Welcome to the EMDC-East Website on Behavior Management, a site constructed as a resource for teachers and administrators about behavior management. The site includes information on corporal punishment issues, information on behavior, and models of behavior management.
Behavior management is not about controlling or restricting learners, but facilitating and encouraging students to take responsibility for their own actions. Behavior management is about creating an environment and attitude that encourages respect, responsibility, and self-discipline. When such a classroom is established, it enables students to focus on their school work, form healthy relationships, and develop self-esteem.
Behavior Management Models:
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
South African Department of Education
Circle of Courage
Brainwise
Boys and Girls Town
Welcome
The South African Department of Education outlines four different methods of conducting classroom management. Teachers can assimiliate some of these methods depending upon their teaching style and the needs of their students.
The Democrat: involves learners in the developing and keeping of rules
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The teacher discusses issues between him/herself and the students.
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All learners are encouraged to participate.
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Everyone (parents, learners, educators, etc) participate in implementing and carrying out rules/discipline
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Assist students in assessing their behavior and the reasoning behind the rules.
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STEPS in Assessing behavior:
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What is student doing that is causing a problem?
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How does this affect the class?
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Why is the problem occurring?
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How can the problem be fixed?
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What are the consequences of the problem and the resolution?
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(Summarized steps provided by the Dept of Education)
The Community Builder:
- Consider how actions affect the community and relationships within it.
- Sets up the class so that it revolves around commitment, respect, care and dignity.
- Believes that through this process, the student will learn to replace external discipline with self-discipline
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The Dept. of Education Document (2000) on establishing a community suggests:
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It takes time
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Respectful adults
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Communication
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Facilitate connection between learners
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Class-wide discussions
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Conflict resolution
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The Behaviorist:
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People learn best when good behavior is reinforced/rewarded/recognized.
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Strategies for modifying behavior:
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Setting expectations (that are clear and make sense)
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Positive reinforcement
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Consistent consequences
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W/drawl consequences
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Time out (think, self-reflect)
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Daily reports
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Demonstrate good behavior
The Empathizer
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Tries to understand the child’s thinking
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Focuses only on essential rules
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Dept. of Education (2000) finds behavioral problems often linked:
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Family conflict
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Poverty leading to stress in the home
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Violence in the child’s environment—fear for safety
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Discrimination
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Physical and emotional changes in adolescence
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Learning needs and disabilities not addressed
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Bullying and teasing
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Being different
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Family death or divorce
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Welcome
Welcome to the EMDC East informational webpage.
Welcome to the EMDC-East Website on Behavior Management, a site constructed as a resource for teachers and administrators about behavior management. The site includes information on corporal punishment issues, information on behavior, and models of behavior management.
Behavior management is not about controlling or restricting learners, but facilitating and encouraging students to take responsibility for their own actions. Behavior management is about creating an environment and attitude that encourages respect, responsibility, and self-discipline. When such a classroom is established, it enables students to focus on their school work, form healthy relationships, and develop self-esteem.
Behavior Management Models:
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
South African Department of Education
Circle of Courage
Brainwise
Boys and Girls Town
NICRO
Humans are programmed for survival and the highest quality of life possible. They seek first physical well being, safety, and then emotional security. Abraham Maslow describes the priority of human needs in his theory of the Hierarchy of Needs. Children’s behavior reflects the needs they are seeking. It is important for teachers to understand and identify children’s needs. Once they have, teachers can help children to obtain what they need to perform and behave in school.
Maslow’s Theory:
Maslow’s theory is based on fulfilling the five levels of needs. The needs are demonstrated in the shape of a pyramid, with physiological needs as the base, safety as the second wrung, social as the third, self esteem as the fourth, and finally self actualization as the top of the pyramid.
- Physiological needs: Those things necessary for survival, such as food water, and sleep. If physiological needs are met, people then focus their attention upon their safety needs.
- Safety and security: Protection and security from violence and crime.
- Social Needs: Sense of belong and being loved. Such examples are friendships and inclusion in groups.
- Self Esteem: Respect from others and self through recognition and feeling as if they have contributed.
- Self-actualization: Creativity, spontaneity, internal moral code, and ability to accept the facts of the world.
Attention to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs has proved an extremely useful tool in solving classroom problems and empowering students. If students find all their needs met within the classroom, they are more confident, comfortable, and motivated to perform in school and establish healthy relationships.
Implementing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:
Implementing concepts from Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs dramatically improves behavior in the classroom. When teachers are aware of students needs for physical necessities, security, and self-esteem, they are able to create an atmosphere that provides students with these things. But research and experience show that creating such an environment must include teachers and students. Involving learners in the rule-making process is highly affective in positive classroom behavior. When students feel responsible for creating the rules, they will take ownership of their ideas and carry them out.
It is ideal to initiate this process at the beginning of the year, but after breaks and holidays are also good times to introduce this new method.
