Discipline: Effective School

Practices
BY GEORGE BEAR, PHD, NCSP, University of Delaware, Newark

Traditionally, with respect to school discipline, American educators have had two distinct aims: (a) to help
create and maintain a safe, orderly, and positive learning environment, which often requires the use of
discipline to correct misbehavior; and (b) to teach or develop self-discipline. Both aims are equally
important and should always be included in the development and evaluation of school discipline practices.
Whereas the first is generally viewed as an immediate aim (to stop misbehavior and bring about
compliance), the second is viewed as long term (to develop autonomy and responsible citizenship). Both
aims are reciprocally related in that each promotes the other. Both also serve a preventive function. That is,
by correcting misbehavior and developing self-discipline, schools help prevent the future occurrence of
behavior problems.

CHALLENGES TO EFFECTIVE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

Too often, schools fail to understand that maintaining safety, including the correction of misbehavior, is a
prerequisite for developing self-discipline, but it is not sufficient. Schools and other institutions that are
effective in establishing and maintaining order and safety are not necessarily effective in developing self-
discipline or in preventing future behavior problems. This is most evident when adult supervision,
systematic rewards, clear rules and expectations, and consequences for misbehavior are the primary
techniques used to manage behavior. When those external techniques are later removed, individuals are
expected to function independently after having learned little other than dont get caught. Prisons
provide an excellent example of reliance on external control, as do many schools that adopt a similar zero-
tolerance mindset.

Zero Tolerance: Punishment Focus

The zero-tolerance approach to noncompliance and misbehavior exclusively focuses school discipline on
punishmentsuspension, expulsion, alternative education, sentencing manuals (i.e., extensive codes of
conduct for minor to major behavioral infractions), and the constant policing of student behavior. Although
certainly more positive, programs that simply replace such punitive techniques with the systematic school-
wide use of tangible rewards for good behavior, regardless of grade level or individual needs and without
emphasizing other strategies that promote self-discipline, fail to teach students the skills that will promote
appropriate and independently guided behavior.

Comprehensive School-Wide Plan

Certainly, fair and reasonable policies governing serious and chronic behavior problems, as well as the
strategic use of rewards, should be part of a school-wide discipline program. However, effective schools
make this only one part of a much more comprehensive plan. A comprehensive school-wide plan consists
of a full range of evidence-based strategies and techniques to achieve four important goals: (a) developing
self-discipline, (b) preventing misbehavior, (c) correcting misbehavior, and (d) remediating and
responding to serious and chronic behavior problems. Strategies for each of these components of
comprehensive school-wide discipline follow.

DEVELOPING SELF-DISCIPLINE
Self-discipline is seen in socially and morally responsible behavior that is motivated primarily by intrinsic
factors, not solely by the anticipation of external rewards or fear of punishment. Research shows that self-
discipline promotes positive relations with others and a positive school climate, fosters academic
achievement, and promotes self-worth and emotional well-being. Strategies for developing self-discipline

