Positive Discipline in Everyday Teaching

Globally, there is growing recognition of students’ rights to discipline that
POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

IN EVERYDAY TEACHING
POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
respects their dignity, and of the role of positive discipline in children’s
learning. Increasingly teachers are being instructed not to use physical or IN EVERYDAY TEACHING
humiliating punishment, and to use positive discipline instead. But teachers
often ask, “What is positive discipline and how do I do it?”
This manual sets out the foundations and principles of positive discipline in
the classroom. Positive discipline is about understanding how students
learn, building their skills and fostering the self-discipline they need in order
to be successful learners. To practice these skills, exercises are provided to
help teachers put these principles into practice across a wide range of
situations. Ultimately the use of positive discipline reduces the time teach-
ers spend on behavioural issues, so they can spend more time on teaching.
This manual is aimed at teachers of students at all levels, as well as principals, GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS
school managers, student teachers, teaching assistants, and other profes- Joan E. Durrant, Ph.D
sionals involved in the education system.
1. Children have the right to education with a view to achieving this

right progressively and on the basis of equal opportunity.
2. School discipline must be administered in a manner consistent with

the child’s human dignity and in conformity with the present Convention.
Article 28
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
IN EVERYDAY TEACHING
GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

Joan E. Durrant, Ph.D
“We commit ourselves to peaceful means
and vow to keep from harm or neglect, these, our most vulnerable citizens.”
Raffi Cavoukian, founder of The Centre for Child Honouring,
SAVE THE CHILDREN is the world’s leading independent organisation for children. from his “Covenant for Honouring Children”.
OUR VISION is a world in which ever y child attains the right to sur vival, protection,
development and participation.
Author’s Acknowledgments
OUR MISSION is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and
To Dominique Pierre Plateau and Peter Newell – thank you for initiating the positive
to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives.
discipline project, for your constant support, and for your tireless advocacy to end violence
in children’s lives.
To Terry Durnnian and Narantuya Sanjaa – thank you for your vision of positive discipline
in classrooms around the world, for the care you have taken with this book, and for your
unfailing optimism.
Title: Positive Discipline in Ever yday Teaching: Guidelines for Educators
Naiyana Thanawattho, Pariphan Uawithya, Noppadol Manachaiyarak, Pathamapond
Yiamsudhisopon and the staff of Save the Children Sweden’s Regional Office for
ISBN: 978-616-90503-1-5
Southeast Asia and Pacific – thank you for believing so strongly in the positive discipline
project and for bringing it to life.
© Save the Children, 2010
To Jargal Chuluuntulga, Olonchimeg Dorjpurev and the staff of Save the Children’s
Author : Joan E. Durrant, Ph.D.
Mongolia Programme – thank you for your dedication, enthusiasm and energy.
Project Manager : Narantuya Sanjaa
Project Advisor : Terr y Durnnian
To Sombat Tapanya – thank you for your invaluable knowledge, your skilful translation,
and your commitment to disseminating the positive discipline approach far and wide.
Copies of this publication can be obtained from:
Save the Children Sweden
To Raffi Cavoukian – thank you for your insightful suggestions, for your boundless
Southeast Asia and the Pacific Regional Office
generosity, and for illuminating the universality of the Golden Rule.
14th fl., Maneeya Centre, South Tower
518/5 Ploenchit Road,
To Chris Dodd – thank you for your assistance with research on religious viewpoints on
Bangkok 10330 Thailand
discipline, and for your devotion to conveying all faiths’ messages of non-violence.
Tel: +66 2 684 1046/7 Fax: +66 2 684 1048
Email: SCS@seap.savethechildren.se
To Gregg and Jonah Olsen – thank you for your unfailing support and steadfast
Website: http://seap.savethechildren.se
partnership. You are the inspiration behind this project.
To Jonah, my greatest teacher.

PREFACE
Preface
This manual is a response to the 2006 World Repor t on Violence against

Children, a global study of violence against children carried out by the
United Nations.
The study found that violence is a common experience in the lives of

school children around the world – and that it is often based in long-held
beliefs about how children learn, as well as a lack of awareness of
children’s human rights.
The World Report on Violence against Children makes recommendations

for reducing violence against children in schools.
The recommendations emphasize the impor tance of:

• Prohibiting violence in schools, including corporal punishment.
• Tr aining and suppor ting school staff in the use of non-violent
approaches to teaching and classroom management.
• Revising curricula to model non-violent conflict resolution.
• Implementing violence prevention programmes for all school staff.
• Establishing codes of conduct based on child rights principles.
For more information on the World Report on Violence against Children, visit
www.violencestudy.org
Positive discipline in everyday teaching 1

PREFACE PREFACE
The Convention guarantees children the following rights:

What are children’s rights?
• The right to survival and full development of their potential:
o Adequate food, shelter and clean water
All people have basic rights. These rights apply to everyone regardless of
race, colour, gender, language, religion, opinions, origins, wealth, bir th o Education
status or ability.
o Health care
Not only adults have human rights – children also have rights. But because o Leisure and recreation
children are small and dependent, adults often do not consider them to
o Cultural activities, including language
be full human beings with rights.
o Information about their rights
In 1989, world leaders approved a treaty that sets out the basic human
o Dignity
rights of ever y child. They wanted to ensure that ever yone in the world
knows that children do have rights.
• The right to protection from:
This treaty, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, has been ratified o Violence and neglect
by almost all of the countries of the world. Any countr y that ratifies this
treaty is committed to ensuring that children’s rights are protected. o Exploitation
o Cruelty
o Discrimination
The Convention recognizes that children are developing people who

depend on adults to guide them.
But adults do not own children. Human rights principles guarantee

that no person may be the property of another.
2 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in ever yday teaching 3

PREFACE PREFACE
• The right to participate in decision-making by:

o Expressing their opinions and having their opinions respected
o Having a say in matters affecting them
o Having access to information
o Freely associating with other people
Positive discipline is based on children’s rights to healthy development,

protection from violence, and participation in their learning.
This manual shows teachers how to educate while respecting their

students’ human rights.
For more information on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, visit
www.unicef.org/crc
4 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 5

CONTENTS CONTENTS
Contents
Preface................................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 6:
Introduction to the manual...................................................................................................... 9 IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.................................................. 139
Who this manual is for............................................................................................................... 16 Differences in home environments....................................................................... 141
How this manual is organized................................................................................................. 20 Cultural differences......................................................................................................... 142
Physical differences.......................................................................................................... 144
PART 1: Differences in talents and interests........................................................................ 146
FOUNDATIONS OF POSITIVE DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS............................ 23 Temperamental differences....................................................................................... 147
Information processing differences........................................................................ 169
Chapter 1: Learning challenges......................................................................................................... 173
CHILD RIGHTS PRINCIPLES....................................................................................... 25
Chapter 7:
Chapter 2: PROBLEM SOLVING AND RESPONDING
PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES..................................................................................... 39 WITH POSITIVE DISCIPLINE.................................................................................. 185
The transition to school............................................................................................... 187
PART 2: 6- to 8-year-olds................................................................................................................ 217
THE PRACTICE OF POSITIVE DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS............................... 51 9- to 12-year-olds............................................................................................................ 253
13- to 18-year-olds.......................................................................................................... 275
Chapter 3:
IDENTIFYING LONG -TERM GOALS.................................................................. 53 Conclusion..................................................................................................................................... 314
Appendix : Perspectives from Religious Viewpoints............................................. 317
Chapter 4:
PROVIDING WARMTH AND STRUCTURE................................................... 69
Chapter 5:
UNDERSTANDING CHILD DEVELOPMENT................................................ 89
Early development and why it matters................................................................... 91
Making the transition to school................................................................................... 99
Development of 6- to 8-year-olds............................................................................. 111
Development of 9- to 12-year-olds.......................................................................... 121
Development of 13- to 18-year-olds....................................................................... 131

INTRODUCTION
Introduction to the Manual
“My job is to teach, not to discipline.”
“I have to complete the curriculum;

I don’t have time for positive discipline.”
These statements reflect a common belief that teaching and discipline are
two different activities. In fact, effective teaching requires effective discipline.
Positive discipline increases students’ motivation, so they pay attention

more, study more and perform better academically.
Positive discipline reduces the time teachers spend on behavioural issues,

so they can spend more time on teaching the curriculum.
Positive discipline aids teaching. It is about understanding how students learn,

building their skills and fostering the self-discipline they need in order to
be successful.
Positive discipline is about creating and maintaining a positive and effective

learning environment where all children are respected and are successful
learners.

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION
It is true that the responsibilities and challenges of teaching are immense – to

guide a group of individual children, each with her or his own strengths, What is positive discipline?
difficulties, talents and family background, from one learning stage to the
next. Teachers have the responsibility to nur ture, suppor t, motivate, and
impar t knowledge to a diverse group of learners, often with inadequate In many cultures and languages, the word “discipline” has come to be
resources. equated with control and punishment - par ticularly physical punishment.
But this is not the true meaning of “discipline”.
But teaching can be one of life’s most gratifying, rewarding experiences.
The privilege of having children placed in one’s care and entrusted with Effective discipline is positive and constructive. It involves setting goals for
their learning can inspire teachers to be powerfully positive influences in learning, and finding constr uctive solutions to challenging situations.
the lives of their students.
Positive discipline supports teaching and education.
But in ever y teacher’s life, there also is frustration and the experience of
not knowing how to reach par ticular children. There can be moments of Positive discipline builds students’ self-confidence and instils a love of learning
helplessness or frustration and of feeling unprepared to face the challenge. that can last a lifetime.
Sometimes the addition of teachers’ own personal stresses can make the
situation overwhelming.
Many teachers are not trained in classroom management, conflict resolution

or child development. As a result, we often rely on our own early school
experiences, or local ideas of good teaching, to guide us. In some cases,
those experiences and ideas are positive and inspiring ones. But many times
Positive discipline:
they are negative or even violent ones.
• motivates
If our training was inadequate, our experiences were harsh or local ideas
are limited, we might come to believe that classroom discipline is no more
• encourages
than scolding and hitting. But there is another way. • supports
• fosters love of learning
• leads to self-discipline
• increases competence
and confidence

Punishment is not discipline. Punishment can “Positive discipline” is non-violent and respectful of the child as a learner.
discourage students, erode their self-confidence Physical punishment includes: It is an approach to teaching that helps children succeed, gives them the
and lead them to dislike, or even hate school. information they need to learn, and suppor ts their development.
Physical punishment and humiliation can leave • slapping
lasting scars on students’ self-confidence. • smacking Decades of research has taught us a great deal about how children
learn and develop. The approach presented in this manual is based on
The Convention on the Rights of the Child requires • punching that research.
children’s protection from all forms of violence, • hitting with objects
including physical and emotional or humiliating
punishment. It also requires that school discipline • pulling ears or hair
is respectful of children’s dignity.
• forcing a child to hold Positive discipline is:
an uncomfortable
position • non-violent
• forcing a child to stand • solution-focused

in the heat or cold • respectful
The Convention on the Rights of the • putting a child into a • based on child development principles
Child requires that children are protected closet or cupboard
from “all for ms of phy s i ca l or men ta l
v iolence , injur y and abuse , n egl ect or Emotional punishment includes:
negligent t r eat m ent , maltreatment or • shouting Positive discipline is a set of principles that can be applied in a wide range
exploitation, including sexual abuse” of situations. These principles can guide all of your interactions with your
( Ar t icle 19) . • yelling
students, not just the challenging ones. They also can guide your teaching
• name-calling of academic skills, not just social and behavioural skills.
• put-downs
• ignoring
• embarrassing
• shaming

Positive discipline is not:
• permissiveness
Positive discipline brings together:
• letting students do whatever they want
• what we know about children’s healthy development
• about having no rules, limits or expectations
• findings of research on effective teaching, and • about short-term reactions
• child rights principles • alternative punishments to slapping, hitting
and shaming
Research on Positive discipline is:

healthy child
development • long-term solutions that develop students’ own
self-discipline
• clear and consistent communication
Positive
discipline • consistent reinforcement of your expectations,
Research on Child rights
rules and limits
effective principles • based on knowing your students and being fair
teaching
• building a mutually respectful relationship with your
students
• teaching students life-long skills and fostering their
love of learning
• teaching courtesy, non-violence, empathy, self-respect
and respect for others and their rights
• increasing students’ competence and confidence to
handle academic challenges and difficult social situations

Who this Manual is for Some children have particular challenges that are not typical for
their age.
This manual is for teachers of students at all levels. It addresses common These include:
issues that arise between school entr y and high school graduation. The
• learning disabilities
information can be helpful for all teachers of all subjects.
• autism
This manual is also for future teachers. Even before they enter a classroom
for the first time, teachers need to be prepared to respond constructively • attention deficit disorder
in the challenging situations they will face. • fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
This manual is also for those who educate and support teachers, including • developmental delays
faculty in teachers colleges, school administrators, teaching assistants, and • brain damage
ministries of education.
• trauma
It can be used in college/university-level teacher education classes, in • grief
professional development workshops for experienced teachers and in schools,
as a guide for fostering a mutually respectful learning environment. • mental health issues
If a student’s behaviour is of particular concern, you should seek

the advice of a specialist as early as possible.
While the information in this manual can be helpful in any classroom,

teachers of children with atypical conditions should seek additional guidance
from school psychologists, special education teachers, speech-language
therapists, and others with specialized knowledge of conditions
that can interfere with students’ learning.

It is par ticularly impor tant for school directors/principals to understand

the positive discipline approach so that they can identify institutional barriers Some teachers have par ticular challenges that make their work
that can block teachers’ attempts to implement it. These barriers can more difficult. They might have experienced trauma; work in conflict
include: situations, disaster areas or refugee camps; be socially isolated or
depressed; or have fragile mental health. In such situations, teachers
• a rigid academic curriculum can feel frustrated, powerless or even desperate.
• an exclusive focus on completing the curriculum within rigid timelines
If you feel that your own emotional conflicts are affecting your
• basing teachers’ pay and promotions on the scores their students attain teaching, you should access mental health services in your community.
on standardized tests
If you feel overwhelmed by the demands of your job, you can form
• lack of recognition of teachers’ positive influence on students’ lives
a group with other teachers to share ideas, resources, materials
• a school culture that denigrates new approaches and ideas and emotional suppor t.
• reluctance to invest in teachers’ professional development If you are new to teaching, find a mentor - an experienced teacher
who relates well to students and has developed effective teaching
By understanding the strong connection between positive discipline and and coping strategies.
academic achievement, school managers can begin to identify ways to
suppor t teachers in their efforts to create a positive learning environment. You also can seek out local resources in your community. By
A positive learning environment is one in which students are respected, networking with community leaders, connecting with parents and
and suppor ted to be active and successful learners. grandparents, and forming school-community councils, you can
harness resources and build both school and community capacity.
It can be very beneficial to link with other sectors. For example,

health organizations and agriculture depar tments often have
helpful resources. They also can provide in-ser vice training on
topics of par ticular relevance to your school and community.

How this Manual is organized

Problem solving and
This manual is organized according to a sequence of steps. Each step responding with positive
builds on the ones before it. Therefore, it will be most helpful if you read discipline
the entire manual and do the exercises as they appear.
The manual is divided into two main par ts The first par t explains the Recognising individual differences
principles that under lie the positive discipline approach. Chapter1
presents the child r ights pr inciples, and Chapter 2 explains the
educational and pedagogical principles on which the positive discipline
approach is based. Understanding child development
Part 2:
The second par t of the manual describes how positive discipline is The Practice of
put into practice. Chapters 3 to 7 address the building blocks of positive Positive Discipline
in Schools
discipline in the classroom – setting long-term goals, providing warmth Providing warmth Providing structure
and structure, understanding child development, identifying individual
differences, and problem solving and responding with positive discipline.
Setting long-term goals
Part 1:
Foundations of
Child rights principles Pedagogical principles
Positive Discipline
in Schools

INTRODUCTION
It is recommended that you put your skills into practice gradually. It

is important to understand all of the principles of positive discipline
before trying to do it.
But as you interact with your students, star t thinking about your
long-term learning goals, the ways you could provide warmth and
structure, and why a par ticular student might be behaving as he
PART 1
does. Gradually, your way of thinking will begin to change. Then, with
FOUNDATIONS OF POSITIVE
practice, your skills will improve. DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
As you develop your positive discipline skills, remember that all of us –

teachers and students alike – are learners. We all tr y, fail, tr y again, and
ultimately succeed.