Step 1: The first step is to gather all the students together. The teacher then asks the learners for a list of guidelines to make the classroom the best place they can think of.
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Use “guidelines” instead of “rules.” “Guideline” is a positive term associated with self-control and not restriction.
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Write down every suggestion on the board. This raise students’ confidence in participating in the process.
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The suggestions will most likely involve:
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Attendance (to classes and to school)
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Asking permission (to the toilet)
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Using classroom materials
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Work done at school
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Homework
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Interacting with the teacher (respect, permission)
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Interacting with learners (inclusiveness, sharing, kindness)
- Acknowledge to students that these rules may not be followed in the world outside the classroom. Rather, ask “But what can we do here, in this classroom, to make it a fun, safe place to learn?”
- Foster the spirit of community. Even if the rest of the world does not, the classroom can be a place where children have a safe, secure environment where their needs are met and they feel they belong.
Step 2: After the teacher has compiled all the suggestions, they ask the students, “Which guidelines look similar?” “Can we combine any of these.”
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As the teacher alters the list according to student suggestions, they come up with a working list of guidelines for the classroom.
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The learners must understand the guidelines as a mutual collaboration between the teachers and students to make the classroom an ideal place for learning.
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The student must see the teacher does not want to control them, but wants them to succeed.
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This model promotes the teacher as a team leader who is still an authority figure, leading the children through open dialogue to success.
Step 3: The third step involves asking the students “If the guidelines are broken, what should the consequences be?” After receiving suggestions, the teacher asks, “Does this seem too harsh?” “Does this seem too easy?”
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When discussing bullying or confrontation, help the children consider both what both parties should do.
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The key to this step is to let the students know that they are producing their own guidelines. The rules are not being imposed upon them.
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By having the students consider the consequences, the teacher is not assigning punishments.
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When participating in the guideline-making process, the students feel as if they have control of their own actions and consequences.
Step 4: The teacher will post the compiled guidelines and consequences in a designated place in the classroom.
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The list must remain visible throughout the entire year.
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Studies have shown and teachers agree that beginning this system is very difficult. But after about three weeks, the students realize that the classroom will not work if they do not cooperate with the students and the teacher.
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When the students violate the rules, the teacher says that he/she cannot carryout her side of the agreement if the guidelines on the other side are broken.
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The teacher asks if the class needs to re-evaluate the rules. The students then reconsider their proposed actions and consequences and why they are established as they are. For example, the teacher may say, “I am noticing I have been yelling a lot lately, and I know that under our guidelines, I said I would not yell. Can we change something that occurs in this classroom so that I do not have to yell so much?
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The teacher must follow through for this model to have any credibility!!!! The teacher therefore, must have the power and authority to conduct this information gathering session and then continue to hold this same power and authority throughout the year.
Things to consider:
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This model can apply to every age and many different types of schools, but differs according to age of the learners.
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Do not get too picky or have too many rules.
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The teacher must remain consistent.
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The guidelines must be clear and descriptive, yet kept as simple as possible.
Send a copy of the rules home. Include lines for the children, the parents, and the teacher to sign. [2]
For administrators:
Students and teachers need to believe in the importance of their work. Administrators must make the teacher feel capable and supported, especially when implementing this new method of classroom management. When the do not feel supported, teachers resort to negative forms of behavior management, such as yelling or hitting. Allow teachers to vent to you. Help them reassess guidelines. Are they realistic for that classroom? Help them understand that some things may not work. Tell them, “For your classroom and your style, this does not work.” Brainstorm alternatives. When people are committed to making children responsible for their own learning, they can accomplish this great goal. -
[1] Sornesen, Kenneth. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and SubpersonalWork.” Pscyhosynthesis. 2006. 20 Nov. 2007. <http://two.not2.org/psychosynthesis/articles/maslow.htm>.
[2] “Embracing Diversity: Toolkit for Creating Inclusive, Learning-Friendly Environments Specialized Booklet 1.” Positive Discipline in the Inclusive, Learning Friendly Classroom: A Guide for Teachers and Educators. Bangkok: UNESCO, Bangkok. 2006.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
Often learners neglect school work or disrupt the class, not because they do not care, but because they struggle to focus or understand the material. Often leaders pegged as unruly or undisciplined struggle with a learning disability or ADHD. There are many different types of learning disabilities. Some have very distinct symptoms, others are much less obvious. But many learning disabilities go undetected or are mistaken for misbehavior. Once educators identify these symptoms, they can help the child function and learn in the classroom.
Below is a description of different learning disorders, a list of symptoms, and recommendations on how to address each one.
What is a learning disorder (LD)? [1]
A learning disorder is a neurological disorder in which a person’s brain processes information differently. A learning disorder does not mean that a person is less intelligent; they just think differently. Learning Disabilities often result in difficulty “reading, writing, spelling reasoning, recalling, and/or organizing information.”
