the problem, consider offering the children appropriate suggestions, and encourage them to work out the problem themselves if possible.