ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE MARLENE &

LEE CANTER
Assignment # 1-Mini Presentation
Instructor: Dr. Rick Freeze, Professor
By :
Dan Marshall
Barb Warren
Mia Safiniuk

The Presenter

Biography

Canter, L. & Canter M. (2001) Assertive discipline : Positive Behavior

management for todays classroom. Seal Bech, CA: Lee Canter &
Associates.

*Assertive Discipline is still used today but has evolved from a

more authoritarian approach to one that is more of a democratic
and co-operative approach.

Lee Canter:
As a teenager he realized teachers have the
power to change a students behaviour.
Attended California State University and completed
a masters degree in social work at the University of
Southern California.
Felt that if teachers could manage their students
behaviour, they could have a positive impact on
students lives.
Interest led to the research and the development of
his well-known Assertive Discipline program.
Created cutting-edge training programs for teachers.
Keynoted numerous conferences together with his
wife.

Marlene Canter:

May 2006 named Woman Executive of the Year.

30 year career as co-CEO of a successful teacher
training company.
Committee founder which strived to hire very qualified
teachers in L.A.
Began her career as a special education teacher.
Went on to co-found and serve Canter& Associates,
Now Laureate Education, Inc. The company has trained
teachers and developed programs, distance learning
materials, and resources for teachers, administration,
parents.
Actively involved on education councils, boards,
advisory commitees.

Important Facts: Assertive

Discipline

In 1976 most popular discipline system in U.S. schools

for the next 20 years.
Rationale: Students had the right to learn in a calm,
orderly classroom . Teachers had a right to teach
without being interrupted by misbehaviour.
Easy common sense approach.
Teachers possessed a high level of control-taking
charge. Mean what they say, say what they mean.
Accomplished by devising a plan. Students are
responsible for their own behaviour and consequences.
Teachers establish rules that clearly define acceptable
and unacceptable behaviour. Teachers ask parents and
administration when support is needed with behaviour.

Assertive Discipline
Includes:

Stating expectations clearly, firmly, straightforward.

Simple, organized, structured plan.

Use of clear, firm, calm tone of voice, and eye contact.

Use students names and repitition.

Use of non-verbal clues that support statements.

Influencing behaviour without threats.

Application in the
Classroom

Impliment 4 or 5 simply stated rules in the class.

Determine and post rules. List negative and positive
consequences.
Have students write/copy rules and consequences and
have parents sign them. Pass these on to
administration.
Praise appropriate behaviour and use negative
consequences for misbehaviour.
Responses need to be appropriate and do not ignore
inappropriate behaviour.
Follow through with consequences, track behaviour.

Teachers should:

decide what is best for students and expect compliance.

encourage cooperation in the classroom.
be confident when responding to behaviour.
build a bond with students based on trust, positive
student relationships.
listen carefully to students.
respect and treat all students fairly ( relate to special
education students since a teacher must have individual
expectations for special needs).
welcome a place without yelling.
positively reinforce struggling students.

Positive and Negative

Consequences

Positive
Catch students being
good.
Personal attention
Positive notes
Special Rewards
Material Rewards
Home Rewards
Group Rewards

Negative
Loss of reward time.
Loss of recess or a
detention.
If you have positive
rewards students feel
more welcome in the
classroom. This
increases a bond with
the teacher and you are
more likely to comply
with expectations.

Canter & Canter describe three types of

teachers:

Hostile

See students as adversaries.

Use punishment approach.

Use shouting/threats, address students in an abusive

way.

Use sarcasm, derogatory remarks.

overbearing, often lose their temper.

Assertive:

Clear, confident.

Model and make expectations known to students, parents, or

administration.

Calmly insist students follow rules.

Use actions to follow words, establish limits for their students

and enforce them.

Students receive positive benefits with compliance.

Sometimes ignore unacceptable behaviour.

Non Assertive ( Passive)

fail to be clear, reasonable, wishy washy, leave students

confused.

feel it is wrong to place demands on students.

cannot establish standards of behaviour.

fail to back up words with actions.

Summary:
Charles in Building Classroom Discipline (pg.73)
suggest the Canters provided a number of examples
of how the plan can be put into effect at different
grade levels. The plan is as follows:
1) Explain why rules are needed.
2) Teach the specific rules.
3) Check for understanding.
4) Explain how you will reward students who follow the
rules.
5) Explain why there are corrective actions for breaking
the rules.
6) Teach the corrective actions and how they are applied.

Conclusion:

The basic principle teachings are:

I will not tolerate any students stopping me from
teaching.
I will not tolerate any students to prevent
another student from learning.
I will not tolerate any student engaging in any
behaviour that is not in the students best
interest and the best interest of others.
I will immediately reinforce and recognize
appropriate behaviour.

The Discussant

Which Type of teacher are you?

Canter describes 3 different types of teachers:

Hostile, Assertive or Non-Assertive (Passive)

Examples:
I dont believe it. You finally handed in an assignment that doesnt look like
chicken scratchings.
Typically active students are working quietly on their projects while the
teacher sits at his desk and talks with the classroom aide.
Tish, I liked the way you raised your hand before speaking.
Conchita, please start putting your project away. Its been five minutes since
I asked you to clean up

Using the Assertive Style

Examples:

Ben rips up his work sheet and throws it on the floor,

mumbling, Im not doing this crap.
Diana leaves her seat to tug on your arm and ask for
assistance. You tell her to sit down and raise her hand. She
starts to cry and accuses you of never helping her.

