Developing Self-Discipline and Preventing and Correcting Misbehavior

This text offers a balanced and comprehensive approach to show how a variety of research-supported and practical strategies and techniques are used to prevent and correct misbehavior and to help achieve the long-term aim of developing self-discipline. Rather than focusing on untested models of classroom discipline this book presents a more balanced and comprehensive approach to classroom discipline, balancing the perspective of character educators and the perspective of those who are concerned about managing and correcting misbehavior. This text encourages teachers to reflect upon critical issues of classroom discipline and their beliefs, recognize multiple perspectives toward classroom discipline, and be able to select and apply the most effective techniques that not only prevent and correct misbehavior but also serve the long-term aim of developing self-discipline.

Table of Contents:
Each chapter begins with “Guiding Questions” and “Introduction” and concludes with “Summary and Key Points,” “Key Terms and Concepts,” “Recommended Reading and Resources,” and “References.” Preface. 1. Developing Self-Discipline. Developing Self-Discipline and Using Discipline: Two National Priorities. What is Self-Discipline? Why Development of Self-Discipline Should Be an Educational Priority. Developing Self-Discipline: The Need for Comprehensive Classroom Discipline. 2. Using Discipline: Issues and Controversies. Common Criticisms of Punishment. What is Punishment? Zero Tolerance. Limitations to the Use of Punishment. Given Its Many Limitations, Why is Punishment so Popular? 3. Critical Issues: Changing Perspectives on Governing Students and Developing Character. Introduction. Early Approaches and Methods of Classroom Discipline. Early Methods of Classroom Discipline: A Focus on Corporal Punishment and Direct Instruction. Challenges and alternatives to the Harsh Authoritarian Approach. Same Approaches But Different Methods. Changing Demographics and Pressure to Change Classroom Discipline. Character Education. 4. Critical Issues: Causes of School Violence, the Legal Rights of Students, and Problems of Character Education. Increasing Behavior Problems, and Decreasing Character Education. Rapid Decline in Character Education and an Increase in Alternative Models of School Discipline. Regaining Control of Classrooms. 5. Goals, Encouragement, and Logical Consequences: Dreikurs' Model of Classroom Discipline. Teachings and Philosophy of Dreikurs. Strategies for Developing Self-Discipline and for Preventing and Correcting Misbehavior. Critique of Dreikurs' Model of Classroom Discipline. 6. Responsible Choices and Confrontation: Glasser's Model of Classroom Discipline. The Teachings and Philosophy in Glasser's Reality Therapy. Strategies for Preventing and Correcting Problems of Classroom Discipline. Control Theory: Glasser's More Recent Version of RealityTherapy. Critique of Glasser's Reality Therapy. 7. Assertive Discipline: From “Take Charge” To “Be Positive.” The 1976 Take Charge Version of Assertive Discipline. The 1992 and 2001 Versions of Assertive Discipline: Be Positive! 8. Developing Social and Moral Problem Solving, and Self Discipline. Social Cognitive Components of Self-Discipline. Strategies and Techniques for Developing Social and Moral Problem Solving. 9. Developing Emotional Competencies, and Self- Discipline. Three Case Studies. Emotion-Related Goals for Developing Self-discipline. Strategies and Techniques for Emotional Competence (and for Effective Classroom Discipline). 10. Preventing Behavior Problems Through Effective Classroom Management. Guiding Research for Effective Classroom Management. Strategies and Techniques for Effective Classroom Management. 11. Behavior Replacement Techniques for Correcting Misbehavior. Authoritative Discipline in the Correction of Misbehavior. Applied Behavior Analysis. Behavior Replacement Techniques. 12. Behavior Reduction Techniques for Correcting Misbehavior. Guiding Principles for Selecting Reductive Techniques. The Hierarchy of Restrictiveness. 13. Addressing Serious and Chronic Behavior Problems: Alternative and Special Education. Suspension and Expulsion. Discipline and Children with Disabilities. Suspensions and Expulsion of Students with Disabilities. Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Remediation and the Regular Classroom Teacher. Violence, Security, and Safety. Appendices. A. Needs Assessment and Implementation Guide for Comprehensive School Discipline. B. Common Features of Popular Models of Classroom Discipline. C. Recommended Procedures for Conducting Class Meetings Dealing With Social and Moral Problems. D. Progression of Techniques for Correcting Misbehavior. Index. Appendix. Glossary. Index.

Review :
Journal of Moral Education Vol. 35, No. 3, September 2006, pp. 407–427   Character psychology and character education Daniel K. Lapsley and F. Clark Power (Eds), 2005 New York & Notre Dame, IN., Notre Dame Press $55.00 (clothbound), $25.00 (pbk), 352 pp. ISBN 0-268-03371-4 (clothbound), ISBN 0-268-03372-2 (pbk) This new collection of essays on the moral education of character, edited by two distinguished contemporary theorists of moral education and including contributions by other psychologists and philosophers of reputation, would appear to mark something of a turning point in latter day theorising about moral education. In brief, it represents something of a shift from the dominant Kohlbergian `cognitive developmental’ paradigm of the past half century (even on the part of some of those most closely connected with the development of that model) towards the more recently (especially in the USA but also now more widely) emerging paradigm of character education. While this is certainly no mere capitulation to fashion, and despite the continued fidelity of many in this volume to the best theoretical insights of Kohlberg — sometimes via attempted bridge-building between cognitive developmentalism and character education — it is nevertheless the aim of many of the present essays to explore the limits of Kohlbergian moral epistemology and psychology, particularly with respect to the social and motivational dimensions of moral engagement. From this viewpoint, many chapters of this work raise and address profound conceptual and theoretical problems that have also long exercised the present reviewer. That said, given that the introduction, postscript and thirteen chapters of this substantial work range quite widely in topic and approach, it should also be noted (and perhaps expected) that the contributions vary somewhat in quality. In this light, since it is not possible to discuss each and every one in the space of a short review, a few initial remarks about the structure and organization of the work may be in order. Very roughly, the thirteen chapters seem (at least to this reviewer) to fall into two main groups of six each divided by a very fine and insightful critical survey of the history of US character education by Craig Cunningham — an essay that should be required reading for anyone interested in this topic. On the face of it, the six chapters that precede the Cunningham essay seem to focus more directly on theoretical and methodological questions concerning the role of psychological research in the theory of moral education, and about the interface of ethics and social science — and it is to these that I shall devote most attention later in this review. The six chapters that follow Cunningham’s historical essay are more broadly concerned with social, political and other contexts of character education, and while some of these raise issues of real interest, it is arguable that they are less concerned with the psychological study of character in the sense of the earlier chapters. More precisely, without unduly begging questions about the boundaries between psychology and ethics that some of the earlier chapters are clearly keen to raise, Journal of Moral Education Vol. 35, No. 3, September 2006, pp. 407—427 ISSN 0305-7240 (print)/ISSN 1465-3877 (online)/06/030407-21 # 2006 Journal of Moral Education Ltd DOI: 10.1080/03057240600874687