CHAPTER 1
CHILD RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

One of the fundamental principles underlying positive discipline is that Child rights principles
children are full human beings with basic human rights.
Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights
of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice
and peace in the world.
Preamble

CHAPTER 1 CHILD RIGHTS PRINCIPLES
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child specifies several rights 2. The right to have decisions made in one’s best interests (Article 3)
that are particularly relevant to education. These are:
1. The right to education (Article 28.1)
Primar y education must be compulsor y and free to all, secondar y

In all actions concerning children,
the best interests of the child shall
education must be available and accessible to every child, and higher be a primary consideration.
education must be accessible to all on the basis of capacity. In addition:
• governments must work to improve school attendance and to reduce

dropout rates
• schools must provide educational and vocational guidance to students
All decisions concerning children should be based on the best interests of

All children have the the child. This means that educators must consider the impact of their
right to education. decisions and actions on children’s:
• physical health
• mental and emotional health
• social relationships
• family relationships
• academic achievement

3. The right to non-discrimination (Article 2)

Is positive discipline a Western idea without
relevance for non-Western Cultures? All rights of children must be respected without discrimination based on
the child’s (or parent/guardian’s):
Actually, positive discipline is a human
rights issue that applies universally.
• race
Children are human beings who hold • colour
human rights that must be respected.
• sex
A ls o, c hildr en ar e s malle r and mo re • language
vulner able than adults, so they are in
particular need of protection from physical • religion
and mental violence. • political or other opinions
• national, ethnic or social origin
• property
Are child rights a Western idea that is foreign • disability

to non-Western Cultures? • birth or other status
Every country in the world was involved
in drafting the Convention on the Rights
of the Child. They negotiated its ar ticles
over a 10-year period.
It is now the most widely ratified human

All children have the right
rights treaty in history. It has been ratified
to the same standard of
by all countries of the world except for
education and the same
educational opportunities.
two.
Any country that has ratified the Convention

is obligated to implement it.

4. The right to protection from all forms of violence (Article 19) 5. The right to school discipline that respects
one’s human dignity (Article 28.2)
Countries must take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and
educational measures to protect children from all forms of physical or This means that:
mental violence while in the care of adults. This means that:
• students must not be humiliated, shamed or Students have the
• corporal punishment, including pulling ears and pinching, must be degraded right to respect for
prohibited • approaches to discipline based on their dignity.
• shouting, name-calling, insulting or otherwise treating children in a way embarrassing or belittling students must be
that could harm them emotionally must be prohibited abandoned
• teacher training programs must provide instruction in non-violent 6. The right to respect for one’s individuality
educational methods and quality inclusive education (Article 29)
• governments must provide suppor t for teachers and other school
Education must be directed to developing
personnel e a c h s t u d e n t ’s p e r s o n a l i t y, t a l e n t s , a n d
mental and physical abilities to their fullest
potential.
Children have the right to a

learning environment free from Students should have their
physical and mental violence. unique personalities, talents
and abilities nurtured at
school.
This means that educators should know each

student as an individual, recognize their
strengths and nur ture their competence.

7. The right to education that fosters respect for other people (Article 29)
The Question of Culture
Education must aim to develop children’s respect for :
Around the world, the argument is made that physical punishment is a
cultural tradition and, therefore, should not or cannot be eliminated. • human rights
A “tradition” is a belief or action that is taught by one generation to the • their parents
next. Many traditions are impor tant to maintain, as they preser ve
• their cultural identities, languages and values
unique cultural knowledge and values. Other traditions need to be
questioned if they harm members of the culture. • the national values of the countr y in which they live, the countries
from which they originate, and cultures different from their own
Physical punishment is not unique to any culture. It is found all over
the world. It does not pass on unique cultural knowledge. It harms • the natural environment
children physically and emotionally.
Recognition of its harms has led more than 120 countries to abolish
it from their schools
More than 24 countries have prohibited it in all settings (schools,

homes, child care, juvenile detention, etc.) In all these countries,
physical punishment was once viewed as “traditional.”
These countries include:

• Costa Rica
• Germany
• Greece
• Portugal
• Sweden
• Uruguay
• Cyprus
• Romania
• Croatia
• Israel
For an up-to-date list of countries that have banned physical

punishment, see www.endcorporalpunishment.org

8. The right to play (Article 31) 9. The right to express one’s views (Article 12)
Countries must ensure that children are able to rest, have leisure time, play Countries must respect children’s rights to express their views freely in all
and engage in recreational activities. They also must ensure that children matters affecting them. Their views should be given weight appropriate
are able to par ticipate in cultural and artistic life. This means that: to their age and maturity. This means that teachers must:
• teachers must consider the activities and responsibilities of their students • listen to,consider and respect the opinions of their students
outside of school hours
• i nvolve the par ticipation of their students in classroom decision-making
• teachers should ensure that their expectations do not require students
to give up outside interests or eliminate their leisure time
• schools should provide opportunities for students to engage in cultural,
ar tistic and recreational activities
Students have the
right to express their
opinions about matters
affecting them.
Students have the right

to rest, play, leisure and
participation in
cultural and artistic
activities. Positive discipline begins with a commitment to respect
children’s rights.
When we make that commitment, we immediately begin to

approach teaching and classroom discipline in a more positive and
constructive way.

The Question of Religion

• I n 2 0 07, the South African Council of Churches declared
Among many faith groups, religious texts have been interpreted suppor t for the abolition of physical punishment and the
by some as justifying – or even prescribing – physical punishment. promotion of positive discipline. This organization represents
Many religious scholars disagree with those interpretations. over 16 million Christians of 26 denominations.
• In 2006, A Multi-Religious Commitment to Confront Violence • In 2004, the United Methodist Church in the US adopted two
against Children was endorsed by religious leaders from 30 policies calling for the elimination of physical punishment in
countries and many faiths (Buddhist, Christian, Hindu Jain, Jewish, homes, schools and child care settings.
Muslim, Sikh, and others). This Declaration calls on governments
to end all physical punishment of children. • A Covenant for Honouring Children (www.childhonouring)
suggests nine guiding principles for living that can form the basis
• In 2006, a multi-faith group of religious leaders endorsed the for a multi-faith consensus on societal renewal.
Coventry Char ter for Children and Non-violence, which calls
for the abolition of physical punishment and the promotion of
positive discipline.
See the Appendix for some religious perspectives on education and
• In May 2009, the Network of Imams of the Islamic Republic of discipline.
Mauritania carried out a study to assess whether corporal
punishment is allowed in Islam. Overwhelming, the study found
that corporal punishment of children has no place in Islam.
For more information on physical punishment and religion:
www.churchesfornon-violence.org/links.html
• In Bhutan, Chief Justice Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye stated “Developing
a child is like building a healthy nation. The three pillars of the
UNCRC – nondiscr imination, the best interest r ule and
par ticipation – are inherent in Bhutan’s Buddhist values.
These social values protect the dignity, the equality and the
fundamental rights of the child.”

CHAPTER 2
PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
Once the human rights foundation of education is established, we can

build an approach to discipline that respects students’ rights and teaches
them what they need to learn.
Effective teaching requires that we identify the pedagogical principles on

which our educational approach is based. These principles then become
our guideposts as we create a positive learning environment for our
students.
In all actions concerning children, the best interests of the child shall
be a primary consideration.
Article 3

CHAPTER 2 PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES
The positive discipline approach is based on several pedagogical

principles: Community health
(neighbourhood
1. The positive discipline approach is holistic. safety and economic
health, resources
and services)
A holistic approach to education recognizes that all aspects of children’s
learning and development are interrelated. For example, when we
understand how children’s thinking develops, we can better understand Family
relationchips
why they behave as they do at different ages. When we understand
(parents, child,
children’s social development, we can better understand why their siblings,
motivation levels might fluctuate over time. extended family)
This approach enables us to respond to discipline issues positively. It also Individual

enables us to create a positive learning environment which prevents development
(cognitive, social,
most discipline problems before they happen.
emotional)
The positive discipline approach is based on understanding the

interrelationships among: Learning,
Behaviour,
• individual development academic achievement
• learning, behaviour and academic achievement

• family relationships
• community health

Each of these domains is constantly influencing 2. The positive discipline approach is strengths-based.
what the child brings to the classroom. When
we are aware of these interrelationships, we are Positive discipline A strengths-based approach to education recognizes that ever y
much better able to find effective solutions to is not just about child has strengths, competencies and talents. The positive discipline
children’s learning and behavioural difficulties. children’s behaviour. approach emphasizes and builds on students’ abilities, effor ts and
It applies to all aspects improvements.
Because all aspects of children’s learning and of their learning and
development are interrelated, positive discipline all interactions among
must be integrated into all aspects of teaching, teachers, students
including: and families. Positive discipline
builds on students’
• the presentation of academic material strengths.
• the assessment of students’ learning
• communication in the classroom
• communication with students’ caregivers
• enhancing students’ motivation
• resolving teacher-student conflicts
• resolving peer conflicts In this approach, mistakes are not seen as failures, but as opportunities to learn
and improve one’s skills. Mistakes, difficulties and challenges are not weaknesses,
but springboards for learning.

3. The positive discipline approach is constructive. 4. The positive discipline approach is inclusive.
When children’s strengths are recognized, their Positive discipline Positive discipline is respectful of children’s Positive discipline
motivation increases and they view themselves builds students’ individual differences and equal rights. All children respects the diversity
as increasingly competent. self-esteem and are included in the educational process, and all of students.
confidence. are entitled to the same standard of education.
Positive discipline emphasizes the teacher’s role
in building students’ self-esteem and confidence, Assessment and diagnosis are used to:
nurturing their independence, and fostering their
sense of self-efficacy. • identify particular learning challenges
• better understand those challenges
In the positive discipline approach, the teacher is
a coach who supports students in their learning. • make adaptations in the classroom environment
to maximize every child’s success
Rather than punishing students’ academic or
• help educators identify ways to teach every
behavioural mistakes, the teacher explains,
child effectively
demonstrates and models the concepts and
behaviours to be learned.
Assessment and diagnosis are not used to:
Rather than trying to control students’ behaviour,
the teacher seeks to understand it and to guide • label or categorize children
it in a positive direction. • stereotype children
• segregate children
In positive discipline, the emphasis is on teaching

to children’s individual needs, strengths, social
skills and learning styles within an integrated
classroom – to the best of the school’s ability.

Questioning Old Assumptions Old Assumption: It is the teacher’s job to give information and the
student’s job to remember it. They have to sit still and be quiet so that
Sometimes teachers’ responses are based on outdated assumptions they can learn.
about children.The positive discipline approach provides an alternative
view that calls many old assumption into question. Positive Discipline View: Children are active learners. They learn
and understand best when they are actively involved in the learning
Old Assumption: Physical punishment is necessary to maintain control process. When they are required to sit quietly and listen, their active
in the classroom. minds wander. Children need to use their learning constructively,
not just to remember facts. Teachers need to provide many
Positive Discipline View: When we exert power over students, we opportunities for students to experiment, discover and construct
create power struggles. Over time, many students will resist our their knowledge. This is how they learn and remember best.
control by acting out, lying, skipping school or dropping out.Teachers
should focus on facilitating learning, not trying to control it. Learning Old Assumption: My students’ silence in the classroom is a sign of
should be active and enjoyable for students within a warm and their respect for me. When they speak or ask questions in class, they
structured learning environment created by the teacher. are challenging my authority.
Old Assumption: Without physical punishment, I will lose my authority Positive Discipline View: Children build their own understanding of
and the students’ respect. the world and all of the people and objects in it.Their curiosity is innate.
They are born wanting to learn and understand everything. Their
Positive Discipline View: Authority and respect are often confused
questions and curiosity should be encouraged and nurtured so that
with fear. Authority comes from knowledge and wisdom; fear comes
they continue to want to learn throughout their lives. Students’ silence
from coercion. Respect is earned and freely given; fear is an
is not a sign of respect. Usually it indicates fear, anxiety, disinterest,
involuntary response to pain and humiliation. Respect builds
boredom or lack of understanding.
relationships and strengthens bonds; fear erodes them.
Old Assumption: Children are incomplete beings. Teachers help to
Old Assumption: Physical punishment has worked for decades, so why build them into complete people.
should we stop it now?
Positive Discipline View: Children are complete human beings.
Positive Discipline View: Throughout those decades, many students
They might understand things differently than adults do, but
hated school and dropped out. Many with great potential lost their they are just as intelligent and have all the same feelings as adults.
motivation to learn. Many have painful memories and suffer from
Children are worthy of respect and they have inherent rights,
low self-confidence and depression. Some carry resentment and
including the right to participation.
hostility throughout their lives.

5. The positive discipline approach is proactive.

Does Positive Discipline Take a Lot of Teachers’ Time?
Teachers are much more effective when they plan to help children
succeed over the long term than when they react to short-term difficulties. It does take time to understand the approach and learn the skills.
But by investing this time now, you will save time later. Why?
Proactive education involves:
• Students will become increasingly self-disciplined, so you will
• understanding and addressing the roots of learning and behavioural have fewer behaviour problems to handle.
difficulties
• Students’ interest and motivation will increase, so they will pay
• identifying and implementing strategies that promote success and attention more, study more and achieve higher grades.
prevent conflict
• avoiding short-term reactions In contrast, physical and emotional punishment:
• breeds resentment and hostility which increase behaviour

problems.
• lowers interest and motivation, so students pay attention less,
study less and achieve lower grades.
• can create resistance, so they have to be repeated and intensified
over time.
Positive discipline is an investment

in nurturing a life-long motivation to learn.

CHAPTER 2
6. The positive discipline approach is participatory.
Students are motivated to learn when they feel engaged in the learning
process. Positive discipline involves student participation in decision-making
and respect for students’ viewpoints.
Rather than emphasizing coercion and control, this approach seeks out
students’ opinions and perspectives, and involves them in creating the
PART 2
classroom environment.
THE PRACTICE OF POSITIVE
DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS
Positive discipline
engages students in
the learning process. Problem solving and
responding with positive discipline
Identifying individual differences
Understanding child development
When we have a set of principles to guide us, we are not only better Providing warmth Providing structure
equipped to resolve confllcts constructively, we can prevent many confllcts
from arising and we can create a challenging, motivating learning
environment. In the next section, we will examine the key components of
Identifying long-term goals
effective planning for reaching our goals.

CHAPTER 3
IDENTIFYING LONG-TERM GOALS
Teaching children all they need to learn in order to be successful in life is

one of the worlds’ most important jobs. But many teachers begin a new
school year without thinking about the impact they will have on their
students’ later lives. We tend to focus on our immediate objectives while
neglecting to consider how our interactions with our students affect the
paths they will take long after they have left our classrooms.
In this chapter, you will think about your goals. These goals will be the
foundation on which you will build your positive discipline skills.
The child should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society,

and brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of Identifying long-term goals
the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity,
tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity.
Preamble

CHAPTER 3 IDENTIFYING LONG-TERM GOALS
Imagine this . . . Exercise – Your Feelings
Tomorrow, your students are going to write a national examination. You How do you feel at this moment? Write down the words that best
have been working with them for two months to master the material. describe your feelings in this situation.
This is your last day to help them prepare.
1
Some of the students are not concentrating today. They are whispering
to each other, laughing and disrupting the class.
You have told them to settle down, but they continue to make noise and
distract the other students. 2
Think about what is going on inside of you.
How are you feeling?
What do you want to make happen at this moment? 3
What will you do to make these things happen right away?

