Comments on: “Which Rule is Too Tough,Your Majesty?” A Culture of Low Expectations

By: Craig Seganti

Craig Seganti — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:31:41 +0000

How are these determined students to make up the time they miss from class? How about they just come for the time missed? Or does your coordinator consider the time you spend teaching inconsequential? In other words, they don’t think time missed is important?

By: Melanie

Melanie — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:19:51 +0000

Hi Craig,
This is day 1 of using your book.
I’m a new teacher at an all-girl high school. I’ve been teaching for 14 years now, and always had discipline problems. I’m a good English teacher but I think discipline problems and never-ending arguments with students got me fired twice, already. I didn’t want this to happen again, that’s why I’m applying your method, because I think it’s good and fair. Today eveything went fine, only one girl out of 70 refused to copy the rules and I had to suspend her, and I gave about 4 consequences (annoying worksheet. detention is out of the question.) The students were very quiet and in shock. They had never seen such list of rules before…BUT: I’m afraid!!!
The principal supported me but my coordinator called me and said very gently that the girls complained about my rules… and they made fun of them… she doesn’t want me to be made fun of… I should have showed her the rules before… (I knew why I didn’t want to show them… she always rejects my ideas). I explained the rationale behind the rules. She said that the rule about the restroom is too much, is against the ministry of education (Israel), and is too strict, especially for growing girls who sometimes have surprises and problems… and these girls are so good… they shouldn’t be treated like babies… only a few cases…
I told her I will consider changing this rule. What could I do? I don’t want to get fired again for being cruel!
I know from my experience that these nice-gentle-polite-girls can be super-manipulative, but this kind of treatment is very strange to them. (Bottom-line, the parents and principals want the lessons to be quiet, but they want the girls to be treated very gently…)What do you think?

By: Craig Seganti

Craig Seganti — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:46:57 +0000

Do not take handfuls-just pick one.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 11:59:11 +0000

I just bought your book and started the program last Monday (Aug. 23, 2011). I have had mixed success. My HS students were very much average concerning discipline and above average concerning privilege from home and assumption that teachers only deserve a minimum of respect. For instance, a mother came to Open House on Thursday and asked, “Do I understand from my daughter that there is no talking in your class?!” I simply replied, “That is true. Unless the talking is academically related.” She gave me a filthy look and plopped down in a chair like she was the teenager. I had to laugh on the inside.

I am still struggling (but will persevere) to get my students to adhere to the, according to them, horrible, new rules. My challenge is in the low murmur of talking because I can’t really tell who is talking to give him/her the consequence. I may try assigning several handfuls of students at a time detentions until the guilty fess-up.

By: John

John — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:03:49 +0000

One word “Brilliant”.

By: Personalised Mugs

Personalised Mugs — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:30:28 +0000

,:: I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives up to date information .’:

By: Cathy29

Cathy29 — Sun, 02 May 2010 17:52:32 +0000

I’m 29 and from South Africa. I am a new teacher.. this is my second year. I am having such a problem with discipline in my class. My school incorporates the Assertive Discipline system. Now to me there seem to be too many different discipline strategies. We’re not allowed to give our children detention on our own. They get sent to the deputy principle’s classroom for detention at break.. I feel that this takes away the authority from me. I feel at a loss as to what to do.

By: JULIE

JULIE — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 08:02:12 +0000

re: Rude parent who accused me (amongst other things) of being a nazi.

I was told by my deputy to forget this particular detention (as admin are gutless) but to carefully monitor him and to refer the problem to my Head of Dept (who is the master of the handball) if he plays up again so I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
The deputy (for him) was quite supportive over the whole incident and did not want me to do away with the consequences just avoid commiting them to paper. Which is fine by me as I can still carry on implementing everything you have advised. I will get round this by writing the consequences on the whiteboard.
I started on Monday had the glitch with the mental parent on Weds but by Friday I was winning and had the students working quietly with minimal fuss or rudeness and the boy in question kept a low profile. So your ideas are already paying dividends.
Cheers
JULIE H.

By: Craig Seganti

Craig Seganti — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:28:44 +0000

Dear Julie-

The short answer is this: I would not call this parent again, nor would i let her son back into my class until detention was served.

Rather than go on the defensive, I would tell your Principal you want this parent to apologize to you and the community for comparing bringing pencil and paper to class with carting innocent people in trains to their death at gunpoint.

Your rules will have no weight without consequences for breaking them, so without 11 and 12 you might as well not have them.

By: JULIE

JULIE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:57:45 +0000

Dear Craig,
I started using your disciplie methods this week. On the third day (yesterday) I rang a parent to tell her her son had not attended detention and she told me she did not agree with my rules that they were Nazi-like and ridiculous and she had told hin not to attend my detention. She is also (amongst other things) threatening to report me to the Principal and the Education Authority. I showed the rules to the Deputy yesterday afternoon (the Principal wasn’t there) and asked him for his opinion and he could see nothing wrong with them apart from the fact that he disagreed with the copying of them as it seemed like a punishment and that I should do away with No: 11 and 12 (the consequences0 so I wasn’t accused of favouring one student over another one if I varied my response to the same type of behaviour.
Anyway what suggestions do you have about this parent who is undermining my authority? I have been told not to call her again, not that I would anyway as she attempted to give me a right roasting.
Regards Julie H.