How Kids

Learn
Behavior
s
Motivatio
n

Developmen
tal Age
In a
Classroom

Logical
Consequences/
Choice
Theory
TH EO R Y TO P R A C TIC E
Discipline

Classroom Management Plan

By: Rachel Burr

H ow Kids Learn
Theoretically

Real Classroom Translation

Teacher must influence

Students choose their

student behavior while

teaching personal
responsibility
Teachers believe in natural
consequences the results of
their actions
Teachers believe in logical
consequences that are
related, reasonable,
respectful, reliably enforced,
and revealed to students
Consequences help students
Understand
Anticipate
Make Decisions
Problem Solve

own behaviors but

hopefully ones that are
implied upon them by the
teacher
If something happens
where a natural
consequence occurs
teacher doesnt intervene
(unless dangerous)
Consequences help
students to make better
decisions in the future.

W hy Kids H ave Certain Behaviors

Excited/Motivated to

Learn Students
Perfect
Have the rationale
that school can be a
way of escape from a
situation
Are too scared to
misbehave
Want to get smarter
and better at school

Difficult Students

Family/Relationship

Problems
Survival Instincts
need to be met before
Learning can occur
Have been told to
act out

W hy Kids H ave Certain M otivations

Perfect Students

School is exciting
School is interesting
Are too afraid to do

poorly based on
consequences from
home
Want to learn

Difficult Students
They dont find a
point in school
School is a waste of
time
Are struggling at
school work so they
dont try or dont
know how to try

W hy Kids H ave Certain D iscipline

Perfect Students

Difficult Students
Punishments will escalate over

Rarely punished

when they are

punishments might
not be as severe as
they should be

time
Punishments for little
disruptions might be escalated
too quickly
Students will rebel against
punishment and escalate
behavior
Consequences occur based on
decisions and may be student
to student

Consequences
First offense
Calm down Corner/Sitting out/Getting it together
In the classroom

Second offense
Time in the hallway/Getting it together

Third Offense
Time taken from recess/Calm down Corner

Fourth Offense
Whole recess taken/Calm down Corner

Fifth Offense/Severe Behavior

Talk with Principal/Recess taken/School delegated punishments

All punishments are explicit to students at the beginning of the

year and may change as circumstances arise. Students can
choose consequences within boundaries of quickly resolving
their issues or needing time away from the group.

D evelopm entalAge
Behaviors

Consequences
Ages 4 6

Ages 4 6
Tattling

Ages 6 8
Testing the line

Ages 8 11
Pushing the line

Ages 12 & above

Getting even/Escalated

behavior

Time-outs
Developmentally dont
distinguish between total right
and wrong

Ages 6 8
More severe scolding, parent

involvement in punishment

Ages 8 11
Teacher helps students with

problems/consequences

Ages 12 & above

Letting students work out their

problems conflict resolution

H ow This W orks in a Classroom

Teachers set up explicit consequences that are

related to the behavior

Students consequences are realistic and some
based on their own behaviors
Teachers must understand that students will
have good/bad days where behavior is effected
Having a logical consequences classroom also
means students must feel a sense of belonging
to the classroom students choose their own
behavior, a teacher can only influence it.

W hat IW ould D o in M y Classroom

Establish a sense of community in the classroom

in various ways
Establish a set of basic rules
If these rules are broken have a set of established

consequences that students know in advance and can

be an active participate in choosing consequences

If behaviors elicit natural consequences, I will not

intervene unless dangerous to students

Make sure students know that they are in a space
where they can talk about whats going in their
lives and I can understand what theyre going
through but I cannot force them to do anything.