Exercise – Your Short-term Goals Exercise – Your Behaviour
What do you want to make happen in this moment? Write down the How are you likely to try to make the students do what you want them
things that you want your students to do right now. to do at this moment? Write down the ways you are likely to react in this
situation.
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5

When you thought about your feelings in the situation, did you include: When you thought about how you would try to make the students do
what you want them to do, did you include:
• stress?
• yelling?
• frustration?
• threatening?
• anger?
• sending students out of the classroom?
• exasperation?
• hitting?
• rising blood pressure?
• storming out of the room?
• physical tension?
• telling the students they are stupid, useless, lazy or bound to fail?
• powerlessness?
• desperation?
This situation is one of short-term stress.
When you thought about what you wanted your students to do in the
situation, did you include: These situations have three main features:
• being quiet? 1. You want your students to change their behaviour now.
• paying attention? 2. You are in an emotional state of frustration, anger and powerlessness.
• showing respect? 3. You try to force the students to change their behaviour through regaining
power and control.
• listening to you?
• doing what you say? Situations of short-term stress are common in classrooms around the
world. And teachers’ reactions to them are often harsh and punitive.

Now think about your current students and imagine this . . .

Exercise – Your Long-term Vision
They are all grown up. They are 20 years old now.
Tomorrow, your school is hosting a reunion. Many of your former 1. How will you feel when you see your students grown up?
students plan to attend.
2. What kind of people do you hope they will be?

Think about what is going on inside of you at this moment.
What will you feel when you see them at that age?
What kind of people do you hope they will be?

3. What do you hope they will have accomplished?
What do you hope they will have accomplished by then?
What kinds of relationships do you hope they will have?
How do you hope they will feel about you? 4. What kinds of relationships do you hope they will have?
5. How do you hope they will feel about you?

When you thought about how you will feel, did you include: When you thought about what you hope they will have accomplished,
did you include:
• happiness?
• getting an advanced education?
• excitement?
• contributing positively to their community?
• pride in the positive role you played in their lives?
• mastering challenges in their lives?
When you thought about the kinds of people you hope they will be, did • achieving their dreams?
you include:
When you thought about the kinds of relationships you hope they will
• confident?
have, did you include:
• good at communicating?
• happy?
• having a love of learning?
• trusting?
• courteous?
• mutually respectful?
• able to think independently?
• non-violent?
• good at resolving personal conflicts?
• kind and empathic?
When you thought about the feelings you hope they will have about you,
• honest?
did you include:
• resilient to stress and adversity?
• affection?
• thinking of you as a positive force in their lives?
• remembering you as kind and supportive?
• attribution their success to your wise guidance?

These are long-term goals. The problem is that the way we react to short-term stress often interferes
with our long-term goals.
As teachers, we aren’t always able to witness Long-term goals are
our students’ development over the long term. the impacts that For example:
But each of us has an impact on their adult lives. teachers want to have
Long-term goals are those lasting impacts that on their students’ • When you yell at your students, are you teaching them how to be
we hope to have on our students. adults lives. courteous and respectful?
• When you hit your students, are you teaching them how to resolve
As teachers, we are in a position to not only conflict without violence?
impart academic knowledge to students, but also
to equip them with the self-image, motivation, • When you call your students stupid, lazy or useless, are you building
and social skills they will need for a successful their confidence?
and happy life. • When you embarrass your students, are you fostering their love
of learning?
Often, we are not conscious of our long-term
goals. There are so many facts to teach,
assignments to mark and projects to create Teachers can easily react to short-term frustration in a way that blocks
each day. But the ultimate aim of education is to their long-term goals.Yelling, humiliating and hitting will teach your students
prepare students for success in their adult lives the opposite of what you want them to learn in the long run.
Every time you react this way, you lose an oppor tunity to show your
students a better way – and to strengthen their interest and motivation.
This is one of the hardest challenges for teachers – to handle short-term

stress in a way that helps them to achieve their long-term goals.

How can you meet both your short-term goals

and your long-term goals?
Every short-term
The key is to see shor t-term challenges as challenge is an
opportunities to work toward your long-term opportunity to work
goals. toward your
long-term goals.
When you feel yourself becoming frustrated,

this is a signal that you have an opportunity to
teach your students something important.
How well do your short-term reactions lead you toward your
long-term goals?
You have an opportunity to teach your students
how to:
Short-term Reactions Long-term Goals
criticizing building self-esteem • manage stress,

• communicate respectfully,
slapping teaching non-violence
• handle conflict without yelling or hitting,
name-calling building resilience
• consider other people’s feelings, and
threatening creating a positive attitude toward learning • achieve your goals without harming others
physically or emotionally
embarrassing inspiring happy memories of school and of you
You can do all of this while also fostering their

interest and motivation to learn.
How is this possible? It is possible through using

the tools of positive discipline – warmth and
structure.

CHAPTER 4
PROVIDING WARMTH AND STRUCTURE
Your long-term goals are your blueprints. They keep you focused on the
impact you want to have on your students. Achieving those goals requires
two tools – warmth and structure.
In this chapter, you will learn what warmth and structure are and why
they are important. You will think about how you can provide warmth Providing warmth Providing structure
and structure to your students in ways that will lead you toward your
long-term goals.
All appropriate measures shall be taken to protect the child from all
forms of physical or mental violence.
Article 19

CHAPTER 4 PROVIDING WARMTH AND STRUCTURE
Providing warmth Exercise – Why is Warmth Important?
What is warmth? To understand why warmth is such an important part of school discipline,
imagine that you are learning a new language.
• respect for the student’s developmental level
1. Will you learn better if your teacher:
• sensitivity to the child’s academic and social needs
a) tells you what you are doing right, or
• empathy with the child’s feelings b) tells you only what you are doing wrong?
• emotional security 2. Will you learn better if you feel:
• expressions of caring and affection a) safe with your teacher, or
b) afraid that she will hit you if you make a mistake?
3. Will you learn better if you think:

Warmth affects students academically, emotionally and behaviorally. a) your teacher will stay with you and support
you no matter how many mistakes you make, or
b) he will storm out of the room in anger when
you make errors?
4. Will you want to please a teacher who:

a) is kind and understanding, or
b) yells at, embarrasses and criticizes you?
5. Will you want to learn other languages if your teacher:

a) tells you how capable you are, or
b) tells you that you’re stupid?
6. Will you want to tell your teacher when you’re having

problems if you expect:
a) he will listen and help, or
b) he will get angry and punish you?

If you chose the “warm” teacher in each case, you are aware that anxiety As this process continues, students are likely to show behavioural problems.
interferes with attention, learning and memory. If students are anxious, Anxiety contributes to distractibility which can make children restless
much of their energy is diverted from concentrating on their work to and fidgety. When teachers punish this behaviour, the students’ anxiety is
managing their anxiety. This means that much of the information being increased, which compounds their restlessness.
taught is not attended to, so it cannot be remembered. The resulting
academic failure creates more anxiety, which compounds the learning
problem.
Interference
with
attention Distractibility
and memory
Anxiety Anxiety
Academic Behaviour problems

difficulties

All people learn best when they feel relaxed and Warmth increases learning, encourages cooperation and teaches
secure. Their energy can be focused on paying long-term values.
attention, so they are more likely to process the
In a warm classroom
information and to remember it. They also feel
climate, students feel
safe to make mistakes, which is an important part
supported, relaxed Some ways that teachers create a warm classroom climate are:
of learning. And they are comfor table saying
and motivated to
when they are confused. This situation promotes
learn. • getting to know their students as people and where they are from
learning. • encouraging them when they are having difficulty
• recognizing their efforts and successes
• supporting them when they are facing challenges in their lives
Focused
attention, • telling them that they believe in them
memory
• looking at things from their point of view
• sharing humour with them
Security
• listening to them
Learning, • having fun with them
motivation,
academic • showing them that they are respected even when they make mistakes
success
In a warm classroom climate, students are much

more likely to be cooperative and to have fewer
behaviour problems. Their academic success fuels
their interest, so they are less distractible. They
are not anxious, so they are less restless. And
they come to associate the classroom with
positive feelings, so their love of learning grows.

Exercise – Creating a Warm Classroom Climate Providing structure
List 5 ways that you create a climate of warmth in your classroom. What is structure?
• clear guidelines for behaviour and for academic tasks
1. • clearly consistently stated and reasonable expectations
• clearly explained reasons for rules
• opportunities to fix mistakes
• encouragement of independent thinking
2. • negotiation
Structure is the information that students need in order to succeed

academically and behaviourally. It gives students the tools they need to
solve problems when you are not present.
3.
Structure shows students how to work out conflicts with other people
in a constructive, nonviolent way. It also informs them about how they
can succeed academically.
Like warmth, structure affects students academically, emotionally and

4. behaviourally.
5.

If you chose the “structured” teacher in each case, you are aware that
Exercise – Why is Structure Important? lack of information and poor communication interfere with learning. If
students don’t have the information they need to succeed, they are likely
to fail. If a teacher then punishes them for their failure, they can start to
To understand why structure is such an impor tant par t of classroom see themselves as stupid and lose their interest and motivation.
discipline, imagine again that you are learning a new language.

a) teaches you the rules of spelling, or
b) expects you to figure out how to spell new words and
punishes you when you make mistakes?
2. Will you want to learn more if your teacher:

a) recognizes and appreciates your attempts, even if they’re not
perfect, or
b) threatens to punish you if you make a mistake?

a) gives you the information you need to pass a test or, Academic
failure
b) doesn’t give you the information you need and then gets
angry when you fail the test?
4. Will you want to please a teacher who: Inadequate

a) talks your mistakes over with you and shows you how to information,
improve next time, or explanation,
communication
b) hits you when you make mistakes?
5. Will you want to learn more languages if your teacher: Self-blame,

poorself-image,
a) gives you advice and encouragement to try, or lowered motivation
b) tells you that you’ll never be able to learn?
6. Will you want to tell your teacher when you’re having problems
if you expect:
a) he will try to understand why you are having difficulty and
help you find a new approach, or
b) he will get angry and punish you?

Or, they might begin to resent the teacher for not providing the information All people learn best when they know what is expected of them, if those
they need in a way that they can understand. These students are likely to expectations are fair and reasonable, and if they are given the information
lose interest in and dislike the subject being taught. they need to meet those expectations. When we succeed, our interest in
the subject grows, our self-image improves and our motivation increases.
Academic Academic
failure success
Inadequate Clear
information, information,
explanation, explanation,
communication communication
Resentment, Increased interest,

hostility, positive self-image,
lowered motivation increased motivation

When students know what is expected of them, and believe they will get Some ways that teachers provide structure for their students are:
the information needed to meet those expectations, they become more
confident in their learning ability and they want to learn more. They are
less confused and frustrated, so they can concentrate on their learning. • involving students in setting rules for the classroom
Their success gives them positive feelings about school and the subject
• helping students find ways to fix their mistakes in a way that helps
being taught. And their behaviour improves.
them to learn
• explaining the reasons for rules
• being consistent, but also fair and flexible
• controlling their anger
• avoiding threats and punishments
In a structured • explaining their point of view and listening to their students’ points
classroom, students of view
are given the • teaching them about the effects of their actions on other people
information they need
to succeed. • giving them the information they need to make good decisions
• talking with them and learning about the challenges in their lives
• acting as a positive role model and a guide

Positive discipline combines warmth and structure throughout each

Exercise – Providing Structure student’s school years.
It is a way of thinking that helps teachers to meet their short-term goals,

List 5 ways that you provide structure for your students while having a positive life-long impact on their students.
It is a way of teaching students how to:

1.
• solve problems
• think for themselves
• get along with others
• resolve conflict without violence
2.
• do the right thing when no adults are present
It also is a way of increasing students’ interest in learning, strengthening

their motivation to achieve and promoting their academic success.
3.
4.
5.

Positive discipline is based on the idea that children are constantly changing,
growing and developing. They are learners. They learn best when they have
support and information.
Warmth = Support
Structure = Information
But children of different ages need different kinds of support and

information. The next chapter will describe how children develop so
that you can consider the kinds of warmth and structure they need at
different ages.

CHAPTER 5
UNDERSTANDING CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Teachers are well aware that children change as they grow. Development
is an ongoing, never-ending process. It is because children change that we
are able to teach them new information and new skills. All learning builds
on prior learning – and forms a foundation for future learning.
But children do not learn in the same way at every age. Their ways of
thinking and understanding change, so the ways that we teach them must Understanding child development
change as well. In this chapter, you will learn how to reach your long-term
goals by providing warmth and structure that are appropriate to your
students’ stage of development.
Providing warmth Providing structure
Members of the community shall provide, in a manner consistent with Identifying long-term goals
the evolving capacities of the child, appropriate direction and guidance
in the child’s exercise of his or her rights.
Article 5

CHAPTER 5 UNDERSTANDING CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Much of students’ development is invisible to teachers. We were not part

of students’ lives in their infancy or early childhood – and we are unlikely Early Development and Why It Matters
to be part of their lives after they leave our classrooms. We only can see
Before School
a “snapshot” of their development during the months that we spend
with them. When a child arrives at the classroom door, her learning and behaviour
have already been influenced by her previous experiences. Sometimes,
Positive discipline requires an understanding of how children think and the source of a child’s difficulties can be found even before birth.
feel at different stages. To be effective teachers, we need to:
As early as the time of conception, important developmental influences
Transition to School
• have appropriate expectations of our students’ abilities at different ages are present. Sometimes our students’ challenges, as well as their strengths,
• understand that some students might not have the experiences or are due to their genetic make-up. For example, a parent’s genes might
information they need in order to succeed hand down a predisposition toward distractibility, mathematical ability,
verbal fluency or moodiness.
• reflect on what we could do differently to help them learn
• recognize that our students’ perspectives might be different from ours
6- to 8-Year-Olds
• understand our own contributions to conflict with students
Learning problems also can be caused by prenatal
exposure to toxins. Because the brain is formed
during the prenatal period, toxic substances
consumed by the mother, or present in the
environment, can have a profound impact on the
child’s learning and behaviour.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Brain development also can be affected by When caregivers respond to their babies’ cries by picking them up, rocking
parental poverty. Mothers who cannot afford them, changing them, feeding them and comforting them, they build a
trusting relationship with their babies. As babies’ trust in their caregivers
Before School
prenatal care, a nutritious diet or prenatal
education are at risk of giving birth to children grows, they develop an attachment to them. If the caregivers continue to respond
with intellectual and behavioural challenges. respectfully and sensitively to their children’s attempts to communicate,
this attachment continues to deepen and the child develops a sense of
Many things can happen during birth that can safety and security.
affect the baby’s brain. In some cases, the learning
and behaviour difficulties that children show in the Some caregivers, however, do not respond sensitively or reliably to their
classroom can be traced to birth complications. infants’ cries or early language. Perhaps they are unaware of the importance
of responding, have a low tolerance for the sound of babies’ cries, are
Immediately after birth, a wide range of factors under great stress, or are ill or depressed.
begin to influence the child’s development. This
early development is fundamental to the behaviours Whatever the reason, when caregivers do not respond sensitively to their
and competencies that we see in the classroom. infants, their babies learn that they cannot rely on their caregivers to meet
It affects children’s readiness to enter school, their their needs. In this situation, their attachment can be disrupted.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
ability to learn in a structured environment and
their relationships with teachers and peers. In some cases, children’s school difficulties can be traced to a disrupted
attachment. Why is this so?
One of the most important factors influencing
children’s development is their attachment to Learning and behaviour
their caregivers. problems can result from
factors that affect
9- to 12-Year-Olds
children’s brains before
or during birth,
including:
• heredity
• toxins
13- to 18-Year-Olds
• poverty
• birth complications

1. Attachment fosters brain development 3. Attachment fosters language development
Infants who feel secure tend to grow into toddlers who explore their Infants whose caregivers respond to their cries,
Before School
environments because they expect that they will be safe. Exploration is laughter, babbling and early words tend to develop
crucial for children’s brain development. This is how they gain concepts of large vocabularies. They come to believe that
number, colour, shape, sound, size and weight. The more they can explore, they can reach their goals through language, so
the more prepared they will be for school. they use words to express themselves.
Children with disrupted attachments tend to be fearful of exploring their Some caregivers ignore, criticize or make fun of
environments, so they lose learning opportunities. When they enter school, their children’s babbling, laughing and early
they may not have acquired the basic concepts they need to succeed. language. These children are discouraged from
communicating with words. They also lose
opportunities to expand their vocabularies and
2. Attachment fosters emotional development acquire verbal concepts.
Infants who have learned that their parents are reliable feel emotionally
6- to 8-Year-Olds
secure. When they enter school, they are less likely to cry when their 4. Attachment fosters social development
parents leave. If they do cry, they are easy to comfort. They can devote
their energy and attention to school activities because they believe that Infants who trust their caregivers tend to trust
their parents will return. others. They expect other people to be dependable
and responsive. They are more likely to be confident
Children with disrupted attachments tend to feel emotionally insecure. in social interactions and to have positive relationships
When they enter school, they are likely to have difficulty separating from with teachers and peers.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
their parents. They can be difficult to comfort, often crying inconsolably.
It can be hard for them to concentrate on their schoolwork because of Infants who have not learned to trust their
their anxiety. caregivers tend to mistrust others. They expect
others to hurt or reject them. They are likely to
lack confidence in social interactions. They might
be socially anxious or shy. Or they might become
aggressive to defend themselves against rejection.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Insecurely attached children tend to have more
conflictual relationships with teachers and peers.

