Synthesis Reaction Paper

There are multiple foundational theories for the interacting models of classroom

management. The first is Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs Cognitive-Social Theory.

They hold the belief that we are all social beings with one ultimate desire or goal to feel

a sense of belonging and acceptance. Due to this principle, they state that teachers should

foster a democratic classroom where students have the freedom to explore with the

understanding of responsibilities and consequences and where the teacher is firm, but

kind when addressing the class. Dreikurs states that when students misbehave, it is due to

one of the four mistaken goals including attention, power/control, revenge, or fear of

failure. This has implications for teachers because they should seek to understand the

reasoning behind student behavior before addressing it. (Adler and Dreikurs Cognitive-

Social Theory) The second is William Glassers Reality and Choice Theory. Similar to

Adler and Dreikurs, Glasser believes that love and belonging are students most basic

needs and that students behaviors are driven to satisfy these needs. His theories state that

although we cannot always control the situation, we can choose our behaviors. Glassers

approach is to help students assume responsibility for their chosen behavior through self-

evaluation and reflection. (Glasser Reality and Choice Theory)

There are five interacting, or democratic, models of classroom management that

we have discussed in class. The first among these models is Linda Alberts Cooperative

Discipline. Albert believes that students choose their behavior and misbehave to achieve

one or more of the four mistaken goals mentioned above. She urges teachers to focus

on the behavior, not the student when addressing the misbehavior. Alberts model also

gives the strategy of using class jobs to help students become capable, connected, and
contributing. Another one of the models is Jane Nelsens Positive Discipline. Nelsen

takes the democratic approach by stating that there are rights within a classroom

teachers have a right to teach and students have a right to learn. She stresses the

importance of a discipline that teaches through the use of logical consequences in the

classroom. A third interacting model is Curwin and Mendlers Discipline with Dignity.

They believe that teachers should refrain from using critical or harsh remarks when

correcting student behavior. The focus is clearly on treating students with dignity and

speaking to students in the same way that the teachers would expect to be spoken to.

There is also The Responsive Classroom. This model encourages teachers to know

about student backgrounds for cultural competence and student engagement. Another

strategy of this model is to ask students open-ended questions, giving them time to think,

and then providing them with specific feedback. The last interacting model is the

Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support System. A PBIS system in schools

requires intentional procedures and plans set in place to develop appropriate behavior for

all students. It seeks to recognize or praise appropriate behavior and rehabilitate

inappropriate behavior through positive supports such as prevention, teacher modeling of

desired behavior, reinforcement, and effective correction procedures as opposed to

punishment. (Positive Behavior Support PowerPoint)

Many common themes emerge when looking at these different interacting or

democratic models of classroom management. One of the big ones I have found in each

model is the idea of encouragement over praise. I think that this is an important thing for

teachers to remember when communicating with their students. A strategy for

encouragement is to notice effort and improvement and provide students with specific
feedback. (Nelsen Positive Discipline) Another common theme among these models

that I am a big proponent of is classroom meetings. I believe that they are great ways for

students to practice communication skills, learn about others, and create a positive

classroom environment. I also believe that if students are given this time to release some

of their energy at the beginning of the day, there may be less disruptive behaviors overall.

In my opinion, the most important theme that is present among each of the interacting

models is the theme of student choice. Each model emphasizes the importance of

allowing students to make their own choices in regards to their learning as well as their

behavior. This helps to promote student responsibility in the classroom.

There are many things to take away from these interacting models of classroom

management as I start to think about strategies for redirection, reinforcement, and

intervention in my future classroom. One strategy that I really enjoyed from the PBIS

system was the idea of seeking first to understand when it comes to student behavioral

issues. I think that this step can quickly get lost in a classroom when a teacher is trying to

deal with a full group of students, but it is critical in finding a long-term solution. I am

also a fan of the redirection strategy of describing desired behaviors rather than speaking

critically to students in a way that might embarrass them. (Curwin and Mendler

Discipline with Dignity) I believe that this is a much better way to go about redirecting

student behavior because it does not single out certain students or make them feel

insecure, which may result in additional misbehaviors. Another redirection strategy for

minor misbehaviors that I plan to make use of in my future classroom is proximity

control. This is such a simple and quick fix and I have seen first hand the powerful effect

that this can have on a students behavior. When it comes to reinforcement strategies, I
like the idea of student self-reflection to correct major misbehaviors. I believe that

reflection is a strong tool that encourages students to think about their actions and how it

affected others without putting them on the spot. It is also a useful strategy in helping

students become self-managers. If misbehaviors are on a Tier 3 and require more intense

interventions, I like the strategy of creating a more formal behavior plan with the student.

Depending on the need of the student, I may include a behavior specialist in the creation

of this place to ensure its effectiveness. Lastly, one thing that really stuck with me from

our class discussion was the idea of teacher misbehavior. I think it is so important to

recognize that there will be times when I am displaying misbehavior of my own, which

may be affecting my students. I plan to self-reflect often as a teacher and ask for

suggestions on improvement to ensure that I am being who my students need me to be.