8/1/01
William Glasser, renowned psychiatrist and educational theorist is best known for his earlier work, titled "reality therapy". This treatment approach, rather than seeking to discover the past happenings which influenced one's behavior, focuses on the present behavior and changing it for the better.
His approach was extended from the clinic into the classroom. There, appropriate behavior is expected, and excuses for inappropriate behavior are not accepted. Misbehavior is viewed as result of a bad choice on the part of the student (His later work also found fault with the educational system, not just the student). The teacher provides consequences (positive and negative) to help promote good decision making on the student's part. Over time, the student comes to accept responsibility for his/her own behavior and makes better behavioral choices.
Students are made aware of which behaviors are appropriate
in the classroom and thereafter are
expected to display them. According to Glasser, students are
in control of their behavior
and teachers should not accept explanations as to why the misbehavior
occurred.
The ten step approach is a sequentially implemented
system which becomes more directive and restrictive if the student fails
to make better choices about school behavior.
How to Use the Ten Steps
1. Set aside a quiet thinking time for yourself. Mentally select a student whose behavior is in violation of school expectations. Make a list of things you do when s/he is disruptive.
2. Review your list of interventions. Have they been effective in improving the student's behavior? If not, make a commitment to stop using them. If they're not working, why use them? It's time to find a strategy that will work.
3. Make a plan to help your student start tomorrow on a positive note (e.g., pat on the back, personal compliment, a personalized greeting, sending him/her on an errand, etc.).
4. If a problem behavior is shown, ask "What are you doing?" Glasser believes that thinking about a behavior helps the student to recognize it's existence, own it, and prepare to stop it. When you get an answer that states the actual behavior (his/her words accurately describe the behavior), say "Please stop it." Do not accept statements such as "I'm not doing anything." and do not let him/her take you off on a tangent/distract you from your task. If s/he tries to distract you from the issue, keep repeating "What are you doing?" (perhaps varying the wording to be sure the youngster understands your expectation) until the student describes the behavior.
5. If after steps 3 and 4, the behavior continues, have a conference with the student. Say "What are you doing?", Upon receiving a response, ask "Is it against the rules?" Upon receiving an accurate description, ask "What should you be doing?" Obtain an accurate description of classroom/school expectations. This practice helps the student to realize that s/he is displaying inappropriate behavior and causes him/her to reflect on expectations.
6. If step 5 fails, repeat all of 5 except for the last question. Substitute "We have to work this out. What kind of a plan can you make to follow the rules?" The plan must be a positive action plan (a description of the behavior to be displayed) rather than a lack of action (What the youngster will stop doing). The student must tell you what s/he will do in same/similar situations.
7. If the student disrupts again, isolate him/her or place him/her in time out in the immediate classroom. The student may rejoin the class after having devised a plan for following rules, informed you of this plan, and made a commitment to follow it. If the student disrupts the class while in the quiet part of the room, this results in his removal from the room.
8. If step 7 does not work,
in-school suspension is implemented. Say, "Things are not working
out for you here. You and I have tried to this problem, but now it's
time to talk with some other
people. Please report to the principal's office." In-school
suspension continues until an approved plan of action appropriate behavior
is formulated.
9. If the student is completely out of control, the parents are asked to take him home for the rest of the day.
10. If step 9 is continually ineffective, the student must stay home or is sent to another placement that is better able to meet his/her educational/behavioral needs.
(Note: Steps 9 and 10 may not be workable and feasible
for many schools. One option is having the student stay after school
or come in on weekends to sit until a plan is devised. Administrative
and parental permission is necessary for this approach.)
Activities
1. The ten step approach may not be feasible in many classrooms/schools.
Create a modified version with fewer steps or changes in procedures that
might work in your situation.
2. To what extent is it important for teachers to know about/discover the reasons why kids misbehave? Does it help us and the youngsters to better understand the behavior and thus change it? Does it merely provide an excuse for misbehavior? Should someone just "suck it up" and "quit complaining" about life's circumstances, or should we consider the influence of the events?
3. What might Glasser say about the requirement in IDEA about conducting
a functional behavior assessment (FBA)? (If your response is "Huh?",
read the link on functional behavior assessment.)
Suggested Readings
Wm. Glasser. Reality Therapy.
Wm. Glasser. Control theory in the classroom.
Check out his web site too.
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