It is important to remember that disrupted attachment can be disrupted Children who feel competent are more willing to try. They are confident
for many reasons. Usually, parents do not set out to weaken their in their abilities to succeed – or to cope, if they fail. This confidence is
relationships with their children.
Before School
crucial to their attitude toward learning and their motivation in school.
In most cases, they are simply unaware of the importance of responding Children who have watched their parents resolve conflict non-violently
sensitively to their babies. In other cases, they might be ill, absent due to are learning that it is important to listen to others and to work together
employment demands, or depressed. Whatever the cause, teachers should to find solutions.
consider the role that attachment might play in the difficulties that children
display at school. But when adults respond to preschoolers’ behaviour with anger, criticism
and physical punishment, the children feel disrespected and ashamed for
who they are and what they feel. These responses erode children’s sense
of competence and damage their confidence. These children can become
anxious and withdrawn, afraid to express themselves. They also can appear
Disrupted attachment can to be unmotivated because they fear criticism should they try and fail.
contribute to: And they are missing opportunities to learn how to resolve conflict
• slower acquisition of basic respectfully.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
concepts
• emotional insecurity
• poor communication skills
• difficulties in social Shame
relationships
9- to 12-Year-Olds
Another important aspect of early development that affects children’s Anger
behaviour in school is caregivers’ response to conflict. Their responses
Criticism
can strengthen children’s skills – or they can discourage children from
learning. Punishment
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Lack of
When adults understand that preschoolers’ behaviours reflect their stage confidence Aggression
of development, they are likely to respond with explanations, reassurance Low Hostility
and guidance.These responses strengthen children’s sense of competence, motivation
build their self-respect and teach them problem-solving skills.

Children’s experiences before school entry set the stage for their readiness
to learn, their motivation to learn and their skills in social interaction. In Making the Transition to School
Before School
many cases, the learning and behavioural difficulties that become evident
in school had their origins in what children learned about themselves
years earlier. Making the transition to school is a momentous event in a child’s life. It is
one of the biggest adjustments she will ever make.
It is important for teachers to consider how a child’s preschool experiences
might have formed a self-concept that is expressed in his attitudes toward
learning and his behaviour in the classroom or in the schoolyard.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
From a child’s perspective, school is an entirely new world. It is in a new
location, filled with new children and new adults with new expectations.
There are new schedules and routines to follow. And, perhaps for the
9- to 12-Year-Olds
first time, the child is without her parents or caregivers.
This situation presents a tremendous challenge for the child.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
The foundation for her transition to school was laid when she was an
infant and a preschooler. Adults’ responses during her early life affected: “I understand what I have experienced”
Before School
• her sense of security
• whether she has learned basic concepts, such as numbers, colours and At the time of school entry, children can understand things they have
shapes experienced. But they have difficulty in understanding things they have not
experienced. For example, they have difficulty understanding that other
• her confidence people speak different languages from their own, that their parents were
once children, or that they will get old. So, it is difficult for them to predict
• her motivation to learn
what might happen if they do something they have not done before.
Each of these factors will affect her transition to the school environment. A child of this age is not able to predict:
But at the moment of school entry, teachers assume a large share of
responsibility for the child’s successful transition.Their responses can affect • what might happen if she takes a toy from another child
children’s feelings toward school and learning for many years to come. • what might happen if she hits another child
Teachers can help children to make this adjustment when they understand
how children think at this age. • what might happen if she forgets her shoes
6- to 8-Year-Olds
• what might happen if she doesn’t go to the bathroom when she has
the opportunity
9- to 12-Year-Olds
13- to 18-Year-Olds
“I understand what I can see and touch” “I understand what is most obvious to me”
Before School
Children of this age can grasp concrete concepts. But they have difficulty At this stage, children have difficulty understanding that there is more than
with abstract concepts. For example, if they see one rock placed beside one dimension to any situation. They focus on the aspect that is most
two rocks, they can understand that there are three rocks. But they have obvious to them. But they have difficulty to consider the less obvious one
difficulty answering the question, “What is one plus two?” They need to at the same time. For example, a child will understand that her father is a
count using their fingers or other concrete objects. father, but find it difficult to understand that her father is also a son.
A child of this age will have difficulty: A child of this age will have difficulty understanding that:
• solving arithmetic problems in his head • people can feel love and anger at the same time
• solving conflicts in his head • she can be smart and unable to understand at the same time
• spelling words in his head • a word can mean two things at the same time
6- to 8-Year-Olds
• planning a response in his head • she can be “bad” and “good” at the same time
• with learning activities that are abstract (that don’t use touch and sight)
9- to 12-Year-Olds
13- to 18-Year-Olds
If a child of this age is punished, it will be very difficult for him to: Children who withdraw become quiet, shy and fearful of making mistakes.
• predict what will happen next If teachers then respond with criticism, these children become more
Before School
anxious. Over time, they can easily lose their motivation to try.
• figure out a solution to the problem in his head
• understand that the adult punishing him still cares about him
Withdrawal
Punishment Criticism
6- to 8-Year-Olds
Lowered
motivation Anxiety
9- to 12-Year-Olds
When a child of this age is punished, he is likely to feel rejected. When
children feel rejected by their teachers, they become insecure and anxious
in the school environment. As a result they might withdraw - or they
might act up.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Withdrawal
Acting up
Children who act up are likely to be punished again, leading to greater If these patterns are established early, they can
anxiety. These children find it hard to concentrate on their schoolwork set the stage for difficulties throughout school.
and begin to fail. Over time, they can easily stop caring about school. Responses that
Before School
Rather than punishing the child’s behaviour, it is d i s c o u ra g e a n d
important for teachers to look for the reason demotivate children
behind the behaviour. are:
• physical punishment
There aremany reasons why a child might
have difficulty adjusting to school, including: • criticising
Acting up
• yelling
1. She is not ready to understand the concepts
being taught, so she is easily distracted and • ridiculing
discouraged. • embarrassing
Academic Punishment
failure 2. She has a disrupted attachment to her • shaming
caregivers, so she feels insecure and frightened.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
3. She has been punished at home, so she is
anxious.
4. There is conflict between her parents or a

Distractibility Anxiety crisis at home so she is worried.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
If a child is having difficulty making the adjustment
to school, it is important to assess the behaviour
and find the reasons that lie behind it. Then you
can choose a response that encourages
self-discipline while motivating them to learn
and achieve.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
o Provide many opportunities for physical movement. For example,

How Can Teachers Help Children to Make the provide time for running and playing freely outside; play jumping
games to teach counting; teach about music by dancing.
Before School
Transition to the School?
o Provide oppor tunities for imaginary play. For example, provide
costumes, toys and furniture that allow children to make-believe;
Teachers can help to ease children’s transition to school in a number of objects like buckets and fabric that children can use for a variety
ways. Remember your tools – warmth and structure. of purposes.
1. Provide warmth
• Consider the child’s early experiences
• Create a physically and emotionally secure environment.
o Think about whether a child’s learning difficulties might be due to
o Speak with a gentle, reassuring voice. problems in brain development.
o Bend down to the child’s level to talk. o Think about whether a child’s behavioural difficulties might be due
to disrupted attachment.
o Construct a classroom environment that is interesting, fun and
6- to 8-Year-Olds
engaging. o Find out whether your students have experienced trauma in their
early years.
o Ensure that children can make mistakes without fear of punishment,
anger or criticism. o Think about whether a child’s aggression might be due to his own
experiences of violence.
o Get to know your students’ caregivers and assess whether they are
• Consider the child’s developmental level.
supportive or punitive.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
o Remember that entering school is a huge transition for children.
o Find out whether your students have had opportunities to learn
Respond empathically to their stress and anxiety.
basic concepts.
o Provide reassurance that the caregiver will return.
o Provide plenty of opportunities for exploration and discovery. For
example, provide interesting objects of different shapes, sizes and
textures; numbers, letters and characters that children can touch
13- to 18-Year-Olds
and play with; sub-stances like sand, water and clay thatchildren can
manipulate.
2. Provide structure
• Give your students information that they can understand.
Before School
o Provide clear, simple information.
o Give only one instruction at a time.
o Keep the classroom rules simple, and have few of them.
o Engage your students in developing the classroom rules.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
o Prepare them for transitions, such as changes in activities and
going home at the end of the day. If the transition to school has been made
successfully, children in the early years of
elementary/primary school are typically
• Help students learn about the consequences of their decisions through: eager to learn and highly motivated to master
new challenges. They have an innate drive to
o Talking and explaining. understand their world.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
o Helping them recognize when their decisions have positive
outcomes. Children’s experiences in elementary/primary
school set the stage for their success in later years.
o Helping them make restitution when their decisions have negative At this time, teachers need to create a learning
outcomes. climate that is supportive and encouraging, and
that nurtures children’s motivation to learn.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
• Be a positive role model. Some characteristics of children in this stage can
present challenges for teachers. These children
o Treat your students with respect and kindness.
are active, curious, distractible and independent.
o Show them how to cope with frustration. Each of these characteristics can lead to conflict
in the classroom. Teachers’ approaches to these
o Treat them fairly.
conflicts can have a powerful impact on children’s
o Show them how to approach difficult problems in an optimist and feelings about school.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
constructive manner.
Physical Activity Curiosity
Before School
Children of this age have a great deal of energy. They seem to never tire. In the early years of elementary/primary school, children are interested
They are always in motion – running, jumping, sliding and skipping. Why? in everything. They love to explore and experiment. They are delighted
by the feeling of discovery. As they explore and discover, they are:
• Their large muscles are growing and strengthening.
• gaining deeper understanding of how
• They are gaining important skills in balance and coordination.
things work
• Their brains cells are forming new connections.
• constructing their own knowledge of objects,
relationships, numbers, letters and shapes
Because physical movement is critical to all of these developments,
children have an inborn motivation to move. It is extremely difficult for • learning new vocabulary
children of this age to sit still for any length of time.
• increasing the connections among their
Not only is movement important for their physical and brain development, brain cells
6- to 8-Year-Olds
it also is important for their social development. By playing active games,
The process of discovery is crucial to children’s learning in this stage. The
they learn social skills, such as cooperation, turn-taking, and conflict
feeling of figuring out how objects are put together and how things work
resolution.
is very rewarding. Each time they make a discovery, their confidence grows.
When they build their own knowledge, their brains physically change,
Physical activity also is important for children’s emotional health. It helps
making future learning easier.
them release tension – and to experience joy in their newfound physical
competence.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
As children solve problems together, their social skills grow. They hear
others’ opinions and try out others’ ideas, building a foundation for
perspective-taking and negotiation. As adults respond respectfully to their
questions, their curiosity and desire to learn are nurtured.
Opportunities to discover also foster creativity. As they figure out how

things work, children develop ideas about how to adapt and apply that
13- to 18-Year-Olds
knowledge in other situations – the basis of innovation.
Distractibility Independence
Before School
In this stage, children’s attention is easily drawn Children of this age love to do things for themselves and to make their own
to all of the things going on around them. Like decisions. They might refuse to do what we want them to do, or make a
their bodies, their minds are in constant motion. fuss when we want them to go somewhere. Why?
They seem to have difficulty focusing on lessons
and seat work. Why? • They are learning and practicing how to think for themselves.
• The rapid growth of connections among their
• They place importance on things that we might consider unimportant,
brain cells makes their brains highly excitable.
such as the colour of a shirt or how their fruit is cut.
• Myelination (coating of brain cells) is advancing
rapidly, speeding up the transmission of • They have difficulty making sudden transitions from one activity to another.
nerve impulses.
Sometimes teachers interpret children’s desire for independence as
• They are interested in everything and primed
6- to 8-Year-Olds
non-compliance. Actually, children of this age are more likely to comply
to learn from every new experience. if they are given some decision-making power.
The ability to make decisions is crucial in later years. During this stage, if
children can practice decision-making in a safe environment, they will be
Teachers can become frustrated by the distractibility of children in this more skilled at it when they are older.
stage. Sometimes they think it is a sign of disrespect or defiance. Actually,
it is a signal that the child’s brain needs stimulation.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
Children in early elementary school
Young children’s brains are like sponges, ready to soak up every experience, tend to be:
process it and learn from it. New and unexpected experiences provide
wonderful opportunities for learning.
• physically active
• curious
• distractible
13- to 18-Year-Olds
• independent
These characteristics make young
children always ready to learn.
• Make school interesting

