52 Tool Cards for Classroom Management
The number one stressor for teachers, who want to make a difference in the lives of students, is the time they have to spend on dealing with “misbehavior.” Based on the best selling Positive Discipline series (rooted in the work of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs), this deck of cards includes 52 tools that teach skills for dealing with “misbehavior” in ways that teach social emotional learning at the same time. Instead of using rewards and punishments (proven by research to be ineffective long-term), these tools help teachers understand the “belief behind the behavior” (the driving force behind the behavior) and then how to use encouraging methods such as involving students in focusing on solutions. Each tool includes a cartoon to help you see the humor in difficult situations, which then helps you access the part of your brain that is open to solutions. The “text” side of the card provides quick and easy steps to implement 52 tools that meet the Five Criteria for Positive Discipline:
Five Criteria for Positive Discipline
- Helps students feel a sense of connection. (belonging and significance)
- Is kind and firm at the same time. (respectful and encouraging)
- Is effective long-term. (Punishment works short term, but has negative long-term results.)
- Teaches valuable social and life skills for good character. (respect, concern for others, problem-solving, cooperation)
- Invites students to discover how capable they are and to use their power constructively.