Some of the most common learning disorders include:
- Dyslexia: difficulty understanding written words
- Dyscalculia: difficulty with math problems and concepts
- Dysgraphia: difficulty writing and forming letters
- Auditory and visual processing disorders: difficulty understanding language, even though hearing and vision is not impaired
- Nonverbal disabilities: difficulty with right hemisphere of brain’s ability to process information
1. Dyslexia: [1]
Information about Dyslexia:
- What is Dyslexia: Dyslexia is difficulty processing written language that often results in trouble spelling, writing, reading and speaking.
- 15-20% of population has some symptoms of dyslexia
- Does not reflect a child’s intelligence level
- Can be hereditary.
- Often goes undetected - Signs/Symptoms:
- Slow reading, reading with great difficulty
- Problem with order of letters
- No difficulty understanding what is said, but great trouble understanding what is written
- Poor spelling and handwriting
- Difficulty in math
- Confuses simple sight words (such as a, I, the, is)
- Difficulty memorizing letters and/or number facts
- Difficulty learning another language
- Reads too slow to understand what is being read - Teaching a Child with Dyslexia:
- Use books on tape or books with pictures to help convey the story line
- Use books with large print
- Give students copies of notes written on board or projector
- Use other senses or styles of learning (hands-on projects, music, etc.)
- Allow plenty of time for reading and writing in class
- Do not mark off for spelling when not necessary
- Give written material in small increments
- Praise child for their strengths to build their self-esteem
2. Dysclculia
Information about Dysclculia: [3]
- What is Dysclculia: Dysclculia is a mathematical learning disability, where difficulties could result in visual-spacial problems, sequences, or remembering number facts
- Signs and Symptoms:
- Difficulty with math, but no trouble with reading , writing, and speaking
- Can remember words but not numbers
- Difficulty organizing numbers
- Trouble with schedules, chronically late, or gaging how long something will take
- Difficulty remembering math concepts for long span of time
- Difficulty keeping score, estimating or counting down numbers - Teaching a child with Dysclulia:
- Use graph paper to help them organize numbers
- Explain math concepts—Do not just expect child to memorize facts
- Use tricks and sayings to help child remember words
- Use examples when teaching math concepts
- Use visuals (such as blocks and cubes) to illicit understanding
- Eliminate as many distractions as possible
3. Dysgraphia[4]
Information on Dysgraphia:
- What is Dysgraphia: Dysgraphia is a difficulty with writing which often results in difficulty spelling, poor handwriting, and difficulty putting ideas into words. This disorder involves difficulty with motor skills and information processing.
- Signs and Symptoms:
- Awkward way of holding pencil/pen
- Illegible handwriting
- Avoids writing and drawing
- Speaks aloud when writing
- Understands written and spoken words, but cannot convey an understanding through writing. - Teaching a child with Dysgraphia:
-Give children other ways to present information: oral reports, pictures, etc.
-Give child time, assistance, and practice in writing
-Help child practice writing by giving small, achievable assignments at a time
-Help child prepare for written tests and assignments by preparing questions, outlines and graphs, preparing drafts.
-Encourage the child to check over their work.
4. Processing Deficits [5]
Information on Processing Deficits:
- What are Processing Deficits: Processing Deficits are sensory disabilities that result in difficulty processing information.
- See: http://ldonline.org/article/6376
5. Nonverbal Disabilities [6]
Information on Nonverbal Disabilities:
- What is it: Difficulty recognizing and translating nonverbal cues. These children are often labelled as emotionally disturbed or socially inappropriate.
Information about nonverbal disabilities:
-65% of communication is nonverbal
-Does not influence academic performance. Children with nonverbal disabilities may have no trouble with speaking, writing, or vocabulary.
-Affects about 1% of the population
-Rare in left handed people - Types of Nonverbal Disabilities:
1. Motoric: poor coordination, balance, graphicomotor skills
2. Visual-spatial: poor visual recall
3. Social skills: unable to comprehending and making transitions in verbal communication
4. Sensory: sensitivity of one of the senses (taste, touch, etc.) - Causes for Nonverbal Disorders:
- Head injury
-Numerous radiation treatments on or near the head
-Treatment for hydropcephalus
-Removal of brain tissue form the right hemisphere - Signs and Symptoms:
-very clumsy
-makes very literal translations
-poor social skills
-difficulty understanding and making transitions in verbal communication - Teaching a Child with Nonverbal Disabilities:
-Minimize transitions
-Breakdown metaphoric language
-If learner seems overwhelmed, allow them to sit out activity
-Check for understanding—just because the learner can repeat what you have said does not mean they actually understand it.
