Redirecting Misbehavior in Schools

Teacher Ms. Berendzen: “We can practice how to solve problems and then when kids do have a problem and I call them aside, then they have some idea of of how to go about solving it with my help. It’s allowed me to look at kids behavior in a different way, then that gives me a better idea of how I can deal with it and kind of see it from their perspective.”

Student 1: “Marisa, I have a problem with you when you when you take my arm like this, and then hold it real hard, and you touch my bone and that hurts. Kids often role play and have a great time working out their own solutions puzzling through outcomes and are often surprisingly astute and creative.
Student 2: “Yes, I will stop.”
Student 1 and 2: “Do you have a problem with me? “No.” “Okay.”

Teacher 2: “I’ve seen discipline improve. I’ve seen team work kind of gel better. They work much better together now. They’re quick to help each other out whereas before they may have been reluctant to give suggestions to each other.”

Principal: “Teachers need to feel that they’re capable of making a difference. They need strategies that work. They need strategies that they can they they can utilize and try out in the real arena. Time is short and so if they are able to pull some things together that are effective that means they’ll dig deeper and the benefit will go all the way across the board.”