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are commonly part of evidence-based programs for likelihood that students will exhibit appropriate behavior
character education and for social and emotional willingly rather than grudgingly.
learning. Such programs include the following strategies: The quality of the teacherstudent relationship is of
primary concern. Warmth, acceptance, and support are
N Implement curriculum activities that teach social, emo- delivered noncontingently and thus are not conditional
tional, and behavioral competencies. Multiple evidence- upon a students behavior. Effective teachers strive to
based packaged programs exist for teaching social, develop a positive relationship with every student in their
emotional, and behavioral competencies (see classrooms, and seek to promote positive relationships
Recommended Resources below for a list of websites and a sense of community among the students
that review such programs). In addition to or as an themselves. In sum, authoritative teachers create a
alternative to adopting a packaged program, schools classroom climate, and school-wide climate, in which
should consider infusing lessons and activities for students follow norms for appropriate behavior out of
developing self-discipline throughout the existing respect for the teacher and one another.
curriculum, such as in social studies, literacy, and Additional prevention strategies commonly used by
health education. authoritative teachers include the following:
N Provide multiple models of social and moral problem-
solving and responsible behavior. Multiple models of N Develop social problem-solving and decision-making
targeted behaviors, social cognitions, and emotions skills among students.
should be included in the schools curriculum (e.g., N Establish and maintain close communication with
literature, videos) and, more important, in the real life each students parents or caregivers, and work hard to
of the classroom and school. garner the parents support.
N Provide multiple opportunities for students to apply skills N Provide academic instruction and activities that
of social and moral problem-solving and responsible motivate learning.
behavior. Such opportunities would include class N Create a physical environment that is conducive to
meetings in which classroom and school-wide pro- teaching and learning.
blems are addressed; meaningful student government N Establish predictable procedures and routines.
activities (e.g., helping others in the community); N Frequently monitor student behavior and respond
programs and activities for conflict resolution, peer immediately to signs of misbehavior.
mediation, service learning, and cooperative learning; N Use praise and rewards strategically to maximize
and sports and extracurricular activities. effectiveness in improving behavior while minimizing
N Challenge self-centered thinking. This recommenda- the risk of diminishing intrinsic motivation. One key to
tion applies to each of the learning contexts above doing this is by using praise and rewards in an
but especially to the context of disciplinary encoun- informational rather than controlling manner (see
ters. Nearly all children tend to excuse or justify Bear, 2005 for specific techniques).
moral transgressions with various rationalizations
(e.g., He started it, I didnt mean to hurt him,
Others did it, too). Such excuses and self-centered CORRECTING MISBEHAVIOR
thinking should be tactfully confronted, and models Research supports an authoritative style of discipline not
of desired thinking, feeling, and acting should be only in the prevention of behavior problems but also in
highlighted. their correction.

Authoritative Approaches to Correcting Misbehavior

PREVENTING DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS Authoritative educators guide rather than control
In general, research supports the effectiveness of an students. They view disciplinary encounters not merely
authoritative approach to discipline (as opposed to an as situations that may require punishment as a means
authoritarian or permissive approach) in the prevention of correction, but as opportunities to teach appropriate
of behavior problems. Authoritative teachers set high behavior and help develop self-discipline and prevent
standards and hold high expectations; enforce rules and future behavior problems. Similar to their approach to
standards in a firm, fair, and consistent manner; and prevention, authoritative educators combine respon-
promote autonomy by encouraging students active siveness (e.g., demonstrating support and caring;
participation in decisions regarding their behavior. striving to prevent lasting harm to the teacherstudent
Although authoritative teachers use punitive and reactive relationship) with demandingness (e.g., remaining firm,
strategies when needed, they focus more on the use communicating clear expectations of appropriative
of positive, proactive techniques for increasing the behavior, imposing fair consequences). When correct-