6. Visual Motor Deficit [7]
Information on Visual Motor Deficits:
- Signs and Symptoms:
-Reverses similar letters (such as b and d or p and q)
-Trouble finding places at school
-Difficulty copying and cutting
-Difficulty cutting and pasting
-Closes one eye while working
-Yawns when reading
For more information, consult: www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/signs
[1] National Center for Learning Disabilities. “LD Basics.” 2006. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/signs>.
[2] National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Dyslexia.” 2007. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <www.ldonline.org/article/16282>.
[3] National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Dyscalculia.” 2006. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <www.ldonline.org/article/13709>.
[4] National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Dysgraphia.” 2006. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <http://www.ldonline.org/article/12770>.
[5] National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Processing Deficits.” 1999. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <http://www.ldonline.org/article/6376>.
[6] Thomson, Sue. National Center for Learning Disabilities. “Processing Deficits.” 1996. LD online. 3 Nov. 2007. <http://www.ldonline.org/article/6114>.
Welcome to the EMDC-East Website on Behavior Management, a site constructed as a resource for teachers and administrators about behavior management. The site includes information on corporal punishment issues, information on behavior, and models of behavior management.
Behavior management is not about controlling or restricting learners, but facilitating and encouraging students to take responsibility for their own actions. Behavior management is about creating an environment and attitude that encourages respect, responsibility, and self-discipline. When such a classroom is established, it enables students to focus on their school work, form healthy relationships, and develop self-esteem.
Behavior Management Models
Hierarchy of Needs
Behavior Model 1
next link here
Identifying Child Abuse
What is Child Abuse:
Child abuse is “any action or inaction which is detrimental to the physical, emotional, and developmental well-being of the child. It includes, but is not limited to, neglect, emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual violence.” [1]
Abuse is traumatizing...
It can happen at home and at school. Eighty percent of the time a child is abused by someone they know very well. [2] Many children who are abused do not say anything. They are too embarrassed or afraid to tell anyone. Often, perpetrators convince children that they deserved to be abused so they feel ashamed or embarrassed to tell anyone. Many children fear that they will be punished if they tell someone they have been abused, either by the perpetrator or by the person who finds out.
Since so many abused children remain silent, educators must identify signs of abuse and address the problem properly. When abuse is detected early and the child is given proper care, they are far more likely to recover. [3]
- At some during childhood, one in four South African children will be abused.
- One in four South African girls and one in five South African boys will be sexually abused before age eighteen.
- The number of girls and boys sexually abused under the age of ten is the same.
- A child knows and trusts the person who sexually abuses them 80% of the time.
Signs of Abuse:
(Taken directly from Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with child abuse issued by the Western Cape Education Department p. 12-15.)
- Physical Abuse:
“any act or threatened act of physical violence which may cause injury or even death to a learner.”[5]
| Behavior of an adult who abuses children: | Behavior of an abused child: | Physical indications of child abuse: |
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- Neglect:
“any act or omission by a parent or any other person entrusted to care for a learner, which results in impaired physical functioning, impaired physical development, or injury to harm the learner.” [6]
| Behavior of an adult who abuses children: | Behavior of an abused child: | Physical indications of child abuse: |
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The following physical characteristics are often present in neglected children:
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- Sexual Abuse:
“any unlawful physical act of a sexual nature and includes indecent assault. Sexual harassment, attempted rape and rape.”[7]
| Behavior of an adult who abuses children: | Behavior of an abused child: | Physical indications of child abuse: |
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Steps in Addressing Child Abuse:
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Report to administrator
Section 15 of the Child Care Amendment Act 96 of 1996 requires any physician, nurse, social worker, or educator to report abuse or suspected child abuse. These people are protected under law and will not be punished for false reports as long as their actions are well intentioned. Those who do not report child abuse are subject to prosecution.
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Administrator reports to SLES at EMDC.
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Administrator discusses the suspicions with parents (unless the parents are the suspects) and reports the meeting to EMDC.
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The administrator continues to monitor the situation and reports to H:SLES about the measures taken surrounding the abuse.
If a Child Reports Abuse:
If a child approaches an educator with such senstive information, they are obviously someone the child trusts. It is crucial the child's trust is not betrayed. The child must know they are being taken seriously, that the adult is empathetic, and the information they share is confidential. If the child stops communication, there is no way to find out about the abuse and ensure that it stops. Try to obtain as much information about the abuse as possible without pressuring th learner. If the learner feels comfortable, write down every detail in the learner’s own words.
Some helpful questions to ask the learner: [8]
The Offender:
- Name
- Physical appearance: age, height, hair color
- Place of work
- Place of residence
- Distinguishing characteristics (birthmark, scar)
The Offense:
- What he/she said to the child. (threats, bribes, etc.)
- What he/she did to the child. (where did he/she touch the child, take the child, etc.)
