Return-Path: <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id i35CGBm22046; Mon, 5 Apr 2004 08:16:11 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 08:16:11 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <001401c4193b$b1c8aca0$6501a8c0@d9r6v01> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Chris Badger" <badger4245@earthlink.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1027] RE: Teacher Tools to handle X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1158 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 5294 Lines: 119 Marie, Michelle is right and your comments were dismissive and uncalled for. People, young and old, do not automatically know what is best for them nor do they comply with authority of any sort without a struggle. Most times that struggle is mercifully short lived other times it requires all of a teacher's strength of will to meet its demands I work in a prison. I do not trust my students to so what is right, yet I find many of them to be engaging individuals and treat them with the same level of respect that they generally accord me. Have I ever used a training manual tactic in class?Certainly. Animals respond to reward so do people. Bad behavior cannot be reinforced, good behavior must be. How else is someone going to take your expectations of them seriously if you can't or won't draw a line in the sand? Before you wonder. Yes, I have discipline problems. Most of my students come from backgrounds that are pure nightmare. They are addicted to several substances, have had little parental guidance, feel the world owes them living and continue to commit crimes simply because they cannot connect with the idea that they are causing some else harm. I try to show them that their actions have consequences and on occasion those consequences can be dire. I other words I make them the victims. They don't like the role. Most learn to go along with me, a few (mercifully few) just won't learn. I suspect, to a lesser degree, Marie's students feel entitled to their ways of life, regardless of the her wishes or of the impact that their disruptive behaviors have on the other students. I tell my men when they steal time from another man's education, they are stealing a commodity they can never return. Marie was more eloquent than I in stating her position. I am simply stating my support for her Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "marie keane" <marikeane@hotmail.com> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 8:51 AM Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1013] RE: Teacher Tools to handle > Michelle, > I am glad I have never had a situation with an adult where I have had to ask > them to leave the class, least of all have them escorted out by a security > guard !. Is this necessary? Have you ever tried drawing up a group > contract at the beginning of term whereby the group and the tutor discuss > what is acceptable behaviour or ground rules for the class? > > > Perhaps you might also consider using dog training manuals for dogs only. > > Marie > > >From: "Michele Craig (shellcraig@ix.netcom.com)" <shellcraig@ix.netcom.com> > >Reply-To: nifl-fobasics@nifl.gov > >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-fobasics@literacy.nifl.gov> > >Subject: [NIFL-FOBASICS:1012] RE: Teacher Tools to handle > >Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 00:35:01 -0500 (EST) > > > >Like Nick, I have found that having very clear limits and then enforcing > >them is useful. One thing I really prefer about working with adults is that > >you do not have to put up with over the line behavior --you can ask people > >to leave class and then sit them down with your administrator later. Unlike > >children who have to go through an elaborate expulsion process, most adult > >schools have pretty simple rules and policies. Ours, for example, asks them > >to leave for the semester (if say they are caught cheating) but allows them > >to come back the next term and try again. Your rules have to be fair, but > >they have to have teeth too, to work. > > > >While I have used the enforcement in front of the entire class method, I > >have also found that sometimes waiting to speak to adults privately about > >issues I have with their behavior is helpful. For example, I had one > >student whose cell phone rang every night in class, but when I confronted > >her in class, she insisted it wasn't her cell phone. The confrontational > >aspect with an audience made her play the situation up more. I called her > >at home and told her the next time it went off I would ask her to leave the > >class and if she didn't I would call security and have her escorted out. > >Then, I said, she could make an appointment to speak to the Dean before she > >returned. Her cell phone didn't go off again in class. After that, I always > >made a policy to let people know ahead of time what the consequence of a > >cell phone going off would be. I didn't let it happen over and over (like > >the first time) before I enforced it. I get all my students' home phone > >numbers and now don't hesitate to call if I have a problem with someone in > >class. Often, this is all it takes. > > > >Another technique I've found helpful is giving positive reinforcement for > >behavior I want and trying to ignore (when possible) behavior I don't want. > >In other words, I withhold attention from the really obnoxious students. > >Then when they act in a way I want to encourage, I give them attention. It > >sounds really cold, but it works for training animals (see Karen Pryor's > >book, Please Don't Shoot the Dog) and also for people to "shape" behaviors > >you want. > > > >Michele > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail >
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