The Broken Record Technique

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The Four R's of Punishment

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When a student misbehaves and you call him on it, very often he or she will either deny they did anything or go on the offensive with, "Mary was talking too, why isn't she in trouble?" Rather than allow yourself to be swayed or confused with these arguments or denials, we recommend that you hold fast (unless you're wrong) and simply keep repeating what ever it is you want of the child. For example: Teacher: "John, stop talking." John: "Mary was talking too, why don't you say something to her?" Teacher: "John stop talking." Whether Mary was talking is not the issue. Don't let John avoid his responsibility in the matter by focusing on Mary.

You see Lisa hit Paula. Not an outright fight but a mild slap or hit. Teacher: "Lisa, I expect you to keep your hands to yourself. You can either stay in for recess or be Paula's buddy for the rest of the day." Lisa: "She took my book and called me fat. She started it. It's her fault. Why am I being punished? She did it to me first." Teacher: "I expect YOU to keep your hands to yourself. You can stay in for recess and write five things you can do instead of hitting, or you can be Paula's buddy for the rest of the day. You decide." Stay calm and continue to repeat what you want until you get compliance. This technique really helps you stay in control when the studentss try to knock you off balance. Also, it is important that the other students see you standing firm. As much as possible, give a choice. This encourages the child to focus energy on choosing not on arguing with you.

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You can find many more tips in the book: Good Parent Sense