Haim Ginott Haim Ginott (1922-1973) clinical (1922-1973) clinical psychologist, child therapist, parent psychologist, child therapist, parent educator, and author. educator, and author. *Began his career in Israel in 1947 *Began his career in Israel in 1947 *Attended Colombia University in new *Attended Colombia University in new York City earning a degree in clinical York City earning a degree in clinical

psychology in psychology in 1952.1952.

“Children are like wet “Children are like wet cement. cement. Whatever Whatever falls on them makes an falls on them makes an

an impression.” an impression.”

Theory of Congruent CommunicationTheory of Congruent Communication

*The teacher's personal approach is the most *The teacher's personal approach is the most influential element in creating the "climate" that influential element in creating the "climate" that contributes to children's behavior in the classroom, contributes to children's behavior in the classroom, whether positive or negative. whether positive or negative. * Students still accept responsibility for their * Students still accept responsibility for their behavior; the teacher, however, accepts behavior; the teacher, however, accepts responsibility for creating the climate for proper responsibility for creating the climate for proper behavior.behavior.

* These three basic points contribute to a positive class * These three basic points contribute to a positive class and school environment:and school environment:

(a) teachers demonstrate communication that is (a) teachers demonstrate communication that is harmonious with students' feelings about themselves harmonious with students' feelings about themselves and their situationsand their situations

(b) teachers demonstrate behaviors that invite (b) teachers demonstrate behaviors that invite and encourage student cooperation;and encourage student cooperation;

(c) teachers promote discipline as an alternative (c) teachers promote discipline as an alternative to punishment and believe that "the essence of to punishment and believe that "the essence of discipline is finding effective alternatives to punishment" discipline is finding effective alternatives to punishment"

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

1. Use congruent communication1. Use congruent communicationa) a style of speaking that does not attack a) a style of speaking that does not attack

others, but remains harmonious with the feelings others, but remains harmonious with the feelings being experiencedbeing experienced

b) addresses the situations rather than the b) addresses the situations rather than the students’ character or personalitystudents’ character or personality

“If you want your children to improve, let “If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things them overhear the nice things

you say about them to you say about them to others.”others.”

2. Send sane messages to students2. Send sane messages to studentsa)sanity depends on people’s ability to trust a)sanity depends on people’s ability to trust

their own perceptions of realitytheir own perceptions of realityb) to guide students to move away from self-b) to guide students to move away from self-

defeating behavior towards appropriate and lasting defeating behavior towards appropriate and lasting behaviorsbehaviors

3. Promote self-discipline 3. Promote self-discipline

4. Accept and acknowledge students and comment 4. Accept and acknowledge students and comment on the situation/behavior without belittling the on the situation/behavior without belittling the students. students.

“Fish swim, birds fly, and “Fish swim, birds fly, and people feel.”people feel.”

5. Emphasizes the strong linkage between the 5. Emphasizes the strong linkage between the exchange of interactions between teachers and exchange of interactions between teachers and students students

Suggested Strategies Suggested Strategies

1. provide an environment conductive to learning 1. provide an environment conductive to learning

2. use proper and clear 2. use proper and clear communicationcommunicationa) helps establish and maintain a secure, a) helps establish and maintain a secure,

humane, productive environment for humane, productive environment for learninglearning

b)invites students’ cooperation and positive b)invites students’ cooperation and positive behavior do not dictate or boss them behavior do not dictate or boss them

aroundaroundc) give students alternativesc) give students alternatives

3. Avoid insane messages3. Avoid insane messagesa) includes blames, preaches, commands, a) includes blames, preaches, commands,

accuses, accuses, belittling, and threatsbelittling, and threatsb) sane messages address student’s behavior b) sane messages address student’s behavior

rather than the student’s character. rather than the student’s character.

4. Remain sensitive to the needs of students and to 4. Remain sensitive to the needs of students and to communicate to students with sensitivity.communicate to students with sensitivity.

a) should respect student’s privacy and avoid a) should respect student’s privacy and avoid asking asking prying questions. prying questions.

5. Show concern for student’s feelings and recognize 5. Show concern for student’s feelings and recognize their commentstheir comments

a) address the situation but not the students’ a) address the situation but not the students’ character or personalitycharacter or personality

b) confer dignity by putting aside the student’s b) confer dignity by putting aside the student’s past history and concern only the past history and concern only the immediate situation immediate situation

6. Handle own anger properly and express anger 6. Handle own anger properly and express anger using I – messagesusing I – messages

a) should give students a warning for angera) should give students a warning for angerb) you – messages attack student’s personality b) you – messages attack student’s personality

and and character, which becomes a personal attackcharacter, which becomes a personal attack

7. Provide appreciative praise instead of evaluative 7. Provide appreciative praise instead of evaluative praisepraise

a) appreciate praise directs attention to student’s a) appreciate praise directs attention to student’s effort and is productiveeffort and is productive

b) evaluative praise focuses on student’s b) evaluative praise focuses on student’s character and places burden on the character and places burden on the

students students

8. Use laconic language (short, concise, brief) 8. Use laconic language (short, concise, brief) a) to strive for brevity and be solution-orienteda) to strive for brevity and be solution-orientedb) to focus on solving the problem rather than b) to focus on solving the problem rather than

dwelling on philosophies and dwelling on philosophies and responsibilitiesresponsibilities

9. Use guidance rather than criticism9. Use guidance rather than criticisma) criticism attacks students’ personality and a) criticism attacks students’ personality and

easily easily leads to demeaning of students leads to demeaning of students

10. Should show acceptance and acknowledgment10. Should show acceptance and acknowledgmenta) an uncritical message invites cooperation, a) an uncritical message invites cooperation,

while a critical message creates while a critical message creates resistanceresistance

11. Should ignore four-letter words, rather than 11. Should ignore four-letter words, rather than make make them an issue.them an issue.

12. Should avoid name calling, sarcasm, and 12. Should avoid name calling, sarcasm, and ridiculeridicule

13. Should refrain from using punishment in 13. Should refrain from using punishment in handling discipline problems. handling discipline problems.

Teachers are the decisive element Teachers are the decisive element in the classroom in the classroom

1. Most powerful1. Most powerful2. Can humanize or dehumanize 2. Can humanize or dehumanize

studentsstudents3. Teacher’s self-discipline is most 3. Teacher’s self-discipline is most

important important for improving classroom for improving classroom behaviorbehavior

True Discipline True Discipline

1. is student’s self-discipline1. is student’s self-discipline2. is a series of little victories that over time 2. is a series of little victories that over time helps acquire self-direction, responsibility, helps acquire self-direction, responsibility,

and and concern for others. concern for others. 3. occurs overtime in a series of small steps 3. occurs overtime in a series of small steps

that that produce genuine changes within the hearts produce genuine changes within the hearts of of students students

Thank You Thank You