How Can Teachers Minimize Conflict and Maximize o Create a classroom climate of pleasure and enjoyment.
Before School
Learning in this Stage? o Connect concepts to students’ individual interests.
o Find out what children of this age find engaging and use that
There are several approaches that teachers can take to preventing conflict information to guide your presentation of material.
and optimizing opportunities for learning. Remember your tools - warmth
and structure. o Use humour to make your teaching memorable.
o Nurture your studens‘ love of learning.
1. Provide warmth
• Create a physically and emotionally secure environment where students • Consider the child’s developmental level
are able to:
o Provide frequent opportunities for physical movement. For example,
o Make mistakes without fear of punishment. integrate dance and games into teaching language.
o Create a classroom environment that promotes learning through
6- to 8-Year-Olds
o Exercise their decision-making skills.
discovery. For example, send students on a hunt through the school
o Channel their physical and mental energy into constructive activities. for all of the places where they can find objects that begin with
certain sounds, or 90-degree angles, or parallelograms.
o Use distractions as opportunities to teach. For example, use a sudden
rainstorm to discuss clouds, weather changes, condensation,
evaporation or climate change.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
o Give students opportunities to make decisions. For example, they
could choose to present a project: orally as a set of drawings.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
• Build relationships with caregivers 2. Provide structure

o Communicate often with caregivers about your approach to
• Encourage students’ participation in:
Before School
teaching, your goals and their children’s goals.
o Setting their own learning goals.
o Involve students in your communications with their caregivers.
o Setting class rules for behaviour.
o Recognize caregivers’ concerns during this period, such as worry
about peer influences, bullying, academic difficulties and their o Solving their conflicts.
children’s growing independence. Give them an opportunity to talk
with you about their concerns.
• Help students appreciate the consequences of their decisions through:
o Provide opportunities for caregivers to spend time in the classroom,
to par ticipate in school activities and to feel par t of the school o Talking and explaining.
community.
o Helping them recognize when their decisions have positive outcomes.
o Get to know each student as an individual and as a member of a
o Helping them make restitution when their decisions have negative
family.
outcomes.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
o Provide opportunities for children to share their unique knowledge
and experiences at school.
• Be a positive role model:
o Consider the impact of homework on family life and on children’s
responsibilities and opportunities outside of school. o Respect the rights of others.
o Treat other people with kindness.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
o Respond to others’ difficulties with empathy.
o Treat other people fairly.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Before School
9- to 12-Year-Olds
Children’s attitudes toward school and learning
have been largely formed by the time they enter
the middle school years. If their teachers and
caregivers have interacted with them in a way that
respects their developmental levels, engaged
them in learning and provided adequate
6- to 8-Year-Olds
oppor tunities for discover y, they are likely
to have maintained their interest in learning.
With this stage come new opportunities and new

challenges. Children are now able to solve problems
mentally, so their mathematical abilities progress
quickly. They also become able to think about
9- to 12-Year-Olds
their own thinking (“metacognition”). This means
that they can reflect on how they learn, assess
their strategies and try out new ones.
Socially, children in this stage become increasingly

focused on peer relationships. They form close
13- to 18-Year-Olds
friendships – and can experience intense conflict.
In this stage, teachers need to create a learning
climate that fosters both academic and social
confidence.
Threats to Children’s Confidence in Senior 2. The Emotional Domain

Elementary/Primary School
The onset of puberty is under the control of
Before School
During this stage, teachers have the challenge of hormones released in the brain. As puberty
building confidence in students who are facing approaches, these hormones produce not only
daily threats to their self-esteem. These threats physical changes, but emotional ones as well.
arise from their development in the physical,
emotional and social domains. At this time in their development, children can
become moody, irritable and prone to tears. They
1. The Physical Domain can be highly sensitive and easily embarrassed.
They might react intensely to an incident that
Children’s bodies change dramatically during this seems minor to the teacher. They might be
stage. Some will develop strength and athletic skills, inseparable from a best friend one day, and reject
participate in sports and feel confident in their
that same friend the next day. They also might
physical abilities. Others will grow more slowly, or
feel confident in their abilities one day, and feel
be physically awkward or weaker than their peers.
completely inadequate the next day.
Others will grow taller or gain more weight than
6- to 8-Year-Olds
their classmates.
It is important that teachers provide the emotional stability that their
students need during this stage. If teachers are highly reactive, prone to
Toward the end of this stage, children will experience
moodiness and anger or unpredictable in their responses, their students
a major physical transformation: they will enter
will lose confidence in their ability to regulate their own emotions. Adults
puberty. Their bodies will begin to take on their
adult forms as secondary sex characteristics appear, need to provide an emotionally stable environment that will give students
and the differences between boys and girls will the emotional security they need at this age.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
become more obvious.
Throughout this stage, children become increasingly

aware of their bodies and those of their peers.
If they feel “different” from the others, they can
become self-conscious. If their peers or teachers
tease or ridicule them, their confidence can be
13- to 18-Year-Olds
shattered.
3. The Social Domain Another important development of this stage is children’s emerging interest
in romantic relationships. With the onset of puberty comes a new
The dramatic physical and emotional changes of this stage bring about awareness of emotional and physical attraction to peers, as well as the
Before School
equally dramatic changes in children’s social relationships. This can be a possibility of being re-jected by them. These issues can occupy much of
time of confusion and uncertainty about friendships. Power relationships students’ thinking, distracting them from their studies.
emerge among students. And bullying is very common.
Both teachers and students need to know that this is a normal development,
Bullies aim to intimidate and humiliate students who lack confidence. but a very sensitive one. Children should never be teased or shamed
Their effects on their victims are profound. Children who are bullied about their romantic interests. Instead, adults need to respect their feelings,
become fearful of going to school. They often don’t tell anyone for fear listen to their concerns, answer their questions and teach them how to
of retaliation by the bully. In the classroom, their attention is continuously navigate these relationships respectfully. Children need to gain confidence
diverted to worrying about what the bully will do next, and how they will in their abilities to handle their complex emotions without hurting others
keep themselves safe. physically or emotionally.These experiences build a foundation for establishing
intimate relationships built on respect and non-violence.
Much bullying takes place on the way to and from school, and in the
schoolyard. Schools need to develop strong anti-bullying policies and to
6- to 8-Year-Olds
guarantee confidentiality to children who report bullying. Teachers need
special training in how to respond to bullying so that they don’t worsen
the situation for the victim. Teachers also need to ensure that they don’t
engage in bullying of students.
In 2006, Sombat Tapanya conducted a survey of 3,000 students in grades
9- to 12-Year-Olds
4 to 9 from all regions of Thailand. Overall, 39% reported being bullied
on a regular basis. Among students in grades 4-6, the rate was even
higher - close to 50%.The three locations where most bullying took place
were: 1) the classroom while the teacher was absent; 2) hallways and
stairways; and 3) the schoolyard.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
• Maintain communication with your students’ caregivers.

How Can Teachers Promote Students’ Confidence? o Get to know your students’ families; understand their home stresses
Before School
and supports.
There are many ways in which teachers can build students’ confidence in o Encourage parents and other caregivers to visit your classroom,
this stage. Remember your tools – warmth and structure. volunteer in the school and participate in special events.
o Send information home frequently. Explain what your students are
1. Provide warmth
learning, the purpose of their assignments and how to help with
homework.
• Create a physically and emotionally secure environment.
o Work in partnership with caregivers on resolving difficulties.
o Provide support when they have difficulties.
o Be aware that homework and pressure to excel can cause family
o Resist criticizing or punishing mistakes.
conflict. Be sensitive to whether your expectations are contributing
o Never embarrass or humiliate them. to family difficulties.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
• Consider your students’ developmental level
o Understand the importance of their social relationships.
o Be aware of children who are bullied or socially rejected. Give them
support and guidance in a way that protects their privacy.
o Be sensitive to “social hierarchies”. Model and encourage empathy
9- to 12-Year-Olds
for vulnerable students, and give them abundant suppor t and
encouragement.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
2. Provide structure • Address their social challenges.

o Be aware of who the bullies are and make it clear that their behaviour
• Let your students know what they are doing well.
Before School
is not permitted.
o Recognize their efforts, even if the outcome is not perfect.
o Be aware of conflicts among students. Model ways of resolving
o Focus on their successes when providing feedback on their work. conflict in a way that teaches self-respect and respect for others.
• Help your students figure out the reasons for their difficulties. • Engage their interest.
o Help them to reflect on their learning strategies and to find more o Discover and recognize each student’s abilities and competencies.
effective ones.
o Find ways to integrate their interests into projects and assignments.
o Find different ways of explaining concepts, using visual aids, concrete
o Make your classes interesting so that they forget about their social
objects or real-life examples.
concerns for a while.
o Show them the relevance of academic learning to their lives.
o Nurture their expanding interests.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
o Encourage them to set goals for the future.
• Ensure that after-school activities are provided in the school and community.
o Keep students busy before and after school to prevent bullying and
foster skill-building.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
o Organize clubs and teams. Encourage your students to start clubs
based on common interests.
o Make sure that students don’t have so much homework that they
can’t take part in other activities.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Before School
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Adolescence is a time of remarkable transformation. Youth are crossing
the bridge from childhood to adulthood, an amazing change seen in all
areas of their development.
Cognitive Development in Adolescence
6- to 8-Year-Olds
Youth are able to think hypothetically – they can approach problems
scientifically, proposing hypotheses and testing them systematically. This
ability makes it possible for them to understand scientific laws, and to
invent new solutions to problems.
This ability also makes it possible for youth to think about social issues in
a new way. They gain new insights that lead them to question the status
9- to 12-Year-Olds
quo. They think about “big issues”, such as politics and tradition. They might
question adults’ ways of thinking. This is not a sign of disrespect, but a sign
that they are able to think for themselves and to figure out what they
value and believe.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
Physical Development in Adolescence Social Development in Adolescence
Before School
Puberty is completed in this stage. By the end of The primary task of this stage is for youth to achieve a strong sense of
adolescence, youth will reach sexual maturity; identity. Much of their energy is devoted to figuring out who they are
girls are capable of childbearing and boys are and how they are different from their parents and teachers. They “try on”
capable of fathering children. They have new and various identities to see which ones fit. For example, they might dye their
intense sexual feelings. If they are shamed for hair bright colours, get tattoos or piercings, or wear clothes that adults
having these feelings, they can develop life-long dislike.
sexual difficulties. It is important to provide honest
information about the physical and emotional They are trying to find a new way of belonging – one that brings acceptance
aspects of sexuality, while emphasizing the rights from their peers but also gives them a sense of individuality. They have
of all youth to privacy, dignity, respect and freedom strong needs to belong and to be independent at the same time.
from exploitation.
Adolescents try on adult roles and experiment with things that have been
6- to 8-Year-Olds
Adolescents are also undergoing an important forbidden. They want to do the things that they see adults do, including
period of brain development.Their brain cells are things that can harm them.They might experiment with drugs and alcohol,
being “pruned”, which means that unused brain sex and relationships.
cell connections will be destroyed to increase the
brain’s efficiency.This process takes years, beginning
at the back of the brain and ending at the front
of the brain. So the frontal lobe is the last to
9- to 12-Year-Olds
become fully mature – and this does not happen
until we reach our mid-20s.
Why does this matter? The frontal lobe is critical

for planning and decision-making. Until the frontal
lobe is mature – or if it is damaged – youth have
difficulty foreseeing the consequences of their
13- to 18-Year-Olds
actions. They tend to act impulsively without
thinking things though. They might do things that
are risky, not considering the long-term outcomes
of their actions.
At the same time, adolescents have difficulty understanding that bad things What Can Teachers Do to Help Students Navigate This Stage
can happen to them. They don’t yet fully understand that they can be hurt, Successfully?
that they can get pregnant, or that they can die. Sometimes they do very
Before School
risky things because they believe that nothing will go wrong for them. 1. Provide warmth
This combination of a strong drive for indepen-dence, a need for peer • Show respect for their abilities
acceptance, and difficulty understanding the risks they are taking can result
in frequent conflict with parents and teachers. Attempts to control them o Provide respectful support and guidance, rather than punishment
or to force them to adopt particular views will create resentment and and criticism.
close down communication. Physical punishment will humiliate them and o Recognize their competencies and give them frequent opportunities
lead to very negative attitudes toward school. to demonstrate them. Help them develop identities based on their
strengths and abilities.
o Nurture their individual interests. Seize opportunities to guide their
identity development in a constructive direction.
6- to 8-Year-Olds
• Consider your students’ developmental level
o Remember that their brains are still developing; they might not
understand the full implications of their decisions.
o Recognize the importance of their peer group.
o Understand their powerful need to belong.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
o Create a learning environment based on authentic student
participation in decision-making.
13- to 18-Year-Olds
2. Provide structure • Make school interesting
• Guide your students through their challenges o Relate academic material to real life; show them why learning matters
Before School
to their lives and to the lives of others.
o Build on their hypothesis-testing abilities to help them foresee the
o Build on their independent thinking and questioning. Encourage them
consequences of their actions
to think beyond what is, to what could be. Engage them in creating
o Be aware of negative peer influences and guide students away their own plans for making a better world.
from them
o Provide opportunities for them to relate their skills and interests to
o Provide oppor tunities for positive peer interaction based on
“big issues”. For example, students interested in science could devise
common interests. For example, help students form rock bands, their own experiments on environmental sustainability. Students
and to write and record their own songs. Create a theatre troupe interested in history could conduct their own research on the impact
and help them write and perform a play. Engage students in creating of war in various regions of the world. Students interested in art
their own clubs and activities based on their interests. could create an exhibition on human rights.
o Provide oppor tunities for them to develop and engage in social
action in their communities, and to learn about. Provide opportunities
6- to 8-Year-Olds
to learn about local social justice issues. Engage them in creating and
implementing action plans to combat pover ty, discrimination or
homelessness, or to give marginalized people a voice.
o Make school more attractive to them than activities that can put
them at risk.
9- to 12-Year-Olds
13- to 18-Year-Olds
CHAPTER 6
IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES Identifying individual differences
While all children go through the same stages of development, children

are not all alike. They go through the stages within different environments
Understanding child development
and with different personalities, talents and abilities. In this chapter, you will
learn about some of the unique characteristics of individual children that
can affect their learning and behaviour.
Providing warmth Providing structure
The education of the child shall be directed to the development of the Identifying long-term goals
child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their
fullest potential.
Article 29
CHAPTER 6 IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
Every class is made up of a group of individual students, each with his or

her own story. Each child arrives in the classroom with a unique set of Differences in Home Environments
experiences that affects her:
• readiness to learn Each child who arrives at the classroom door has come from a different
home environment. In some homes, the atmosphere is positive, supportive
• motivation to achieve
and encouraging. In others, the climate is negative, critical and violent.
• confidence in her abilities
Each morning, some children come to school having witnessed violence
• comfort in the presence of adults between their parents, or having experienced physical or sexual violence
• social skills themselves. Some children will have been called “stupid” or “useless” just
before arriving in the classroom.
A child in this situation will have great difficulty concentrating on her

school work and listening to her teachers. She might be worried that her
mother is being harmed, or that she will be beaten when she gets home.
She might be feeling hopeless and incompetent. If she is then punished at
school for her distractibility, this will confirm her sense of powerlessness
and heighten her fear.
In some homes, children have many learning opportunities and time

to study. They have parents who can help them with their homework,
take them to museums and buy them books. In other homes, education
is a luxury and children must work to meet the family’s basic needs.
These children will have little time for homework, and their parents will have
little time to support them. Despite their intelligence, these children face
challenges that threaten their academic success.
Cultural Differences
Some schools are located in communities with wide cultural diversity.