The Setting:
- Date of the incident
- Time of the incident
- Place of the incident
Other people involved:
- Witnesses: the name, appearance, relationship to learner or offender
- Participants/Accomplices: the name, appearance, relationship to learner or offender
The Learner’s physical well-being:
- Injuries inflicted at the time of the incidence : hit, shoved
- Short term injuries: cuts, bruises
- Long term injuries: broken bones, concussion
- The Learner’s psychological well-being:
- How they felt at the time of the abuse
- How they felt after the abuse
- How they feel now
Confidants:
- Has the learner told anyone else?
- Has the learner been to the doctor, psychologist, police…if so: where, when.
[1] Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse. Western Cape Education Department. 2001. p. 7.
[2] Resoures Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. “Child Abuse: Did you know that…” Handout---information taken and reproduced from Childline pamphlet
[3] Resoures Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. “Child Abuse: Did you know that…” Handout---information taken and reproduced from Childline pamphlet
[4] Resoures Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. “Child Abuse: Did you know that…” Handout---information taken and reproduced from Childline pamphlet
[5] Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse. Western Cape Education Department. 2001. p. 9
[6] Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse. Western Cape Education Department. 2001. p. 8
[7] Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse. Western Cape Education Department. 2001. p. 8
[8] Abuse No More: Dealing Effectively with Child Abuse. Western Cape Education Department. 2001. p. 23
Motivation for Teachers
In order to take care of your students, you must take care of yourself: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The more energized and enthusiastic you are, the more this will reflect in the way you teach and interact with your students.
- Take care of your body: Eat healthy foods; get plenty of sleep; exercise regularly.
- Take care of your mind and emotions: spend time with family and friends; find a close confidant to discuss stressful teaching experiences; practice prayer and/or meditation to reflect upon experiences, reenergize, and asses your goals, values, and actions.
Here are some quick tips for relaxing and re-energizing:
- Find activities or hobbies that you like (sport, collecting, reading, going to plays, etc.)
- Go for a combination of beautiful scenery and physical exercise: go for a hike, take a walk, or go to the beach, or sit and think in the park.
- Look at teaching as more than just a job. It is an opportunity to make your mark on young lives and help children discover new ideas.
- Keep a “glass is half-full” attitude. Your outlook is more important that the situation itself!
Need a quick pick-me-up? Here are some short sayings about the joys and value of teaching:
"Treat people as if they were what they out to be and you help them become what they are capable of being." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Teachers shape the future…one child at a time.”
"I touch the future. I teach." -Christa McAuliffe
"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit." - Helen Keller
"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Brooks Adams
"Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers." - Josef Albers
"I cannot teach anybody anything; I can only make them think." - Socrates
"Learning is finding out what you already know. Doing is demonstrating that you know it. Teaching is reminding others that they know it just as well as you. You are all learners, doers, teachers" - Richard Bach
"To me the sole hope of human salvation lies in teaching." - George Bernard Shaw
"You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself." - Galielo Galilei
"If you need a reason for having sweet dreams, think of your best student. If you need to get out of the bed in the morning, think of your worst one."
"I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind." Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"We fail to see the child, just as one time we were unable to see the woman, the peasant, the oppressed social strata and opposed peoples. We have arranged things for ourselves so that children should in our was as little as possible….A child’s primary and irrefutable right is the right to voice his thoughts, to actively participate in our verdicts concerning him." – Janusz Korczak
He drew a circle to shut me out.
Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win.
We drew a circle that took him in.
- Edwin Markham
“The most important observation you can make is when you become a glimmer in the child’s eyes and he becomes a glimmer in yours.” – Albert Trieschman
“Obedience is demanded to achieve a person with discipline. But this is a discipline that comes from the outside and works only when one is afraid of someone who is stronger than oneself. We do need discipline, an inner discipline to order our life. What is inner discipline? To my thinking it is the opposite of blind obedience. It is the development of a sense of values.” – Gisela Konopka
“Far from disheartening your pupils’ youthful courage, spare nothing to life up their soul; make them your equals in order that they may become your equals.” – Rousseau
"Education mirrors an oppressive society when:
(a) the teacher teaches and the students are taught.;
(b) the teacher knows everything and the students know nothing;
(c) the teacher thinks and the students are thought about;
(d) the teacher talks and the students listen—meekly;
(e) the teacher disciplines and the students are not disciplined;
(f) the teacher chooses and enforces his choice, and the students comply;
(g) the teacher acts and the students have the illusion of acting through the action of the teacher;
(h) the teacher chooses the program context, and the students (who are not consulted) adapt to it;
(i) the teacher confuses the authority of knowledge with his or her own professional authority, which she and he sets in opposition to the freedom of the students;
(j) the teacher is the Subject of the learning process, while the pupils are merely objects."
- Paulo Freire
Rights of the Child
- Who is a child? Every person under age eighteen qualifies as a child.
- Who qualifies for child’s rights? Every child.
- What is the role of the state? The state must implement these rights discussed.
- What is the role of every person? Every action a person does must be performed in the child's best interest. st.
