Teachers Q&A

An excerpt from Positive Discipline by Dr. Jane Nelsen

Mutual respect incorporates attitudes of: (1) faith in the abilities of yourself and others; (2) interest in the point of view of others as well as your own; and (3) willingness to take responsibility and ownership for your own contribution to the problem. The best way to teach these attitudes to children is by modeling them. You will see how the concepts of timing and winning cooperation can be merged with the concept of mutual respect.

Question:

I teach 1st and 2nd grade (combined classes). I am having trouble finding inventive ways to control the chatter while I (or a student) am trying to talk. Please help!

Question:

I am looking for some concrete practical tips for dealing with bullying behavior in a school setting. How can I work to change the bully's behavior? How can I help the victim avoid any further victimization?

Question:

I would like some feedback regarding the following situation:

My oldest daughter just turned 3 and is in a preschool program 2 days a week for 3 hours a day. There is a teacher and assistant for 12 children. The teacher is very young and this is her second year teaching children of this age group. The assistant is much older and has grown children of her own.

My present concern is regarding a newly instituted reward system. With only 2 1/2 months of school left in this school year the teacher began a reward system that she said would help to get the children to better use their "good listening" skills. Sounds like a last ditch act of desperation to me but then again I am already somewhat biased against "quid pro quo" types of discipline.

I have a student in my kindergarten class who is constantly saying "I can't do it". This applies to everything from taking off her shoes to doing work. She has a difficult time following directions, and rarely does what she is asked to do.

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I have a 6yr old son in kindergarten. He is constantly getting in trouble for talking. I have done just about everything I know to do to quiet him. I know children like to talk, but this is really getting out of control.

QUESTION:

I run a support group for Day Care Providers in a small city in MA. Some of the members have a concern about the nurturing of one member in particular. She readily admits she spanks her own children (Bible backed) and says she does not hit the daycare children.

Hi, I know you have a few answers about this on your web site, but my problem is a little different. My son doesn't mind going to preschool, but after about half an hour he looks for his parents (usually my husband drops him off and we're both very careful to tell him when we leave and say "good-bye"). Then he starts to cry for about half an hour. Eventually he calms down, but about an hour later he starts to cry again. When we come to get him, he is ready to leave immediately (he's sitting there crying, with his backpack on). It's only been a few times, but I'm very worried.

Question:

I teach 1st and 2nd grade (combined class). I am having trouble finding inventive ways to control the chatter while I (or a student) am trying to talk. Please help!

Question:

I am a fifth grade teacher and I am looking for help in developing some individual behavior plans for three children in my room. One child in particular has many difficulties interacting with the other children in a positive manner.