Students might come from different countries, religions or traditions. They
might have different skin colours or facial characteristics, or wear different
clothing.
Children who are not members of the dominant culture often feel that
they do not belong. Their peers might tease, bully, or exclude them. If they
do not speak the language spoken in school, they will have difficulty
understanding what is being taught.
Sometimes, because of their language difficulties and lack of confidence,

teachers may assume that they are unintelligent or unable to learn, simply
overlook them.
It is extremely impor tant that teachers understand the tremendous

challenges these children face and provide the support they need. For
children who feel “different”, an adult who believes in them can make the
difference between their success and failure in school.
It is also important that teachers educate the other students about other
cultures, to enrich their learning and to reduce bullying and victimization.
A culturally diverse classroom provides a powerful opportunity to teach
about human rights and peace-building skills.
In some cases, children have suffered severe injuries in accidents, wars or

Physical Differences minefields. These children are extremely vulnerable. They must adapt to
life with limited mobility while coping with psychological trauma. They also
are likely to be stigmatized – that is, seen as “different” and excluded by
All people, and all children, are different and have different physical abilities. teachers and peers. And they are facing the challenge of adapting to a school
Some of us can run fast while others never win a race. Some can balance environment that was built for students with full mobility.
on a log, while others fall off quickly. Some can see objects that are far
away, while others can only see things that are right in front of them.
It is the role of the teacher to:
Some children’s physical differences are more obvious. For example, • recognize and understand the particular challenges these children face
they might move around in a wheelchair, rather than walking. They might
not have hands or feet. Or they might have very limited hearing. • ensure that they are protected from stigmatization and bullying by
other students
• provide a learning environment that facilitates their full participation
• provide the supports necessary for them to succeed academically
No matter what their physical characteristics might be, all children have the
same right to a quality education. They also have the right to an accessible
learning environment.
Disabled children have a right to conditions which ensure dignity, promote

self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community.
Article 23
Differences in Talents and Interests Temperamental Differences
In order to create a learning environment that motivates children to Each child has unique personality characteristics that affect the way
succeed, it is important to get to know each child as an individual. What she reacts to his experiences. These characteristics make up the child’s
are they particularly good at? What do they enjoy doing? What interests temperament or behavioural style. A child’s temperament is inborn. It
them? cannot be changed. It is a big part of what makes a child who she is.
When we know each child’s unique talents and interests, we see them Children can have very different temperaments that can greatly affect how
more as people. We also can build on their strengths. they respond to school. There is no “good” or “bad” temperament - just
different ones. Every temperament has its own strengths.
For example, consider a student who finds it difficult to understand
chemistry. This student is likely to do poorly on chemistry tests, to avoid Each child’s temperament has a number of dimensions.
doing chemistry assignments and to not participate in chemistry classes.
A teacher who responds with frustration, criticism and punishment is only
seeing one small part of that student’s range of abilities. This student might 1. Activity Level
be a talented musician, or have a passion for history. But the punishment
he experiences in chemistry class will discourage him and lead him to Some children are highly active, wanting to run, jump, or climb most
believe that he is stupid or incompetent. of the time. They hardly ever sit still, even at mealtimes. They seem
to be always in motion.
Another teacher, recognizing this student’s interests, might ask him to write
a song about the periodic table, or carry out research on the history of Other children are inactive, preferring quiet activities, such as looking
atomic science. By building on the students’ strengths, this teacher will at books or playing with puzzles for long periods of time.
enhance his interest in chemistry and help him understand it. The
student will feel encouraged, motivated and competent – necessary Other children’s activity levels fall somewhere in-between.
conditions for learning and academic success.
2. Regularity 4. Adaptability
Some children have predictable rhythms. They get hungry at regular Some children adjust quickly to new routines, places, people and foods.
intervals, and wake up, fall asleep and go to the bathroom around It might only take a day or two for them to adjust to a new schedule,
the same time each day. living in a new house or going to a new school.
Other children have changing rhythms. They might be very hungry Other children adjust slowly. It might take months for them to make
at noon one day and not at all hungry at noon the next day. They friends in a new neighbourhood, feel comfortable in a new school,
might wake up very early on Monday, but sleep late on Tuesday. or follow a new schedule.
Other children have rhythms that fall somewhere in-between. Other children’s adaptability falls somewhere in-between.
3. Response to new situations 5. Distractibility
Some children approach new situations. They smile at strangers, walk Some children are easily distracted. They move from one thing to
up to new groups of children and join in their play, easily make new the next, depending on what they happen to see or hear that
friends, like to try new foods, and enjoy going to new places. moment. It takes a long time for them to finish tasks because their
attention is constantly being drawn in different directions. But when
Other children withdraw from new situations. They move away from they are sad or disappointed, it is easy to shift their attention to
strangers, take a long time to join new groups, spit out new foods, something else and change their mood.
and hesitate or avoid going to new places.
Other children are not easily distracted. They will sit and read for long
Other children’s responses to new situations fall somewhere in-between. periods. And when they are hungry or sad, it’s not easy to shift their
attention.
Other children’s distractibility falls somewhere in-between.
6. Persistence Exercise - Your Student’s Temperament 1

Some children are very persistent, sticking with a challenging task
until it is done. They have a goal in mind and they will keep going Think about a student with whom you have frequent conflict. Rate that
until they achieve it. They don’t give up in the face of failure. But student on each of the 7 dimensions of temperament.
it’s not easy to convince them to stop doing things that they want
to do. 1. Activity level
Other children are less persistent. If they fall, they will stop climbing. Low High
If they don’t succeed in solving a puzzle quickly, they lose interest. 1 2 3 4
And it’s easy to convince them to stop doing things that we don’t
want them to do. Sits still for long Always on the go
periods
Other children’s persistence falls somewhere in-between.
2. Regularity
Low High
1 2 3 4
7. Intensity
Gets hungry and tired Gets hungry and tired
Some children have very intense responses to events and situations. at different times on at the same time every
If they have difficulty with a puzzle, they yell and throw the pieces. different days day
They show intense anger and sadness, but they also show intense
happiness. They cry loudly when they are sad and laugh joyfully 3. Response to new situations
when they are happy. You always know how these children are
feeling. Avoidance Approach
1 2 3 4
Other children have subdued reactions. When they are sad inside,
they cry quietly. When they are happy, they smile quietly. It’s difficult
Shies away from new Likes to meet new people,
to know how these children are feeling.
people, unhappy in new go to new places, try new
places, rejects new things things
Other children’s intensity falls somewhere in-between.
4. Adaptability
Exercise - Your Student’s Temperament 2
Low High
1 2 3 4
Write the ways in which your student’s temperament is a strength.
Takes a long time to Quickly adjusts to changes
adjust to changes in in routines or environments
routines or environments
5. Distractibility
Low High
1 2 3 4
Focuses on one activity Notices everything, shifts

for a long period attention often
6. Persistence
Low High
1 2 3 4
Loses interest in activities Sticks with activities until

quickly they are finished
7. Intensity
Low High
1 2 3 4
Doesn’t show much Shows intense sadness,

change in emotions anger and happiness
Now write the ways in which your student’s temperament is Temperament has a powerful influence on each student’s behaviour in
not a strength. the classroom. Among young children, it affects:
• their stress levels when they enter school
• the time it takes them to adjust to school routines
• their enjoyment of playing with other children
• their comfort in asking teachers for assistance
• their ability to sit still and pay attention
• the time it takes them to settle down if they are sad or upset
• the amount of physical activity they need throughout the day
• how easily distracted they are by things going on around them
• their ability to use the bathroom on a schedule
• their need for snacks at various times throughout the day
• their ability to separate from their parents each morning
Among older children and youth, temperament affects: Not only does each student’s temperament affect her behaviour and
achievement. Your temperament also affects her behaviour - and it affects
• their ability to complete tasks quickly your behaviour, as well.
• the amount of homework they can finish Teacher-student relationships are strongly affected by the match between
the student’s temperament and the teacher’s temperament.
• their ability to get along with other students
Think about a teacher who is not very active. This teacher likes to see
• the anxiety and fear they feel when they make class presentations her students reading silently, focusing their attention on projects or
playing quietly.
• the time it takes them to adjust to a new school, new schedules or
new classroom organization Now think about what might happen if this teacher has a student with a
high activity level. What will happen if this student is expected to spend
• the amount of physical activity and food they need throughout the day much of his day reading silently, focusing on projects or playing quietly?
• how many breaks they need If this teacher recognizes that her student has a higher activity level than
she has, she will be able to adjust her expectations and find ways to meet
• their ability to organize their desks, materials and homework schedules her student’s need for activity. If she doesn’t realize that her student’s
behaviour is due to his temperament, she might think that the student is
• how often they forget things at school or at home being “bad”, “disrespectful” or “hard to manage.”
• how much they fidget and move around when they are supposed to It’s very important for teachers to think about their own temperaments
be listening and consider how well they match their students’ temperaments. When
we do this, we can understand the reasons for many conflicts in the
• their ability to complete large projects classroom.
4. Adaptability
Exercise – Your Temperament 1 High
Low
1 2 3 4
Rate yourself on each of the 7 dimensions of temperament. It takes me a long time I adjust quickly to
to adjust to new routines changes in routines or
or environments environments
1. Activity level
High 5. Distractibility
Low
1 2 3 4 Low High
1 2 3 4
I like quiet activities I like to be physically
best active and on the go I can focus my attention My thoughts are easily
on one thing for a long distracted; my attention
2. Regularity time shifts often
Low High 6. Persistence

1 2 3 4
Low High
I get hungr y and tired I get hungry and tired at 1 2 3 4
at different times on the same times every day
I lose interest in activities I stick with an activity
different days
quickly and move on to until it is finished
other things
3. Response to new situations
Avoidance Approach 7. Intensity

1 2 3 4 Low High
1 2 3 4
I am uncomfortable in I enjoy going to new
new situations, meeting places, meeting new I don’t really show my When I’m happy, sad
new people and trying people, and trying new emotions; other people or mad, other people
new things things often can’t tell how I’m know it
feeling
Exercise - Your Temperament 2
Write the ways in which your temperament is a strength. Now write the ways in which your temperament is not a strength.
Exercise – The Match Exercise – The Match
Circle the numbers that correspond to the ratings that you gave your Circle the numbers that correspond to the ratings that you gave your
student. Then connect those numbers with a line. yourself. Then connect those numbers with a line.
Activity level 1 2 3 4 Activity level 1 2 3 4
Regularity 1 2 3 4 Regularity 1 2 3 4
Response to new situations 1 2 3 4 Response to new situations 1 2 3 4
Adaptability 1 2 3 4 Adaptability 1 2 3 4
Distractibility 1 2 3 4 Distractibility 1 2 3 4
Persistence 1 2 3 4 Persistence 1 2 3 4
Intensity 1 2 3 4 Intensity 1 2 3 4
Differences Between Our Temperaments
My student and I differ on My student and I differ on
This difference could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when This difference could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when
My student and I differ on My student and I differ on
This difference could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when This difference could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when
Similarities Between Our Temperaments
My student and I match on My student and I match on
This similarity could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when This similarity could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when
My student and I match on My student and I match on
This similarity could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when This similarity could contribute to, or reduce, conflict when
The match between your students’ temperaments and your own can have
a powerful effect on the level of conflict in your classroom. By recognizing Information Processing Differences
the role of temperament in your students’ behaviour – and your own
behaviour – you can begin to understand the reasons behind many of
these conflicts. You also can understand why criticism, shouting and physical In any classroom, there is diversity in the ways that children learn. Some
punishment don’t help. children will understand quickly, while others will need more time. Some
will listen to every word you say and understand it, while others will have
Each of your students is an individual, just as you are. Their temperaments trouble listening and will need to do activities in order to understand.
cannot be changed and neither can yours. Where your temperaments
don’t match, you can find ways of resolving the difference without anger or
punishments. You can find ways of respecting your differences and finding
ways to work with them.
Every child has a unique set of learning strengths. Sometimes, though, we

teach our classes as though all children have the same set of strengths.
This approach results in teacher frustration, student discouragement and
teacher - student conflict.
If we can identify each student’s strengths, teaching will be easier, students’

comprehension will be deeper and conflict will be less frequent.
To learn, a student must process the information. That is, he must take in
the information, make sense of it, remember it and recall it. An Efficient An Inefficient
Information Information
The mind is an organized system. If the student’s system is working Processing System Processing System
efficiently, he will understand, learn and remember easily. If any par ts
of the system are not working efficiently, he will have difficulty in
understanding, learning or remembering.
Information processing requires several steps: Teacher: Teacher:

gives clear information, gives information that is unclear,
1. Attention appropriate to student’s level or too far above
The student must be paying attention to the information in order for it or below student”s level
to enter the system.
2. Perception
The student must be able to see and hear well enough to make sense of
the information. This includes seeing and hearing the information itself, as
well as seeing the teacher’s gestures and facial expressions and hearing
the teacher’s tone of voice.
Student: Student:
3. Cognition
The student must have some knowledge of the topic and connect it to • is attentive • is distracted
the new information. This connection will helps him understand it. • sees well • has visual difficulty
4. Memory • hears well • has hearing difficulty

The student must be able to apply strategies to help him remember the • connects to existing knowledge • has little prior knowledge
information and recall it at a later time.
• assesses her understanding • doesn’t self-assess
5. Meta-cognition • evaluates her strategies • doesn’t evaluate her strategies
The student must be able to recognize when he is having difficulty
understanding or when his memory strategies aren’t working. Then he • discards inefficient strategies • doesn’t change poor strategies
must be able to search for a new strategy that will help.
• stores information in memory • information doesn’t get stored
• recalls the information later • can’t recall information later
In the time it takes for a teacher to say one sentence, a student can have
experienced difficulty at any step in the processing system. If the teacher Learning Challenges
expects that all students’ systems work in the same way, he will be
frustrated by those students who have difficulty. He might think they are
lazy, resistant or even unintelligent. In some cases, students’ information processing
difficulties are severe enough to be diagnosed.
But if the teacher recognizes that every student’s system is different, and Some of these conditions are sensory impairments,
that problems can occur at any point in the system, he will try to diagnose receptive or expressive language difficulties, and
the student’s difficulty and help her to find new strategies so that she reading, mathematical or attentional difficulties.
can attend, perceive, understand, self-assess, remember and recall.
1. Sensory impairments
He also will assess the way he provides information and he will ensure Some children have visual or hearing difficulties
that it is clear and appropriate to his students’ level of understanding. that seriously interfere with their ability to take
in information. In some cases, these difficulties
might not be obvious to teachers. For example,
The efficiency of a student’s information
processing system depends on: children who cannot see the blackboard or who
can’t hear the teacher might appear to be ignoring
• the organization of her brain instructions or not paying attention. It is important
• the speed with which her brain goes to have children’s eyesight and hearing assessed
through the processing steps to deter mine whether they are causing
learning problems.
• her eyesight
• her hearing 2. Receptive language difficulties
In some cases, children’s hearing is fine, but they
• her ability to make sense of what she have difficulty making sense of what they hear.
sees and hears There is a poor connection between the structures
• her level of prior knowledge of the ear and the parts of the brain that recognize
and analyze sound. It appears that the child is not
• her ability to assess her own strengths
listening or not trying. Actually, the ear is hearing
and difficulties
but the brain is not. This problem can be diagnosed
• her comfort in asking the teacher by speech-language specialists.
questions
• her confidence and optimism that she
can improve her performance
3. Expressive language difficulties Children with reading difficulties can become extremely anxious about
Some children cannot turn their thoughts into words and sentences that reading aloud in front of others or doing assignments that require reading.
communicate what they want to say. These children might be able to Sometimes they will go to great lengths to avoid reading because their
hear and process sound without difficulty. The problem lies in their ability problems are so embarrassing to them.
to convert or “encode” thoughts into language. They might understand
everything they hear and know the answers to questions. But they appear to It is extremely important that teachers are aware of the neurological basis
not understand because they are unable to express themselves adequately of reading difficulties and provide students with the support and resources
when they speak or write. This problem can be very frustrating to the they need. In many cases, reading difficulties can be overcome with
child and can increase the risk of social and behavioural difficulties, as appropriate intervention. Unfortunately, in cases where the problem is not
well as teacher-child conflict. detected, children can develop very low self-esteem and eventually drop
out of school.
4. Reading difficulties
In some cases, children’s eyesight is fine, but they have great difficulty reading.
This can be due to several factors.
• They can see the characters on the page, but they mix them up, skip
lines, lose their place or read words backwards. This is a problem of
visual processing.
• They can see the characters on the page, but they cannot connect the
characters to their sounds. In this case, the brain has difficulty decoding
the shapes on the page into language.
• They can decode the characters, but they cannot put them together to
read words or sentences. This can result from a problem with memory
and sequencing.
• They can decode and sequence words and sentences, but they have
difficulty understanding their meaning. This is a problem of reading
comprehension.
• They can decode and understand the words, but it takes great effort
and they often make errors and stumble over words. This is a problem
of reading fluency.
5. Mathematical difficulties 6. Attentional difficulties