What are the rights of the child?
A child has the right to:
- Life and development
- Identity: name, nationality, and family ties
- Live with parents unless it is not in the child’s best interest. In this case, the child has the right to maintain contact with his/her parents.
- Preserve name, nationality, and family ties
- Leave one nation and re-enter his/her own nation to be with his/her parents
- Not be kidnapped
- Express his/her opinion and have this opinion considered
- Express ideas, obtain information, and make that information known
- Have thought, conscience, and religion
- Associate with whom they choose
- Privacy
- Have access appropriate information
- Be raised by their parents and have the state provide assistance for this
- Protection from abuse and neglect
- Protection by another guardian if their parents cannot care for them
- Adoption
- Seek refuge
- Special care if disabled
- The highest standard of health attainable
- Periodic review of placement if state has placed them outside the home
- Social security
- Adequate standard of living for that child’s development (mentally, physically, spiritually, morally, and socially)
- Free and mandatory education
- Education that can develop child’s potential
- Practice their own culture, even if their culture is in the minority
- Rest, leisure, play, and cultural activities
- Protection from work harmful to their health, education, and development
- Protection from involvement in drug use, production, or distribution
- Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse
- Protection from sale, trafficking, and abduction
- All other forms of exploitation
- Protection from torture and deprivation of liberty
- Protection from armed conflict: no child under fifteen can have an direct involvement, be recruited into armed forces, or be harmed by armed conflict
- Rehabilitative care for armed conflict, torture, neglect, maltreatment, or exploitation
- Administrative or juvenile justice: considers a child’s age works to reintegrate them into society
[1] “Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 2007. Committee on the Rights of the Child. 13 Sep. 2007. <http://www.ohchr.org/english/law/pdf/crc.pdf>.
Circle of Courage
EMDC-East uses the Circle of Courage, a child-rearing philosophy of Native Americans, as an effective measure in its schools. Outlined in the book, Reclaiming Youth At Risk, Larry Brendro, Martin Brokenleg, and Steve Van Bockern, describe this century-old model which encourages and empowers youth at risk to transform and shape their own destiny.
Seeds of Discouragement
There are 4 Things that Put Youth At Risk:
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Destructive Relationships: children feel “rejected or unclaimed”
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Climates of Futility: children feeling as if they are inadequate or failures
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Discipline for Responsibility:
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Loss of Purpose: children searching for Meaning
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Destructive Relationships:
Humans are social beings that rely on each other for physical, emotional, and psychological needs. Children particularly need to feel they belong and are loved. When their needs are not being fulfilled, child learn that adults are not reliable. Educators can make a lasting effect on children. Studies have shown that “students at greatest risk of dropping out of school are those who have never been friends with any teacher.” (p. 10).
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Climates of Futility:
The way an educator labels a child, dictates how they think about that child. And how the teacher thinks about the child determines how they treat him/her. If a teacher labels a child irresponsible, they are more likely to notice the child's irresponsible actions. The teacher will then treat the child as if they cannot handle responsibility. Or if a teacher blames a child for something that goes wrong, the teacher gets irritated. The teacher’s negative emotions hinder him/her from helping the child correct their behavior. The negative behavior the teacher sees will just continue. On the other hand, if an educator develops a positive attitude toward his or her learners, their interactions will be much more positive. If an educator tries to understand the learner, they will grow to like the child, and therefore treat the child in a kind, nurturing way.
Educators must remember they are always interpreting a learners words and actions. It is important not to label a child. Searching for the underlying cause for a chil's behavior takes time, effort, and communication, but without doing so, the teacher does not know what the child really means.
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Learned Irresponsibility:
Children are citizens of the future. But they are also citizens of the present. Children can only take responsibility for things they are given the opportunity to. Children must be given a responsibility, not just reprimanded for acting irresponsibility.
To help a child become more responsible:
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Do not teach compliance…
Encourage self-discipline, self-empowerment, and the ability to think for themselves.
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Do not punish…
Teach children that being manipulative and sneaky does not get them what they want.
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Do not allow selfishness…
Teach children to expect what they work for.
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Do not allow indulgence…
Emphasize esteem, discipline, and understanding of a thing’s worth.
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Loss of Purpose:
Reclaiming Youth At Risk points out that during ancient times, people “struggled for survival.” But today, the more prevalent question is “Struggle for what?” To answer this question, many have turned to self-gratification. Whether it is intentional or not, there is a huge focus on what one can do for themselves. This self-absorption inevitably appears in schools. Teachers focus on salaries, days off, and benefits, while students compete with each other for grades, popularity, and attention.
Educators can play a huge role in helping students find purpose. Reclaiming Youth At Risk outlines three aspects of this loss of purpose:
- Work Without Meaning:
There is a great deal of materialism that is associated with working today. In many situations, the focus has shifted from hard work to earn what is necessary to careless work as a means to acquire materialistic whims.
