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COURSE TITLE:

STUDENT, CLASSROOM & WHOLE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

NO. OF CREDITS:

5 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = 3.33 credits]

WA CLOCK HRS:  
OREGON PDUs:  
PENNSYLVANIA ACT 48:  		 50
50
50

INSTRUCTOR:

Michael Sedler
mike@communicationplus.net

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Noted psychologist Abraham Maslow shares that people have specific needs in their lives. Areas of safety and belonging are critical components to a healthy person. Unfortunately, put-downs, gossip,  and  criticism abound throughout our schools, leaving many students feeling isolated, picked-on and unsafe. This course will examine strategies that will help you create a milieu of success and positive interactions in your school. Strategies to develop classroom discipline plans, classroom rules, building-wide discipline plans, and ideas for helping students avoid criticism, gossip and rumors will be presented. A major emphasis will be on how gossip, rumors and negative comments impact students and adults.

This course is appropriate for all educators P-12.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:

     1.  Identified motivation for put-downs and negative comments.
     2.  Re-framed and re-directed gossip among students and staff.
     3.  Developed a safe classroom environment that will encourage student growth.
     4.  Utilized effective conflict resolution strategies with students.
     5.  Taught specific conflict mediation strategies to students and help them implement them with peers.
     6.  Identified the sources of conflict and ways to help students identify these same sources.
     7.  Taught effective responses to criticism, put-downs and negative talk.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.

HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participants their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.

 

UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION

REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.

  1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments 30%
  2. Completion of Learning Application assignments 40%
  3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment 30%

 

CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.

AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering, determine with your district personnel, department head, or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.

ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION

REQUIRED TEXT

Each student will choose their own textbook for this course which allows for personal areas of focus within the course information.  At the end of the course manual is a bibliography of potential books.  However, feel free to pick one not on the the list that is compatible with this course.  

None. All reading is online.

MATERIALS FEE

A course manual may be downloaded, from the instructor’s website at http://www.michaelsedler.com There is no charge of the manual. Click on classes, from there scroll down the page and click on the orange lettering ‘Manual’ next to the class “Student, Classroom...”. It will download as a PDF. While there is no fee for the manual, you may have to pay to order a book from the bibliography or one of your own choosing. Or, you may borrow one from a friend or check one out at the public library for free.

ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION

Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. 
Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

Assignment #1: Read the Manual.

Read the entire manual and send a one page summary of what you hope to learn in this class. Everyone taking the class, including in groups, must complete this assignment. Download the current manual from my website.

Assignment #2: Read Your Chosen Book.

Read a book from the bibliography or one of student's choice. If taking this course in a group, each person should read a book.  Only one person needs to write a summary. 

Critique the book based on personal experiences.  Write a 2-3 page paper.

Assignment #3: Case Study.

Read the enclosed case studies found on page 18 in manual, choose one, and answer the questions at end of the page. Write a one page summary.

Assignment #4: Do Activities within manual

A.   Choose 2 of the 3 activities on page 27 and have your class, group of students, or other children do the activities.  Write a 2 page summary. 
B.   Write out a total school discipline (see page 45).  Write a 1-2 page plan.

Assignment #5: Classroom Observation.

Observe another classroom noting specific strategies used by the teacher to minimize negative
conversations among students. List potential intervention strategies to help minimize or neutralize
these types of comments in your learning environment.  Write a 1-2 page paper.

Assignment #6: Summary of Questionnaire’s.

Interview a student regarding the conflict resolution questionnaire (page 19 in manual) or have an entire class fill out the questionnaire. After having a student or classroom fill out the conflict resolution questionnaire, write a 1-2 page summary of this assignment noting impressions and observations.

Assignment #7: Total School Discipline

  After reading page 45 (Foundations For Developing Total School Discipline), evaluate your school and share the effectiveness of the current program.   Write a 1-2 page paper with your thoughts and ideas. 

Assignment #8: Observe Non-Classroom Settings.

Observe at least two non-classroom settings (cafeteria, hallway, bus area, outside in the community, etc.).  Summarize your observations in a 1-2 page paper.

ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT

B. LEARNING APPLICATION

In this section, you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you do not have a classroom available to you, please contact the instructor for course modifications. Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. ​Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum. 

 

Assignment #9: Safety Net.

Develop a classroom-wide "safety net" for a classroom (see sample in manual, pgs. 28-30). Included should be classroom rules, rewards, consequences, and parental contacts. Write a 2 page summary. 