In some cases, children’s eyesight is fine but they All students’ minds wander sometimes, but some have difficulty paying
have great difficulty doing mathematics. There attention virtually all the time. Children with attentional difficulties often
can be several reasons for this. have problems with:
• They can see the numbers, but they jumble • Impulsivity

up, reflecting a problem in visual They often act before thinking about the consequences. They might
processing. move from one activity to another, without completing any of them.
They often interrupt other people’s conversations.
• They can see the numbers, but they cannot • Disorganization
connect these abstract symbols to concrete They have difficulty remembering what to take to their classes, or what
quantities. to take home. Their desks are often messy and they often lose their
belongings.
• They can see, process and understand numbers,
but they have difficulty remembering number • Restlessness
facts. This can be a problem of long-term They find it hard to sit still, often fidgeting, squirming, talking or playing
memory or inadequate strategies. with things when they should be focusing on their work. They can have
sleep difficulties, so they are often tired at school.
• They struggle with word problems due to a
reading difficulty. Or they might be unable to • Distractibility
follow a series of problem-solving steps due Their attention is easily diverted. They often day-dream, and have difficulty
to a sequencing or memory difficulty. listening and finishing their work.
• They are unable to visualize mathematical

concepts. For example, they might have
difficulty turning shapes upside-down in their
minds or constructing objects mentally.
This is a visual-spatial problem.
Each of these problems requires a different

teaching approach. In all cases, students with
mathematical difficulties should be suppor ted
and encouraged. Criticism, punishment, and
embarrassment can lead to lifelong math
anxiety that can stand in the way of students’
achievement in many areas of their lives.
Everyone has these characteristics to some degree, but for some children It is important to be aware that children with these difficulties are at greater
they cause serious problems in learning and in their relationships with risk of developing emotional difficulties, such as depression and anxiety.
parents, teachers and peers. Parents can become punitive and violent They are also at greater risk of developing problems with aggression. And
toward these children because of their impulsive behaviour. Teachers can they are at high risk of dropping out of school.
become very frustrated by their restlessness and distractibility.
Therefore, it is extremely important that these children receive supportive
It is impor tant to recognize that attentional difficulties are usually intervention from specialists, rather than being hit, shouted at or humiliated
neurologically based. They are extremely difficult for children to control. for their behaviour. They need to learn strategies for controlling their
impulses and for focusing their attention. In some cases, they may need
medication. This can only be determined through a full medical and
psychological assessment.
Attentional difficulties:
• are usually neurologically based
• are extremely difficult for children to
control
• increase the risk of anxiety, depression
and aggression
• increase the risk of school drop-out
• require planned, supportive intervention
• are not helped by punishment
• can be helped when children learn
good self-control strategies
• Respect each child as an individual

What Can Teachers Do? o Remember that each child has a story; each comes from a unique
home environment; each has her own worries and fears; and each
has her own dreams for the future. Get to know each student as
Teachers can do many things to recognize and respect their students’ a person.
individuality. Remember your tools – warmth and structure.
o Show your respect for your students. This is the best way to
1. Provide warmth encourage their self-respect, respect for each other and respect
for their teachers.
• Establish a classroom atmosphere that encourages students to ask for
clarification and assistance.
• Focus on each student’s strengths.
o Recognize that your teaching approach might not work for some
students. Let them know that they are safe in asking for extra o Discover each child’s unique interests and talents and incorporate
explanations and assistance. them into your teaching to engage their interest.
o Remember that anxiety interferes with learning. All children will find o Consider how their temperamental characteristics can benefit their
it hard to focus on their learning when they are distracted by anxiety learning and channel them in that direction.
and fear, especially those who have attentional difficulties. Ensure that
all children – even those with the greatest challenges – feel relaxed
and ready to try. • Maintain communication with caregivers.
o Remember that students can only learn if they feel safe to make o Often children have similar difficulties at home and at school. Find
mistakes. Ensure that they can trust you to be supportive when out how caregivers handle challenges. Share positive, constructive
they need help. ideas. Discourage punishment, shouting and criticism at home.
o Help caregivers to understand the reasons behind their children’s
behaviour. Provide a model of problem-solving and responding
constructively
2. Provide structure End each year by celebrating your student’s achievements and send them
off with a sense of optimism and a belief in their ability to succeed in
• Take an information processing perspective. school and in life.
o Think about the steps required to complete the tasks you assign
and figure out where students’ difficulties lie.
o Focus on helping students to find new strategies and to take a
problem-solving approach when they face challenges.
• Involve students in their learning and problem solving.

o Help them learn how to assess their learning strategies.
o Involve them in setting their own learning goals and in classroom
decision-making.
o Help them identify their own strengths and challenges. Encourage
them to develop a plan for optimizing their strengths and overcoming
their challenges.
• Do all that you can to build a strong foundation for your students’
future lives.
o Be aware that the most powerful factor in protecting children against
risk is having an adult in their lives that they trust and who helps
them to conquer adversity.
o Remember that you leave an imprint on each child you teach.
Ensure that your imprint strengthens their confidence and
competence.
o Let your students know that you will always be there to support
them, even when you no longer are their teacher.
CHAPTER 7
Problem solving and responding

with positive discipline
PROBLEM SOLVING AND RESPONDING WITH POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

Identifying individual differences
Sometimes students’ behaviours can be mystifying to teachers. “Why won’t
she stop talking?” “Why can’t he just do his homework?” When you
understand child development and recognize the importance of individual
differences, you have the information you need to solve these mysteries. Understanding child development
In this chapter, you will apply your knowledge of development and individual
differences to think about possible reasons for challenging classroom Providing warmth Providing structure
situations. Then you will apply the tools of positive discipline to choose a
constructive response.

School discipline shall be administered in a manner consistent with the
child’s human dignity.
Article 29
CHAPTER 7 PROBLEM SOLVING AND RESPONDING WITH POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
The first step in problem-solving involves generating as many possible

reasons for a child’s behaviour as you can think of. As you do this, be The Transition to School
sure to consider all aspects of children’s development that were covered
in the previous chapters:
It is the first week of school. Every day this week, one of your students has
• the child’s experiences before entering school
been very upset when her mother drops her off. She clings to her mother
• the child’s home environment and cries. When her mother leaves, she screams. She has cried all morning,
every day this week.
• how children think in this stage
• how children understand emotions in this stage What should you do?
• children’s social relationships in this stage Step 1 – List as many reasons as you can for why a child would behave
• children’s physical development (brain and body) in this stage this way
• the child’s temperament

• the information processing system
6- to 8- Year-Olds
• specific learning challenges
Refer back to previous chapters whenever you need to.
When you have problem-solved to find the possible reasons for the child’s
9- to 12- Year-Olds
behaviour, you will think about how to apply warmth and structure in a
way that leads you toward your long-term goals.
13- to 18- Year-Olds

Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals Step 4 - Focus on structure
What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students? What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information,
guidelines and support?
Step 3 - Focus on warmth
What are some ways that you could show this child warmth – that is,
affection, security, respect and empathy?
6- to 8- Year-Olds
Step 5 –Respond with positive discipline
Now that you’ve thought about the reasons for the child’s behaviour, your
long-term goals, and ways to provide warmth and structure, what do you
think would be a constructive response?
9- to 12- Year-Olds
It is the end of the first month of school. Every afternoon for the past Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
month, you have gathered the children into a circle to read them a story.
And every day, one little boy has been disruptive. He gets restless, fidgets, What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
moves around and talks to the children beside him. Each day, you have told
him to sit still and listen. For the past few days, you have become angry
and sent him to stand in the hallway. Still, his behaviour does not change.
What should you do?
Step 1 – List as many reasons as you can for why a child would behave
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure It’s almost time for the children to go home. You tell them to put on their
outdoor shoes, but some of the children don’t want to put on their shoes.
What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information, One of them says, “No!” When you try to put his shoes on, he struggles
guidelines and support? against you and starts to kick and yell.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
Step 5 –Respond with positive discipline
long-term goals, and ways of providing warmth and structure, what do
you think would be a constructive response in this situation?
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
Step 5 - Respond with positive discipline
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You are teaching your class to read the names of the days of the week. As Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
you are explaining, you notice that one of the children has his head down
on his desk and he is sound asleep. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You have been teaching your students to read the numbers from 1 to 10. You
write the numbers on the blackboard and say their names. Then you tell the
What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information, students to copy them from the blackboard into their notebooks. You do this
guidelines and support? three times a day for three days. On the fourth day, you ask each student
to tell you the names of the numbers as you write them on the blackboard.
One of your students names many of the numbers incorrectly.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why a child would behave
this way.
6- to 8- Year-Olds
Step 5 - Responding with positive discipline
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Every morning at 10:00, your students have a snack to keep their energy Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
levels up. Without their snack, the children will get tired and irritable. At
least twice a week, one of the children refuses to eat her snack. You tell her What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
that if she doesn’t eat her snack she won’t be allowed to play her favourite
game. But the next day, she refuses to eat her snack again.
What should you do?
Step 1 –List as many reasons as you can for why a child would behave
this way.
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure When you teach lessons to your class, you often ask them questions to
see if they understand what you are telling them. Most of the children are
What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information, eager to answer your questions, but you have noticed that one boy never
guidelines and support? puts up his hand or offers an answer to your questions.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
Step 5 - Responding with positive discipline
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Every day at 10:30 and 14:30, your students lie down on mats and take a Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
nap. They are expected to lie down, stay quiet and fall asleep. Most of the
children do this, but one boy won’t settle down. Every day at nap time, he What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
bothers the other children and he won’t lie down or be quiet.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You are teaching your students to write the characters of their language.
Each day, you ask one of them to write a word on the blackboard to
What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information, see if they can remember the characters. Today, you asked one of the girls
guidelines and support? to write her name on the blackboard. Later when you are outside with
the children, you see that girl drawing on the pavement with a piece of
chalk from your classroom. You realize that after she wrote on the blackboard,
she took the chalk without asking or telling you.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Every day, your students are expected to bring particular materials with Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
them from home to school. Each of them is supposed to have books,
pencils and other supplies that they will need at school each day. One boy What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
in your class often comes to school without his learning materials. You are
becoming frustrated with this situation.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure

6- to 8- Year-Olds
What are some ways that you could provide structure - that is, information,
You are teaching a class of 7-year-olds. Your classroom is arranged so that each
child sits at a desk. One of your students is continually playing with the objects in
his desk drawer while you are teaching. You find this behaviour irritating because
it is noisy, and it appears that the student is not listening to your lesson.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students? What are some ways that you could provide structure – that is, information,
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
The teacher in the room next to yours had to leave her classroom to go Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
to the director’s office. Left on their own, her students have become very
noisy, running around the classroom, laughing loudly and shouting. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
The noise is disrupting your class, so you go to their classroom and tell
them to be quiet. When you return to your classroom, the noise next
door continues.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why children would behave
this way
What are some ways that you could show these children warmth – that
is, affection, security, respect and empathy?
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure One of your classroom rules is that students must be quiet and listen
whenever you are teaching. This morning, you are teaching an arithmetic
What are some ways that you could provide structure – that is, information, lesson, and you have reminded all of the students to pay attention. As you
guidelines and support? are explaining a new concept, you see two students whispering to each other.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students? What are some ways that you could provide structure?
What are some ways that you could provide warmth?
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You have given your students a paragraph to read, telling them that you Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
will be asking questions about it in a few minutes. As the class is reading,
you notice that one boy has a comic book under his desk, and he is reading What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
that instead of the assigned paragraph.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Yesterday, you taught your students the names of the major cities in your
country. Today, you are reviewing that information. You ask the children to
What are some ways that you could provide structure? tell you the name of one of the major cities. One girl puts up her hand, and
you call on her. She tells you the name of the small town where she lives.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
School begins at the same time each morning. Students are expected to Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
arrive ten minutes before the school bell rings so that they have time to
organize their supplies and get settled before class begins. Most of your What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
students arrive on time, but one boy has been late three times this week.
He walks into class after you have started teaching. You are irritated and
annoyed by this situation.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Your school has several rules that all students are expected to follow. One
rule is that they are not allowed to run in the school. But two of your
What are some ways that you could provide structure? students are not following this rule. They often run from place to place,
which is disruptive to other classes and frustrating to you.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You are cleaning your classroom on Friday afternoon. As you walk among Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
the desks, you notice that one desktop has writing on it. You realize that
one of your students has been writing on her desk with a marker. You are What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
angry that this student has damaged school property.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Close to your school, there is a construction area where workers are
repairing the road. They have put up signs telling children to stay away
What are some ways that you could provide structure? because it is a dangerous place to play. You have told your students about
the construction site, and you have forbidden them to go near it. This
morning as you arrive at school, you see several of your students playing
at the construction site.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why a children would behave
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Your students are allowed to borrow books from your classroom if they Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
agree to return them the following week. One of your students consistently
fails to return her books on time. You are beginning to get ver y What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
frustrated by this situation.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You have a classroom rule that children are not allowed to eat during class.
Today, you notice a boy chewing something while you are teaching. When
What are some ways that you could provide structure? you go to his desk, you see that he has a piece of fruit under his desk
that he is eating during the lesson.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Every day for the past 3 weeks, you have sent your class outside for 15 Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
minutes of physical activity. Each week, one of the children has returned to
the classroom crying because of being hit by one particular boy. You are What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
becoming very concerned that this boy is going to seriously hurt someone,
and you are angry that he is hitting other children.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure

9- to 12- Year-Olds
What are some ways that you could provide structure?
You want your students to develop a sense of responsibility, so you have

