Quote for the Unit: The problem is not Discipline! Most teachers will tell you that their number one problem in the classroom is discipline. But that tells more about the teacher than the class. A vast majority of the behavior problems in the classroom are caused by the failure of students to follow procedures and routines. These are the main reasons why students do not follow procedures:

A procedure is not a discipline plan. Neither is a procedure a threat, a rule, or an order. A procedure is simply a method or process for how things are to be done in the classroom.

Harry K. Wong in The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher, 1991, pp. 171-172.

The BIG IDEAS for this unit are....

Effective classroom management and discipline strategies are intertwined with instructional practices.

There are multiple sources of power in the classroom. Teachers make professional decisions to use power appropriately to create clear expectations and "rules to live by."

There are multiple ways to challenge students to reach higher levels of achievement.

The ESSENTIAL QUESTION for this unit is....

How will I ensure an engaging and safe learning environment in my classroom?

Learning Objectives for this short unit will include:

Examining the effective uses of power and control in the classroom.

Develop a personal/professional working definition of "Discipline."

Recognize influences on student behaviors in the field placement and Block classrooms.

Begin to explain professional beliefs and values in teaching adolescent learners.