Broken Record
Technique
Cantors speak of repetition. You must show concern for the student

by giving a supportive message and then giving your

direction/command.
Eg.
Mike is not wearing his goggles during an activity that requires
chipping pieces of a rock with a hammer and chisel.
Teacher: Mike, put those goggles on.
Mike: Its OK, Ive done this before.
Teacher:

Mike: Aw, but they mess up your hair and leave red lines on
your face.
Teacher:

Setting up for an Assertive

Classroom
We have rules because

Our Classroom Rules

1) Listen to all adults
2) Be respectful to people and property
3) Hands and feet to yourself at all times
4) Raise your hand when you want to ask a question.

Rewards and
Consequences
If you follow the rules, then
(Some examples of rewards)
Why do you think there are consequences
If you choose not to follow a rule, then
(Some examples of consequences)

The Critical
Friend

Potential
Pitfalls

Personality change for teachers?

Implementation
The students
Is this Discipline in a Can?
The use of punishment

Personality Change for Teachers?

- What if the teacher is not assertive to begin
with?
- teaching is an intensely personal
interaction.
- question becomes How much training
does it take for some one to change their
teaching style.
- supports need to be in place and training
needs to be thorough.

Implementati
on

- Will this be school wide or left for individual

classrooms?
- Very complex implementation if it is to be school
wide.
- Implementation is a political process
(Martin 1994)
- each teacher will bring their own agenda
- Who decided that the program was needed?
- The Canters advocate for teacher training, but the
reality is that time for teacher training is limited.
- The Robinton example.

The Students
What about the students?
- The importance of the introduction and ownership of the
plan
- Will they roll over and comply?
- Will they calculate the risks (reward and punishment) and
try to get away with what they can?
- Will they simply revolt?
- Will they learn self regulation?
Disconnect between researchers and reality.
- most research on punishment is done in controlled lab
setting.
- researchers rarely consider the chaotic variability of
school.

Discipline in a
Can

- Curwin and Mendler warns educators to use caution when

deciding to prescribe to a packaged discipline plan.
- caution of one size fits all types of programs.
- they can limit teacher discretion, actually foster less self
discipline, lead to resentment, and in sometimes actually
leads to increases in bad behaviour.
- They emphasize that Effective discipline comes from the
heart and soul of the teacher. It come from the belief that
teaching students to take responsibility for their behaviour
is as much the job of the teacher as teaching history or
math.

Discipline in a Can
-These authors recommend several questions that should be asked before
implementing any discipline program. They include:
1. Is it realistic that teachers will be able to reinforce the program
consistently?
2. What do students learn as a result of the enforcement?
3. Do students have a say in what happens to them?
4. Do teachers have discretion in implementing the consequences?
5. Is adequate time given for professional development of teachers and
administrators?
6. Does the plan account for the special relationship between teaching and
discipline style (see personality change for teachers) or does it solely
focus on student behaviour?
7. Is the dignity of the student preserved?
8. Is the program consistent with the stated school goals?
9. What happens to students who break the rules? Punishment or
consequences?

The Pitfalls of
Punishment

Punishment

Punishment is highly effective in changing behaviour in a

laboratory setting. School?
To be effective, it must be delivered every time the behaviour
occurs without delay. To truly work, it must be severe enough
that the perpetrator will not want to challenge it. For the
Cantors, punishment is often the removal of positive
reinforcement. Is this as effective?
No room for discretion What does no talking really mean?
Escalation. Increasing intensity of punishment gradually actually
makes it less likely that the behaviour will be suppressed. This
is one of Canters main tennants (name on board, etc.)

Research shows that punishment usually is ineffective and

actually leads to resentment, lack of self regulation,
withdrawl, negative attitudes towards school, AND typically,
AN INCREASE IN NEGATIVE BEHAVIOUR.

What Does the

Research Say?
- Surprisingly little.
- Twelve years after its introduction, Render, Padilla, and
Krank did a literature review for Asssertive Discipline
and found no evidence that Assertive Discipline is an
effective approach deserving school wide or district
wide adoption.
- In 2007, Edwards in his book Classroom Discipline and
Management also notes the lack of systematic research
into to the effectiveness of Assertive Discipline.

REFERENCES
Canter, L. (1988).Assertive discipline and the search for the perfect classroom. Young
Children . 43(2),24
Canter, L. (1988). Let the Educator Beware: A Response to Curwin an Mendler. Educational Leadership, 46(2), 71. Retrieved
from EBSCO host.
Charles, C. ( 2011). Building Classroom Discipline. Pearson.
Curwin R. L. & Mendler, A. N. (1988). Packaged Discipline Programs: Let the Buyer Beware. Educational Leadership,
46(2), 68. Retrieved from ECSCO host.
Curwin R. L. & Mendler, A. N. (1989) We repeat, let the buyer beware: A response to Canter.
Educational Leadership, 46,(6),83.
Edwards, C.H. (2008) Classroom Discipline and Management 5th ed. , John Wiley and Sons
Inc.
Gay, J. E. (1982). ASSERTIVE DISCIPLINE: A PANACEA FOR THE ADMINISTRATORS
DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS?. Education, 103(2), 173. Retrieved from EBSCO host.
Kourilsky, M. & Quaranta, L. (1987) Effective Teaching. Principles and Practise. Scott,
Foresman and Company.
Martin, S. C. (1994). A preliminary evaluation of the adoption and implementation of assertive
discipline at Robinton.. School Organization, 14(3), 321. Retrieved from EBSCO host.
Niagra, A., DAurelio, MacDonald, A., & Degabriele K. Lee & Marlene Canter Assertive
Discipline; Retreived January 18, 2011
Render, G. F., Padila, J. M., & Krank, H. (1989). What Research Really Shows About Assertive
Discipline. Educational Leadership, 46(6), 72. Retrieved from EBSCO host.
http:www.brains.org/classroom_management.htm
http:www.nipissingu.ca/faculty/e/kem/EDUC4203