- Misery of Unimportance:
Today’s modern society focuses on quantifying and qualifying time instead of devoting their effort to relationships.
- Depersonalization of Education:
Schools have shifted to operating like industries and businesses. But schools must “abandon yesterday’s bureaucratic or competency-based notions and become people-oriented.” (p. 30)
Instead, Reclaiming Youth At Risk finds that a “successful school, like a successful business, is a cohesive community of shared values, beliefs, rituals, and ceremonies.” Schools must find a “value system” or a “unifying theme” to establish themselves as a community.
The Circle of Courage
The Native Americans possessed the profound insight for establishing this unified community. Their methods of child-rearing and educating have been “refined over 15000 years of civilization and preserved in oral traditions, this knowledge is little known outside the two hundred tribal languages that cradle the Native American cultures of North America.” (p. 34) The Native Americans possessed a unique understanding of child psychology. This gentle, holistic approach of Native Americans educated and empowered children.
The focus of Native American philosophy is nurturing self-esteem so that children can overcome the "social, psychological, and learning problems” they encounter. Self-esteem is broken down into four basic components: onents:
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Significance: acceptance, attention, and affection of others.
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Competence: mastering one’s environment
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Power: ability to control one’s own behavior and gain other’s respect.
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Virtue: determined by cultural beliefs and values and the important people in one’s life.
Native American culture addresses each of these four components:
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Significance nurtures the feeling of belonging.
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Competence was developed when children could master their environment.
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Power was cultivated through encouraging independence.
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Virtue was promoted through the spirit of generosity.
George Bluebird drew the four components (belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity) in the form of the Native American medicine wheel divided into four pieces. In Native American culture, the number four is considered sacred. Number four represents a person standing up, encircled by four directions. The central unifying theme is a positive culture of education and youth work programs.
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- Spirit of Belonging:
In Native American tradition, the community cared for every child. All tribe members were invested in the child’s upbringing, especially if the parents were unable. For Native Americans, the true test of belonging was not by blood, but if you acted like you belonged. Native Americans used a quiet, soft spoken way of interacting with each other, as if each one was related to the next. This sense of belong included all of nature and its creatures. Stories emphasized harmony among humans and the earth.
In contemporary society, communities are dissolving. Children franticly scramble for “artificial belongings” to fill the absence of families, schools and neighborhoods. American psychologist, Karl Menninger explains that “living with and loving other human beings who return that love is the most strengthening and salubrious emotional experience in the world.” Without this spirit of belonging within the home or community, children will search for other places.
- Spirit of Independence:
Children need community and autonomy. They must know that they can determine their own lives. When youth do not understand this, they develop a sense of learned helplessness. Native Americans find the middle ground between depriving children of autonomy and pushing them to premature independence. This balance occurs by creating a type of external discipline that fosters internal discipline. This means allowing children to develop independence, yet at the same time buffering this independence with external controls. It also involves talking with children, not punishing them. Native Ameicans began talking to children about their behavior as soon as the child can communicate.
- Spirit of Mastery:
Children and adults alike strive to master their environments. When a child masters one part of their environment, this encourages them to make further attempts. When they continue to fall short, children become discouraged from trying. Native Americans acknowledged that children still need assistance even as they grow. Native American children learned through role-playing and stories. These games and stories taught the balance between work and play, self-discipline, listening skills, and observation. These activities also included morals about how to behave and how to treat others. Adults celebrated the children’s success and reminded them to use their abilities to benefit other people.
- Spirit of Generosity:
Generosity was fostered in Native American children from an early age. Mothers sent children to deliver food to the poor. In some Native American tribes, a man’s first hunt was donated to a needy family. Native American society was not communal, but Native Americans freely shared what they had. Giving was part of many ceremonies. And those who gave without reservation were highly praised.
The Reclaiming Environment
4 Parts of the Reclaiming Environment:
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Relating to the Reluctant: establishing positive relationships
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Brain-Friendly Learning: positive alternatives to help children feel capable
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Discipline for Responsibility: ways of overcoming carelessness and defiance
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Courage to Care: teaching children altruism
Relating to the Reluctant:
“Research shows that the quality of human relationships in schools and youth service programs may be more influential than the specific techniques or interventions employed” (p. 58).
Some children fear relationships with adults. These students typically:
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Have parents who are overly harsh or overly indulgent.
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Lack certain social skills (such as empathy).
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Are likely to participate in delinquent behavior, substance abuse, or premature sexual activity.
- Attachment:
At birth, children instinctively attach to caregivers. This is known as “attachment behavior.” But children develop “insecure attachments” when adults abuse or neglect them. Children are torn between their longing for adult relationships and fearful distrust. A child’s attachment behavior is quiet resilient, even when adults push them away. Educators have the opportunity to establish healthy relationships with learners who have never experienced one before.
