Influencing Others About Punishments
How do I counter claims from traditionalists who believe punishment is mandatory? They believe that if a coach does not punish, a coach doesn’t have any discipline. RESPONSE: Standards must be kept. However, I focus on the positive and use contingencies—rather than focusing...
Disruptive Student Suggestions
QUESTION: I am using the RAISE RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM and feel like I am not only training my students, but training myself, also. It’s taking practice to learn to say “Certainly, when you have….” instead of “No!” But it’s working when I do. It...
Punishments to Embarrass
QUESTION: My two daughters, aged 7 and 9, attend a school in Sydney, Australia. Since they started there, I have been disturbed by a commonly used practice in the school. Children are rewarded and punished through the use of a happy versus a sad side of the board. Their names are...
Victimhood Thinking
My passion is to foster responsibility. In my seminars and in my books on education and on parenting, I refer to victimhood thinking and how to teach young people to be VICTORS—rather than victims. With this in mind, let me share an e-mail I received from my sister-in-law, Bobbie...
Discipline Need Not Be Punitive
I have a few questions. 1.) The school I work in is very entrenched in the idea that discipline EQUALS punishment. The students buy into this idea in that they seem to depend on punitive reactions from their teachers and parents. Teaching students what you expect seems not enough....
Bullying by Student and Parent
QUESTION: I am writing to you because I had a problem with a parent today and I really need some advice. One of my students behaves like a bully, hits his classmates and threatens to hit them outside the classroom. He pushes them or he sometimes makes them stumble. Today he used vulgarity. I...
Additional Thoughts on Discipline
Other Thoughts Relating to Discipline The ultimate use of power should be to empower others. That’s what our constitution is about. What we accomplish by threats and coercion must be maintained by force. What we accomplish by guiding and caring is self-propelling. Real power...
Punishment vs. Discipline
QUESTION: Can you give me an easy way to explain to someone the difference between punishment and discipline? RESPONSE: PUNISHMENT is what is done TO a person. DISCIPLINE is what is done FOR and WITH a person. ———- COMMENTS FROM OTHERS: “Discipline is understood...
Noise Levels
QUESTION: I have been working on teaching procedures for appropriate noise levels. I think the kids don’t really know how to control their voices very well yet and need specific instruction on how and why to do it—as well as a way to remember to do it. Any suggestions? RESPONSE...
Development & Impulse Control Cards
Learning a procedure to respond appropriately to impulses is described on the link at http://www.marvinmarshall.com/impulsemanagement.html. Level C for COOPERATION is in green, as is Level D. Although the goal for young people is to strive for level D motivation, either of these...