Power to the pupils
31st March 2010
rom the Parliamentary Library
Author: John Masanauskas education reporter
Publisher: News Ltd
Publication: Herald Sun, Page 3 (Wed 31 Mar 2010)
Keywords: Martin (1),Dixon (1)
Edition: 1 - FIRST
Section: NEWSSchools going `soft'
Power to the pupils
TEACHERS trying to restore order in their classrooms are being asked to ditch tough disciplinary measures for such tactics as standing on a green spot or pointing to a message on a wall.
Traditional methods for dealing with disruptive children, such as detention and loud reprimands, are being cast aside in favour of merely ``hinting'' at bad behaviour.
The techniques are part of an Education Department program being tested at more than 100 state schools in disadvantaged areas.
Some of the methods, criticised by a family group as ``pie in the sky'', urge teachers to give up ``power'' and become ``agents'' of their students.
Strategies to improve class behaviour include involving students in deciding rules and discussing with them the impact of their misbehaviour.
But Australian Family Association spokesman John Morrissey, a part-time teacher, said the program sounded like a throwback to the 1970s.
``A lot of this is pie in the sky stuff,'' he said.
``If you don't have a tight ship being run at school, and some backup from home, it is very hard to achieve discipline.''
Liberal education spokesman Martin Dixon said improving academic standards shouldn't mean turning classroom practice on its head.
But the scheme's facilitator, La Trobe University's Prof Ramon Lewis, said it was all about using gentle hints rather than being aggressive with unruly students.
``You identify ways of letting kids know that someone's rights are being ignored without necessarily forcing them to do anything about it,'' he said.
``So, basically, it's a skill of hinting. That can be a sign on the wall you can point to.
``One teacher has got a green dot on the floor on which he actually stands to indicate that right now someone is not doing the right thing.''
Prof Lewis, who has been researching classroom management for decades and has written several books, said discipline still had a place.
Some of his techniques are being used at north suburban schools, under an Education Department initiative called Achievement Improvement Zones, in a bid to lift literacy and numeracy levels and improve teachers' practices.
Acting Education Minister Maxine Morand said trials did not replace traditional classroom discipline.
``Principals and teachers at Victorian government schools already have the power and autonomy to deal with students behaving inappropriately,'' she said.
An Education Department spokesman said Prof Lewis had more than 20 years' experience in training teachers in how to use positive reinforcement techniques to encourage good behaviour.
Broadmeadows Valley Primary School principal Andy Jones said Prof Lewis's program had been well received and had good results.
``A lot of what he does is quite out there,'' he said.
Prof Lewis's methods were also backed by youth psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and Parents Victoria, which said fresh ideas were needed to deal with difficult children.
Editorial, Page 34
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Martin Dixon MP
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