- Reviving Relationships:
Brendro, Brokenleg, and Van Bockern provide Ten Elements of Reviving Relationships with Youth:
1. A relationship is an action, not a feeling: Good relationships involve responsibility, respect, caring and knowledge.
2. Utilize a crisis as an opportunity: At times of high stress, children are more likely to develop attachments. Educators should be particularly present at these times.
3. Love the unlovable: Certain kinds of children are disregarded or despised. Yet they are the most often the ones who need the most care. These children are often the ones who:
- Misbehave
- Are less physically attractive
- Are withdrawn
- Are mentally or physically handicapped
4. End the Conflict Cycle: Often adults get caught in the trap of reacting to a child's misbehavior in the same way the child is misbehaving (yelling, pouting, taking anger out on others, etc.)
5. Earn Trust: Educators may need to dismantle the notion that adults cannot be trusted. Reclaiming Youth at Risk points out the process of developing trust:
- The child asseses whether they should trust.
- The child tests their limits to see if the teacher how the teacher will react.
- The child and teacher establish expectations for each other’s behavior.
- The child and the teacher develop their relationship over a long period of time.
- The teacher directs the child to learn during or right after a situation occurs.
- The teacher assesses the incident to determine whether to address it immediately or address it later.
- The teacher evaluates how the child is seeing a situation and addresses a situation according to the child’s perception.
6. Clarify distortions: After an educator gains more trust, they can show students alternatives to the student’s perspective.
7. Develop an Action Plan: Educators and children can problem-solve together.
8. Establish Mutual Respect: Children who receive respect are more likely to reciprocate it. There is a difference between earning a child’s respect and intimidating them into obedience.
9. Teaching Joy: Only if a teacher is joyful, can they show their learners how to be.
10. Make every child feel they belong.
Brain Friendly Learning:
Children thrive to master their environment. But often schools segment learning into subject and focuses on controlling the information instead of understanding it.
Children strive to master their environment in three ways:
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Environmentally: physically and academically
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Interpersonally: social skills
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Intrapersonally: feelings and emotions
Many children let the fear of failure hold them back or prevent them from trying all together.
Teachers must be careful not to:
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Dominate children.
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Be too permissive.
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Set low expectations.
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Push children into premature independence.
Teachers can help a child master their environment by:
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Focusing lessons on important and applicable topics.
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Keeping lessons interesting.
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Leting learners work in groups or pairs.
Discipline for Responsibility:
Conflict arises when a child wants more independence than they are given. Otto Zirker states that when youth are surrounded by walls, they “make wall-climbing a sport” (p. 80.) Adults can help children develop: autonomy and self-control.
- Automony:
Educators help youth feel responsible for their own lives. They can balance freedom and protective boundaries. When they do, youth become resilient to unbelievable odds. Reclaiming Youth at Risk provides several skills that a resilient youth posses:
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thinks for self and solves problems creatively
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tolerates frustration and manages emotions
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avoids making other people’s problems his/her own
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shows optimism and persistence in the face of failure
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resists put downs and sheds negative labels
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has a sense of humor and is able to “forgive and forget”
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builds friendships based on care and mutual support
- Self-Control:
If children are expected to be responsible and held accountable for their actions, they have no choice but to be responsible. Treating children as equals, empowers and encourages them to discipline themselves. This shifts the obeying authority to choosing how to act.
Often, children can use an edcator's help in emphasizing that they are in control of themselves. Here are some ways that educators can respond to excuses in an empowering way:
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“Expect more from yourself.”
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"I guess the choice is yours then.”
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“But aren’t you in control of yourself?”
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“But you decide how you feel don't you?”
Peer groups in secondary and late primary school are extremely helpful, especially when discussing peer pressure, family problems, drugs, alcohol, violence, and other social issues. Peer groups provide support and solutions for learners who are struggling with such issues.
Courage to Care:
The final way to reclaim youth at risk is encouraging to them to overcome the “most materialistic period of all history" by moving beyond themselves and harnessing their “wonderful and inexplicable instinct for justice.”
- Altruism:
Genuine altruism comes from empathizing with a person. This empathy is what motivates people to help each other. Personal benefit is not the cause of the action, but sometimes follows as a result.
- Caring:
Adults must care for children, and children must care for their communities. Youth can be encouraged to serve. But this cannot be through bribery, manipulation, on intimidation. “You can preach at them; that is a hook without a worm: You can order them to volunteer: that is dishonest: You can call on them: you are needed, and that approach will hardly ever fail” (p. 92.)
The Circle of Courage is a power model of positive youth development. Established by the Native Americans, it has served as a successful lifestyle of nurturing and empowering children to become confident, responsible, and altruistic people of the present and the future.
1. Franziska Racker Centers. 19/11/07. <http://www.rackercenters.org/index.cfm/page/about/circlecourage.htm>