The Need For The Need For CommunicationCommunication

By Gregg, Erica, Vivienne, MeganBy Gregg, Erica, Vivienne, Megan

Message Sent – Message Message Sent – Message ReceivedReceived

Carl, where’s your

homework?I left it in my dad’s car this morning

I’ll need a note signed

by your parents... You don’t

trust me

Message Sent – Message Message Sent – Message ReceivedReceived

Sit every other desk for the test. Place your things under your desks.

Jane and Laurel, you are sitting too close

together. One of you move!

He expects us to cheat on the test

Message Sent – Message Message Sent – Message ReceivedReceived

In both interactions, the message In both interactions, the message received was not necessarily what the received was not necessarily what the sender intendedsender intended

Involuntary communicationInvoluntary communication– intonationintonation– body positioningbody positioning– gesturesgestures– word choiceword choice

People respond to what they People respond to what they thinkthink was was said, not to the intended messagesaid, not to the intended message

Diagnosis – Whose Diagnosis – Whose problem is it?problem is it?

Determine ownership of problem is keyDetermine ownership of problem is key– Student’s problem: teacher must help Student’s problem: teacher must help

student find solutionstudent find solution– Teacher’s problem: teacher must find Teacher’s problem: teacher must find

solutionsolution

ExamplesExamples

1)1) A student writes obscenities in a A student writes obscenities in a school encyclopediaschool encyclopedia

2)2) A student tells you that his A student tells you that his parents had a bad fight and he parents had a bad fight and he hates his fatherhates his father

3)3) A student quietly reads the A student quietly reads the newspaper in the back of the newspaper in the back of the classroomclassroom

Counseling: The Student’s ProblemCounseling: The Student’s Problem

Empathetic listening: hearing the Empathetic listening: hearing the emotions behind what another says and emotions behind what another says and reflecting them back by paraphrasingreflecting them back by paraphrasing

- allows the student to find the problem- allows the student to find the problem

- also called active listening- also called active listening

- allows the student to more easily trust - allows the student to more easily trust the teacher and talk more the teacher and talk more openlyopenly

Components of Active ListeningComponents of Active Listening

1. blocking out external stimuli1. blocking out external stimuli

2. attending carefully to both the verbal 2. attending carefully to both the verbal and nonverbal messages and nonverbal messages

3. differentiating between the intellectual 3. differentiating between the intellectual and the emotional content of the and the emotional content of the message message

4. making inferences regarding the 4. making inferences regarding the speaker’s feelings speaker’s feelings

Confrontation and Assertive DisciplineConfrontation and Assertive Discipline

““I” messages: clear, nonaccusatory statement I” messages: clear, nonaccusatory statement of how something is affecting youof how something is affecting you

- telling a student what he/she is doing, how it - telling a student what he/she is doing, how it affects the teacher, and how the teacher feels affects the teacher, and how the teacher feels about itabout it

Assertive discipline: clear, firm, unhostile Assertive discipline: clear, firm, unhostile response styleresponse style

- communicates to the student that the teacher - communicates to the student that the teacher cares too much about them and the process of cares too much about them and the process of learning to allow the inappropriate behavior to learning to allow the inappropriate behavior to continuecontinue

- look into the student’s eyes when talking to - look into the student’s eyes when talking to them and address them by namethem and address them by name

Why some teachers are ineffective Why some teachers are ineffective with students and disciplinewith students and discipline

Passive teaching: asking the student to Passive teaching: asking the student to think about the appropriate action; think about the appropriate action; commenting on the behavior, but not commenting on the behavior, but not telling the student what to do differentlytelling the student what to do differently

- “one more chance” teaching- “one more chance” teaching Hostile response style: teachers using Hostile response style: teachers using

“you” which may condemn the student “you” which may condemn the student without stating what the student should without stating what the student should be doing; threatening students angrilybe doing; threatening students angrily

Methods of Resolving ConflictMethods of Resolving Conflict

Teacher imposes solution: may be Teacher imposes solution: may be necessary in emergency situationnecessary in emergency situation

Teacher gives into studentTeacher gives into student Gordon’s “no-lose method”:Gordon’s “no-lose method”:

1. define the problem 1. define the problem 2. generate many possible solutions2. generate many possible solutions 3. evaluate each solution3. evaluate each solution 4. Make a decision that satisfies everyone4. Make a decision that satisfies everyone 5. Determine how to implement the 5. Determine how to implement the solutionsolution 6. Evaluate the success of the solution6. Evaluate the success of the solution

Student Conflict and Student Conflict and ConfrontationConfrontation

In Elementary Schools, student In Elementary Schools, student conflicts most often occur when conflicts most often occur when there are disputes over resources, there are disputes over resources, such as school supplies, computers, such as school supplies, computers, athletic equipment, or toys, or athletic equipment, or toys, or preferences of which activities to preferences of which activities to play.play.

90% of the conflicts among 90% of the conflicts among students are resolved in destructive students are resolved in destructive ways or never resolved at all.ways or never resolved at all.

Peer HarassmentPeer Harassment

Teachers tend to underestimate the amount Teachers tend to underestimate the amount of bullying and harassment in schools.of bullying and harassment in schools.