them take turns doing tasks such as cleaning the blackboard, wiping the desks
and organizing the cupboards. Most of the children perform their tasks on
schedule, but one boy often doesn’t complete the tasks assigned to him.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You are teaching a lesson about plants and how they grow. You notice that Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
boy in your class is looking down at his lap, rather than looking up at you.
When you approach his desk, you see that he has a game in his lap that he What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
is playing, rather than paying attention to the lesson.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Your students are expected to attend all of their classes and to stay at
school throughout the day. You have noticed that one of the girls has
What are some ways that you could provide structure? started to leave school early, missing the last class of the day.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You give your students an assignment that is due the following week. You Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
want them to complete it on their own to learn independent work skills.
They must choose an historical event, learn as much as they can about What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
it, and make a poster describing it. When the due date arrives, one of
your students has not made a poster. You are frustrated that he did not
complete the assignment when he had so much time to do so.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You teach a class of 12-year-olds. You have noticed that one of your
students gets very high marks on his math tests, has a large vocabulary,
What are some ways that you could provide structure? and has a creative imagination. He seems to have great potential for
academic success. But when you check his homework, you often find
that it is not done.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You teach a class of 40 students. You notice that one of the girls is very Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
quiet. She rarely raises her hand to answer a question, and she does not
interact much with the other students. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Each day, you give your class homework that should take them about one
hour to complete. The students hand in their homework each morning so
What are some ways that you could provide structure? that you can check it. You have noticed that two of the students consistently
make the same mistakes, and you suspect that one is copying her homework
from the other.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Your school has a dress code that forbids girls to wear short skirts or
make-up. Today, one of the girls has arrived at school wearing a skirt that
is too short and make-up.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why a student would behave
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
As you are tidying up your classroom one afternoon, you notice that one Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
of your students has carved his name into his desk. You are outraged that
he would damage school property. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You have instructed your students to design and carry out a science project.
They are required to develop a research question and conduct a controlled
What are some ways that you could provide structure? experiment to answer it. You have told them to work on their projects
individually so that you know they are doing their own work. A few of
the students are not making progress. They are talking and laughing, not
accomplishing anything.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why students would behave
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
There is a girl in your class who has always been an excellent student. She Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
has achieved high grades, completed her homework on time and gotten
along well with others. Over the past few weeks, you have noticed that What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
she has begun to miss classes, failed to complete her homework and
done poorly on tests.
What should you do ?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure You teach a high school math class. One of your students is often disruptive.
He talks to the students around him when he should be working quietly,
What are some ways that you could provide structure? makes jokes while you are teaching, and generally distracts the other
students. You are becoming very annoyed and angered by his behaviour.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You are teaching your students how to solve a complex calculus problem. Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
You are working it out on the blackboard in front of the class. When you
have finished, a student raises his hand and you call on him. He says that What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
you have made an error and the answer you arrived at is wrong. You feel
embarrassed in front of the class, realising the student is correct.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure School day has begun and students are entering the classroom. As they
come through the door, they seem quite excited and some are upset.
What are some ways that you could provide structure? When you ask for an explanation, one of the students tells you that two
boys are having a fist-fight outside.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
You are giving your students a social studies test. They are not allowed Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
to have any books or notes with them. As you look around the room,
you see that one of your students is frequently looking down into his lap. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
When you walk up to him, you realize that he has notes under his desk.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure Your school has a very firm rule that forbids smoking on school grounds.
One day, you are walking in front of the school. Just at that moment,
What are some ways that you could provide structure? a student comes around the corner of the school smelling of cigarette
smoke. He walks quickly away from you. You call his name, expecting him
to return and speak with you, but he continues to walk away.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Most of the students in your class carry cell phones. They love to call Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
and text each other. This morning, as you are teaching a science lesson, a
student’s phone rings - and she answers it. What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure As you are standing at the door of your classroom, you overhear a group
of girls talking inside the classroom. You realize that three of the girls are
What are some ways that you could provide structure? teasing a fourth girl, making fun of her body and her clothing. The girl
who is being teased looks very upset.
What should you do?
Step 1 - List as many reasons as you can for why students would behave
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Your classroom is on the second floor of the school building. The windows Step 2 - Remember your long-term goals
overlook the roof of a supply shed that is connected to your building. One
afternoon, you are writing on the blackboard as you deliver a geography What kind of long-term impacts do you hope to have on your students?
lecture. As you turn around to face the class, you see one of your students
disappearing out the window. You rush to the window and see that he has
landed on the shed roof and is jumping down to the ground.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
Step 4 - Focus on structure When you return to your classroom after a break, you reach into your bag
to get a book. Your hand closes over something that feels strange. You
What are some ways that you could provide structure? pull it out and see that it is a large insect. From the laughter among the
students, you realize that one of them purposely placed the insect into
your bag.
What should you do?
this way
6- to 8- Year-Olds
9- to 12- Year-Olds
CONCLUSION CONCLUSION
This way, you will teach your students how to deal with frustration, conflict
CONCLUSION and anger. You will give your students the skills needed to live without
violence. You will build your students’ self-respect. And you will earn your
students’ respect.
This manual has set out the principles of positive discipline in the classroom
– identifying long-term learning goals, providing warmth and structure, No teacher is perfect. We all make mistakes. But we need to learn from
considering the child’s developmental level, identifying the child’s unique those mistakes and do better next time.
characteristics, and problem solving.
Enjoy your journey toward positive discipline.
You have practiced applying these principles to common challenges that
arise with students of various ages. This practice will help you to find
solutions to a wide range of challenging situations.
Of course it is more difficult to think clearly when you are frustrated or

angry. When you feel your anger rising, take a deep breath, close your eyes
and think about:
1. your long-term goal
2. the importance of warmth and structure
3. your students’ developmental level
4. your students’ unique characteristics
Then take a moment to plan a response that will lead you toward your goal
and respect your students’ needs.
Appendix Perspectives from Religious Viewpoints
APPENDIX PERSPECTIVES FROM RELIGIOUS VIEWPOINTS
A Bahá’i Perspective on Violence, Children and Human Rights A Buddhist Perspective on Punishment (Excerpt)
From the Writings of Abdu’l-Bahá The Reverend Kobutsu Malone
Buddhist Priest and Prison Chaplain
Engaged Zen Foundation
It is not permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child’s character I have learned that any form of punishment, be it corporal or psychological,
will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse. is injurious, causes pain and is counterproductive.
The deliberate infliction of pain on an individual in response to an action

In the estimation of God all people are equal; there is no distinction or
after it has occurred can in no way change the effect of the original action
preferment for any soul in the dominion of his justice and equity.
nor can it serve to educate or awaken the individual. The physical or
emotional pain or injury of punishment done to a child or an adult creates
only fear and trauma, it not only damages the person being punished but it
damages and enslaves those who inflict the punishment.
Punishment, corporal or otherwise, no matter how it may be justified, is

Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to unacceptable and inexcusable, because it erodes the ability of people to see
thee, and say not that which thou doest not. things with clarity and poisons the possibility for genuine healing.
Baha’u’llah The only truly effective and successful methods of dealing with correction
of behavior come through compassionate communication, comprehension
of social responsibility, education, restraint and discipline. Punishment simply
does not, and has never, worked to bring about genuine changes in how
people think and act.
A Buddhist Perspective on the Role of the Educator (Excerpt) A capable teacher:

• no matter what is being taught, explains the reasons behind it and
From A Constitution for Living analyzes it so that listeners understand it clearly, as if leading them by the
by Phraphomkhunaphon (P.A. Payutto); Translated by Bruce Evans hand to see it for themselves.
Religious Affairs Printing Press, Office of National Buddhism
Bangkok, Thailand, December 2004 • invites practice by teaching in such a way that listeners see the
impor tance of doing what needs to be done, appreciate its value,
become convinced, accept it and are motivated to implement it or put
A teacher is: it into practice.
• endowed with kindness and compassion, takes an interest in the students • arouses courage; rouses listeners to zeal, interest, fortitude and firm
and their well-being; has rapport; creates a familiar and casual atmosphere, resolve to consummate the practice, to fear no difficulty or hardship.
encouraging students to approach with queries and doubts.
• inspires joy; creates an atmosphere of fun, cheerfulness, joyousness and
• worthy of respect; firm, adhering to principle; has conduct that befits the delight; inspires listeners with hope and vision of a good result and the
position, inspiring feelings of reassurance, refuge and safety. way to success.
• inspiring; truly learned and wise, and one who constantly trains and
improves himself; praiseworthy and exemplary.
• capable of speaking effectively; knows how to explain things clearly, and
knows when to speak what and how; gives counsel and caution and is
an able advisor.
• patient with words; willingly listening to questions and queries, no matter
how petty, and bearing even improprieties, admonishments and criticisms Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.
without becoming dejected or offended. The Buddha, Udana-Varga 5:18
• able to explain difficult and profound subjects clearly and can teach even
profounder subjects.
• a role model who does not lead studens in ways that are detrimental
or in matters that are worthless or improper.
A Christian Perspective on Discipline

In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this
From: Parenting with Grace by Gregory K. Popcak. Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. is the law and the prophets.
Huntington, Indiana, USA, 2004.
Jesus, Matthew 7:12 (NSRV)
Discipline is less concerned with teaching compliance with the law than it is
with teaching how to have deeper, more respectful, and loving relationships.
Discipline recognizes that “Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore

love is the fulfillment of the law. “ (Romans. 13:10).
Discipline has a deep regard for consistency. It assumes that the tools which
helped me control my behavior when I am three should also help me
control my behavior when I am thirty. As such, discipline seeks to only use
those interventions that would be appropriate means by which to create
change in adult relationships.
Discipline believes that good behavior is a teachable skill, not unlike math
or reading. Because of this, it makes use of the tools that a good teacher
would use. Tools like: good relationship/rapport building, teaching stories
(“emotional word pictures”), following through with logical consequences,
real life examples, personal sharing (discipling), redirecting, practice, and
giving information in respectful, repeated and varied ways. People who use
discipline correctly do not necessarily differ in the number of limits they
establish, so much as in the dramatically different ways by which those limits
are taught and enforced.
Discipline recognizes that violence is not a good teaching tool.
An Islamic Perspective on Education

Fatwa on Physical Punishment Professor Imam Hadd Amin Ould Al-Salek,
A Message by Grand Ayatollah Abdolkarim Mousavi Ardebeli Imam of the Old Mosque, Nouakchott, and President of the Imams and
World Children’s Day, Qom, Iran Ulema Coalition for the Rights of Women and Children in Mauritania,
October 2007 June 2009
It is necessary to desist immediately and finally from beating children,

All prophets and senior religious figures have urged us to protect the minds regardless of the pretext given. This is not only required by law
and bodies of our children. According to divine instructions, those who deal and piety, or in accordance with the principles and purposes of the
with children one way or another have a duty to provide them with the glorious shariah, but it is also essential for the good of the child, the
best of education and healthcare, behave in a way that is free from violence educator, the family and society. It is also necessar y to adopt
and create a sense of self-confidence in them. scientific educational methods in the upbringing of children, following
the example provided by the first educator and teacher, Mohammad
We need to admit to the bitter reality that violence against children does may God be merciful to him, whose teachings are all kindness, love
exist in houses, families, institutions and societies around the world. All and goodness.
means including the lofty instructions of God and the spiritual influence
religious leaders wield should be tapped in order to change the situation and
eliminate violent behaviour against children. Proper educational methods
should be taught to all. We need to know and teach others that nice
behaviour rather than violence is effective and efficient in the education of
children.
Not one of you believes until you wish for others what you wish
for yourself.
Number 13 of Imam Al-Nawawi’s Forty Hadiths
A Jainist Perspective on Violence

A Hindu Perspective on Physical Punishment
From Non-violence and Its Many Facets
From Living with Siva by YM Acharya Mahapragya; Translated by RP Bhatnagar
by Saprema Vyavaharah
Himalayan Academy Jain Vishva Publisher Bharati, Ladnun, India, January, 1994
The violence prevalent in society cannot be put an end to without developing

I’ve had Hindus tell me, “Slapping or caning children to make them obey spiritual non-violence and basing our lifestyle on it. Let us then discuss what
is just part of our culture.” I don’t think so. Hindu culture is a culture of is meant by spiritual non-violence. It is based on the unity and equality of
kindness. Hindu culture teaches ahimsa, non-injury, physically, mentally and all souls – souls of all sentient. Once we know that every living being is
emotionally. It preaches against himsa, hurtfulness. subject to pain and pleasure in the same manner as we and that therefore
we must never inflict any pain on them, never oppress and exploit them,
There is an old saying in Tamil that is often recited before or after slapping never rob them of their rights, we are on our way to realizing the meaning
or beating a child: Adium uthaium uthavu vathu pol annan thambi uthava of spiritual non-violence.
maddar. It means, “Even the help of one’s younger and older brothers
cannot compare to the benefit of being kicked and beaten.” It seems this
proverb, printed in certain school books, is taught to students.
One should treat all creatures in the world as one would like to be treated.
This makes me ask the Hindu community worldwide: What fearful
expectations are we nurturing in young minds? Study until midnight to Mahavira, Suktrakritanga 1.11.33
avoid a plastic rod across the back? Obey the teacher or get hit with
a strap or cane, then slapped in the face at home for getting beaten in
school? Are there more shlokas promoting himsa, violence, in the home,
more guidelines for corporal punishment? Is it our intention to pass this
despicable attitude from generation to generation?
This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain to you.
Mahabharata 5:1517
A Jewish Perspective on Education A Sikh Perspective on Discipline
From To Raise a Jewish Child From Parenting Tips

by Rabbi Hayim Donin Sikh Awareness Society
Basic Books, New York, 1977 www.sasorg.co.uk
Jewish education at its best teaches the child to think, to question, Of all the forms of punishment that parents use, the one with the worst
to inquire, and to analyze. It encourages strong physical habits and side effects is physical punishment. Children who are hit, spanked or slapped
contributes to sound mental health. It provides a sense of significance are more prone to fighting with other children. They are more likely to be
and self-worth, a feeling that there is purpose and meaning to one’s life, bullies and more likely to use aggression to solve disputes with others.
and the satisfaction of belonging to a people, which constitutes an historic
religious-national community. Jewish education addresses itself to the The best way to get respectful treatment from your child is to treat him
intellect, it touches the emotions, and it affects behavior. respectfully. You should give your child the same courtesies you would give
to anyone else. Speak to him politely. Respect his opinion. Pay attention
when he is speaking to you. Treat him kindly. Try to please him when you
can. Children treat others the way their parents treat them. Your relationship
with your child is the foundation for her relationships with others.
What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow man. This is the whole
Torah; all the rest is commentary.
Talmud, Shabbat 31a
Don’t create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone.
Guru Arjan Devji 259
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joan E. Durrant, Ph.D. is a Child-Clinical Psychologist and Professor of

Family Social Sciences at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.
She conducts research on the factors that contribute to the physical
punishment of children, as well as on the impact of laws that prohibit it.
Her research has been published in journals including Child Abuse and
Neglect, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, International Review of
Victimology, International Journal of Children’s Rights, Youth and Society
and the Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma.
Dr. Durrant was the principal researcher and co-author of the Canadian
Joint Statement on Physical Punishment of Children and Youth; a member
of the Research Advisory Committee of the United Nations Secretary-
General’s Study on Violence against Children; and a coeditor of Eliminating
Corporal Punishment: The Way Forward to Constructive Child Discipline
(UNESCO).
Active in public education, Dr. Durrant has written parenting materials for
the Canadian government, and has given speeches and workshops to
parents and professionals in many countries on the topics of physical
punishment and positive discipline.
Dr. Durrant is the author of a book for parents, “Positive Discipline: What
It Is and How To Do It”, which is available from: http://seap.savethechildren.se
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Globally, there is growing recognition of students’ rights to discipline that

GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

1. Children have the right to education with a view to achieving this

2. School discipline must be administered in a manner consistent with

GUIDELINES FOR EDUCATORS

To Jonah, my greatest teacher.

This manual is a response to the 2006 World Repor t on Violence against

The study found that violence is a common experience in the lives of

The World Report on Violence against Children makes recommendations

The recommendations emphasize the impor tance of:

Positive discipline in everyday teaching 1

The Convention guarantees children the following rights:

The Convention recognizes that children are developing people who

But adults do not own children. Human rights principles guarantee

2 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in ever yday teaching 3

• The right to participate in decision-making by:

Positive discipline is based on children’s rights to healthy development,

This manual shows teachers how to educate while respecting their

4 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 5

6 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 7

Introduction to the Manual

“My job is to teach, not to discipline.”

“I have to complete the curriculum;

Positive discipline increases students’ motivation, so they pay attention

Positive discipline reduces the time teachers spend on behavioural issues,

Positive discipline aids teaching. It is about understanding how students learn,

Positive discipline is about creating and maintaining a positive and effective

8 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 9

It is true that the responsibilities and challenges of teaching are immense – to

Many teachers are not trained in classroom management, conflict resolution

10 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 11

• forcing a child to stand • solution-focused

12 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 13

Positive discipline is not:

Research on Positive discipline is:

14 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 15

If a student’s behaviour is of particular concern, you should seek

While the information in this manual can be helpful in any classroom,

16 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 17

It is par ticularly impor tant for school directors/principals to understand

It can be very beneficial to link with other sectors. For example,

18 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 19

How this Manual is organized

Setting long-term goals

20 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 21

It is recommended that you put your skills into practice gradually. It

As you develop your positive discipline skills, remember that all of us –

22 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 23

CHILD RIGHTS PRINCIPLES

24 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 25

1. The right to education (Article 28.1)

Primar y education must be compulsor y and free to all, secondar y

• governments must work to improve school attendance and to reduce

All decisions concerning children should be based on the best interests of

26 Positive discipline in everyday teaching Positive discipline in everyday teaching 27

3. The right to non-discrimination (Article 2)

Are child rights a Western idea that is foreign • disability

It is now the most widely ratified human

Any country that has ratified the Convention