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ing misbehavior, effective educators tend to use one of typically in combination with replacement techniques
two general types of behavioral techniques: punitive that teach or strengthen desired behaviors. The latter
and replacement. would include techniques that emphasize social and
emotional competencies and positive teacherstudent
Punitive techniques. These various forms of punish- relations, such as joint social problem-solving and
ment range from unpleasant verbal reprimands, the evil induction, where the focus is on the impact of ones
eye, proximity control (i.e., standing near the student), behavior on others.
and taking away privileges (e.g., recess) to much harsher
forms such as suspension, expulsion, removal to an REMEDIATING AND RESPONDING TO CHRONIC AND
alternative education program, and corporal punishment SERIOUS BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
(i.e., spanking, which is allowed in approximately half of For the majority of students in most schools (i.e., the
the states, although most professional organizations universal tier), the above strategies and techniques are
oppose it). generally sufficient for developing self-discipline and for
preventing and correcting behavior problems. Students
Replacement techniques. These strategies are with chronic or serious behavior problems, and especially
intended to achieve the same goals as punitive those shown to be resistant to interventions, require
methods, but focus on teaching or strengthening desired more comprehensive and intensive services, resources,
behaviors that might replace the undesired behavior. and supports.
Common replacement techniques include direct instruc-
tion, positive reinforcement, modeling, social problem- Similar but More Intensive Strategies
solving, conflict resolution, and anger management The strategies and techniques used for chronic and
training. serious behavior problems differ more in intensity than
design, relative to the strategies described above for
Punishment: Limitations and Alternatives more everyday discipline issues. That is, many of the
Educators who are most effective in correcting misbe- same techniques are used, but delivered in a more
havior use both punitive and replacement techniques. frequent and systematic fashion (e.g., requiring a class-
room aide or smaller class size).
Limitations of punishment. Effective educators
clearly recognize the limitations of punishment: (a) It More Targeted and Intensive Strategies
teaches students what not to do and fails to teach Other strategies, however, are more specific to this
desired or replacement behavior; (b) its effects often are group of intervention-resistant students, and more
short term; (c) it teaches students to aggress toward or congruent with an intensive (Tier 3) level of supports
punish others; (d) it fails to address the multiple factors and interventions. Such services and supports should be:
that typically contribute to a students behavior; (e) it is
likely to produce undesirable side effects (e.g., anger, N Comprehensive, targeting multiple risk and protective
retaliation, dislike toward the teacher or school, social factors
withdrawal); (f) it creates a negative classroom and N Broad-based, adopting a system in which a network of
school climate; and (g) it can be reinforcing (i.e., negative mental health specialists, educators, and others in the
reinforcement), such as in time-out and suspension, by community work together with students and their
allowing students to avoid or escape from situations they families
find aversive (e.g., academic work, peer rejection, a harsh N Evidence-based
and uncaring teacher). N Intensive, sustained over time, and implemented with
fidelity
Alternatives to punishment. Due to these limita- N Individualized
tions, when correcting misbehavior, effective educators N Cognizant of the importance of early intervention,
work hard to avoid using punishment. Instead, they focus including interventions provided at an early age as
on strategies for developing self-discipline and for well as those provided when indicators of behavior
preventing misbehavior. When correcting misbehavior, problems first appear
they are much more likely to use mild forms of
punishment, such as physical proximity, taking away These interventions, services, and supports address not
privileges, verbal reprimands, and the evil eye than only the needs of students with chronic behavior problems,
harsh forms of punishment such as suspension. When but also those who may have no history of behavior
punishment is used, it is used fairly, judiciously, in the problems but nevertheless exhibit a serious behavior
context of a caring and supportive relationship, and problem requiring immediate intervention, supports, and

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services. This would entail crisis prevention, intervention, Correcting Misbehavior
and response, especially for acts of violence. Intervention Central, Punishment techniques and student
behavior plans: http://www.interventioncentral.org/
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES htmdocs/interventions/behavior/punishguidelines.
General php
Bear, G. G. (2008). Classroom discipline. In A. Thomas
& J. Grimes (Eds.), Best practices in school psychology Serious and Chronic Behavior Problems
V (pp. 14031420). Bethesda, MD: National Consortium to Prevent School Violence: http://www.
Association of School Psychologists. preventschoolviolence.org
Bear, G. G. (2010). From school discipline to self-discipline. Walker, H. M., Ramsey, E., & Gresham, F. M. (2004).
New York: Guilford Press. Antisocial behavior in school: Evidence-based practice.
Bear, G. G. (with A. Cavalier & M. Manning). (2005). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Developing self-discipline and preventing and correcting
misbehavior. Boston: Allyn & Bacon George Bear, PhD, is a Professor of School Psychology at the
Intervention Central: http://interventioncentral.org University of Delaware and author of a book and many
articles and chapters on school discipline. Parts of this
Developing Self-Discipline and Preventing Misbehavior handout were adapted, with permission, from his chapter in
Character Education Partnership: http://www.character.org Best Practices in School Psychology V (2008).
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional
E 2010 National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402,
Learning: http://www.casel.org Bethesda, MD 20814(301) 657-0270

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