For example, in a survey of 8For example, in a survey of 8thth graders, the graders, the teachers estimated about 16% would report teachers estimated about 16% would report being bullied, but it came back as a being bullied, but it came back as a surprising 60% (Barone, 1997)surprising 60% (Barone, 1997)

A rule of thumb, teasing someone less A rule of thumb, teasing someone less powerful or popular, or using racial, ethnic, powerful or popular, or using racial, ethnic, or religious slur should not be tolerated.or religious slur should not be tolerated.

When teachers are silent, the students think When teachers are silent, the students think the teacher agrees with the insults.the teacher agrees with the insults.

Violence in the SchoolsViolence in the Schools

One solution: PREVENTIONOne solution: PREVENTION A 2-year study in Ohio showed that gang A 2-year study in Ohio showed that gang

members respected teachers who insisted members respected teachers who insisted on academic performance in a caring way. on academic performance in a caring way.

There are two kinds of teachers who’s There are two kinds of teachers who’s techniques are good for tough students:techniques are good for tough students:

Teachers who can’t be intimidated or Teachers who can’t be intimidated or fooled and expect them to learn, andfooled and expect them to learn, and

Teachers who really care about the Teachers who really care about the students.students.

Handling a Potentially Handling a Potentially Explosive SituationExplosive Situation

Move slowly and deliberately toward the Move slowly and deliberately toward the problem situation.problem situation.

Speak privately, quietly, and calmly. Do not Speak privately, quietly, and calmly. Do not threaten. Be as matter-of-fact as possible.threaten. Be as matter-of-fact as possible.

Be as still as possible. Avoid pointing or Be as still as possible. Avoid pointing or gesturinggesturing

Keep a reasonable distance. Do not crowd the Keep a reasonable distance. Do not crowd the student. Do not get “in the student’s face.”student. Do not get “in the student’s face.”

Speak respectfully. Use the student’s name.Speak respectfully. Use the student’s name. Establish eye-level position.Establish eye-level position. Be brief. Avoid long-winded statements or Be brief. Avoid long-winded statements or

nagging.nagging.

Continued…Continued…

Stay with the agenda. Stay focused on the Stay with the agenda. Stay focused on the problem at hand. Do not get sidetracked. problem at hand. Do not get sidetracked. Deal with less severe problems later.Deal with less severe problems later.

Avoid power struggles. Do not get drawn Avoid power struggles. Do not get drawn into “I won’t, you will” arguments. into “I won’t, you will” arguments.

Inform the student of the expected Inform the student of the expected behavior and the negative consequence as behavior and the negative consequence as a choice or decision for the student to a choice or decision for the student to make. Then withdraw from the student make. Then withdraw from the student and allow some time for the student to and allow some time for the student to decide…Follow through with the decide…Follow through with the consequence.consequence.

What do you think you can What do you think you can do as a teacher to make do as a teacher to make your students take a greater your students take a greater responsibility for their own responsibility for their own learning?learning?

Learning Environment for Learning Environment for All StudentsAll Students

In Australia, Ramon Lewis found that the In Australia, Ramon Lewis found that the following were associated with students taking following were associated with students taking greater responsibility for their own learning:greater responsibility for their own learning:

- recognizing and rewarding appropriate - recognizing and rewarding appropriate student behaviors, student behaviors,

- talking with students about how their - talking with students about how their behavior effects others, behavior effects others,

- involving students in class discipline - involving students in class discipline decisions, anddecisions, and

- providing nondirective hints and - providing nondirective hints and descriptions about unacceptable behaviors.descriptions about unacceptable behaviors.

When a teacher feels threatened by a student When a teacher feels threatened by a student it can be difficult to do what the student it can be difficult to do what the student needs, but that may be the most important needs, but that may be the most important time to act positively.time to act positively.

Culturally Responsive ManagementCulturally Responsive Management

Culturally responsive management – Culturally responsive management – taking cultural meanings and styles taking cultural meanings and styles into account when developing into account when developing management plans and responding to management plans and responding to studentsstudents

Warm demandersWarm demanders – effective teachers – effective teachers with African American students who with African American students who show both high expectations and show both high expectations and great caring for their studentsgreat caring for their students

Research has shown that male African Research has shown that male African Americans receive punishments more Americans receive punishments more often and with much stricter often and with much stricter consequences than other students.consequences than other students.

““warm demanders” are the most warm demanders” are the most effective with these students because effective with these students because they understand and have an they understand and have an appreciation for the students culture.appreciation for the students culture.

Communicating with Communicating with Families about Classroom Families about Classroom

ManagementManagement

Need family support in school Need family support in school systemsystem

Teacher & parents work together, Teacher & parents work together, it creates productive learning it creates productive learning timetime

Classroom Classroom ManagementManagement

*Make sure families know the *Make sure families know the expectations and rules of your class expectations and rules of your class and school.and school.

*Make families partners in recognizing *Make families partners in recognizing good citizenship.good citizenship.

*Identify talents in the community to *Identify talents in the community to help build a learning environment in help build a learning environment in your classyour class

*Seek cooperation from families when *Seek cooperation from families when behavior problems arisebehavior problems arise