Assignment #10: Lesson Development.

You must choose either “A” or “B”  (Required for 400 and 500 Level) 

Assignment #A:

Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course.
Implement your lesson with students in your classroom.
Write a 2 page commentary on what worked well and what could be improved.
Include any student feedback on your lesson.


OR


Assignment #B: 

Use this option if you do not have a classroom available.

Develop a lesson to reflect what you’ve learned in this course. (Do not implement it.)
Write a 2 page summary concerning any noteworthy success you’ve had as a teacher with one or more students.

Assignment #11: (500 Level only)

For 500 level participants, in addition to the 400 level assignments, complete one (1) of the following assignment options:

Option A)  Mentor another individual in the concepts of this class. Have them share two or three key concepts that they would like to implement within their work or social setting.  Develop a plan for the implementation of these ideas.  (1-2 pages).

OR

Option B)  Create a PowerPoint presentation for your staff based on this course and focused on perspectives or strategies you feel would be beneficial for your school. Minimum of 15 slides.  Save this as a pdf.

                                                                                OR

Option C)  Another assignment of your own design, with instructor prior approval.

C. INTEGRATION PAPER

Assignment #12: (Required for 400 and 500 level)

SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)

Write a 400-500 word Integration Paper answering these 5 questions:

  1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
  2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
  3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
  4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
  5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?

INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:

Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:

Mike Sedler, M.S.W., D. Min., brings over 40 year of educational experience as a special education director, social worker, behavior specialist and teacher to each of his classes.   He provides consultation and seminars throughout the United States and Canada for schools, agencies and businesses. He has a graduate degree in Social Work, a Doctoral degree in Ministry, a Counseling license, as well as his teaching certification. Mike has worked with children of all ages, specifically with children exhibiting behavioral challenges, mental health concerns, and characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  In addition, he taught general education classes in the elementary school and middle school arenas.   All of Mikeʼs classes are practical and “field tested” in schools and classrooms. Educators have found success in implementing Mikeʼs clear and concise approaches. All of his course material may be immediately implemented into a school or a home.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

STUDENT, CLASSROOM & WHOLE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

You may choose a book from this list or one of your own choosing that is compatible to this course.  Please let the instructor know if you choose a book that is not on this list.

Barron, Laurie, and Kinney, Patti.  We Belong, 50 Strategies to Create Community and Revolutionize Classroom Management, ASCD, 2021,  www.acsd.org  (Grades P-12).

 Childs, Camille and Jones, Bryan.  Feelings and Dealings.  Ofunlo Inc (dba- game on family),   2019.   This social emotional storybook supports emotional health and connections.  (P-3).  www.gameonfamily.com 

Cline, Foster and Fay, Jim.  Parenting With Love And Logic.. Love and Logic Institute. 2020. New approaches to working with children (grades K – 12).  www.loveandlogic.com 

 Ervin, Scott.  The Classroom Behavior Manual.  ASCD Publishing, 2022.    How to respond to difficult behaviors.  (grades P-12).  www.ascd.org

 Gruenert, Steve and Whitaker, Todd.  School Culture Recharged. ASCD, 2017.  A follow up book to School Culture Rewired as it looks to reinvigorate school staff and culture. (P- 12.)  www.ascd.org

 Hall, Maria.  Setting Boundaries For Teenagers.  Independent, 2020.  Simple steps to helping teens be responsible.  (Grades 7-12).  Amazon Books.  www.amazon.com 

 Hillman, deon and Busenius, Ivan.  Productivity: What They Should Have Taught You In School About Goal Setting.  Independently Published, 2020.  A book that explores procrastination, habits, and discipline.  (grades P-12).  www.amazon.com. 

 Mendler, Allen.  Motivating Students Who Don’t Care.  Solution Tree Press, 2021.  Ideas to help students learn to self-regulate, focus and achieve.  (grades P-12).  www.solutiontree.com

Sprick, Randy.  Discipline in the Secondary Classroom.  Jossey-Bass.  2021.  Insightful book on discipline with teens.  (grades 6-12).  www.wiley.com

Walter, Daniel.  The Power of Discipline.  Independently Published, 2020.    Discusses strategies to better your life.    (grades P-12). www.amazon.com.

STUDENT, CLASSROOM & WHOLE SCHOOL DISCIPLINE REV 5/15/24