Module 7: Using Choices to Prevent Power Struggles

In the comment section below, please answer and reflect on the following, which is also found in your book:

1) Make a list of choices you feel comfortable giving.

2) Pick one or two of your favorites.

3) Write these favorites on a slip of paper and tape it to your desk (optional).

4) See how the students react when they see these choices.

5) Enjoy having fewer power struggles and more fun!

Module 6 Recap

Thanks again for your participation and discussion at our gathering on Wednesday morning. I was very pleased with the discourse and critical thinking that went into the discussion. Overall, as I stated, my goal is that we are processing the information being presented by the Love and Logic curriculum and discerning how we can best apply these principles to our diverse classroom settings.

By December 10, please post in the comment section below the one enforceable statement that you can use to set limits and pass on to the students what you are going to do rather than what you want them to do. I have included mine to begin the discussion.

Your work is greatly appreciated!

Modules 4 & 5

Thanks again for your attendance and participation at our discussion this week on Modules 4 & 5 of the Love and Logic class. As mentioned, we are going to rely on the blog this time to do a lot of our communicating and discussing due to our lack of time on Wednesday. Please reflect on and respond to the following three prompts:

1) Please reread Reading 5.2, "When Multiple Students Misbehave at Once." This was one of my favorite readings in the class and one in which I made a major mistake two years ago (I'll share in the comments below). Please refelct on this reading, including any experience you've had with a situation like this and if you agree or disagree with the steps they recommend in dealing with this issue.

2) Module 4 is one of my favorite parts of the Love and Logic concept. I appreciate how they address the fact that one or two students can ruin the learning environment for the rest of the class, and as a teacher or parent this is not acceptable. Please reflect on our discussions related to Recovery and Time Out and post your thoughts, including how you feel you could use the recovery process in your classroom.

3) Finally, when we next meet on December 1, we will look at Module 6, "Setting Limits with Enforceable Statements." In preparation, please list one or two things you've done in the past that has been successful in communicating with students without that communication leading to a power struggle.

Good Afternoon,

I wanted to get this post out before the break so that we can spend our time thinking about Love and Logic over the next four days.

Three things we would like you to reflect on before our next meeting on November 10:

1) In our last discussion we asked the question on the topic of whether we should get angry at times to let the students know we are serious. As a follow-up to that question, share your thoughts on whether, in the Love and Logic paradigm, it is acceptable to get angry at students.

2) What alternatives do you use when students are acting inappropriately in class but a trip to Mr. Verboomen is not the right choice?

3) What methods have you found to be useful in building relationships with tough students?

Enjoy your break!

Module 3: Empathy

In prepartion for our discussion on October 13 on the topic of Empathy please share your thoughts on the following points:

1) I've had a few teachers ask me recently what to do when they have students sleeping in their classes. Based on our discussions thus far and your background information on Love and Logic principles, how would you respond?

2) One of the things we will look into in Module 3 is holding students accountable without them seeing us as the source of their problem and without responding by sending them into survival mode. How have you in the past held students accountable while keeping their best interests in mind.

See you on the 13th!

Module 2: Delaying Consequences

Thank you again for your promptness and discussion in our meeting yesterday on Module 2: Delayed Consequences. For our next meeting on September 23 from 3:15-4pm in the Office Conference Room there are two things we would like you to complete. First, please be sure to have read and written down a few notes on the two remaining readings for the module, Readings 2.2 and 2.3. We will discuss those as part of our next session. Also, please reflect and discuss in the comment section below a response to the following prompts:

1) On the second page of Reading 2.1, the author notes, "The next time a student does something inappropriate, experiment by saying very softly, Oh, no. This is sad. I'm going to have to do something about this! But not now...later...try not to worry about it." Is this realistic in the classroom? Have you ever experimented with a response like this? Is there something similar that you have found that works just as well? Please share your thoughts and experience.

2) I really enjoyed the final paragraph of Reading 2.1. Share your thoughts on the paragraph after rereading the short section and ultimately answering the question, what then becomes important in our teaching when it comes to consequences and discipline?