POWER STR U GG L ES

PT. 1
Successful Techniques for Educators

ROCKPORT

ELEMENTARY

SE TTING AND US ING CL E AR EXP E CTATIO N S

DECIDE WHAT YOU EXPECT AS A TEACHER
(MUST BE WILLING TO MODEL THE
BEHAVIOR ALSO.)

SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS AHEAD OF

TIME. (NO GOTCHAS. DONT MAKE IT UP.
LOTS OF POWER STRUGGLES START HERE.

SEE THE SKILL OF SELF INTERVENTION AS

THE ULTIMATE GOAL.

B UT WH AT AB O U T TH E S E KI D S

I THINK WERE IN A POWER STRUGGLE!

E VE R Y B E HAV I O R HA S A M OT I VATO R
behavior is just communication

ATTENTION

GETS TOO LITTLE OR

TOO MUCH
ATTENTION. THEY ACT
OUT TO GET PEOPLE
TO NOTICE THEM.

STUDENTS WHO ARE

SEEKING POWER OR
CONTROL NEED TO LEARN
AND PRACTICE BETTER
WAYS OF INFLUENCING THE
EVENTS AND PEOPLE
AROUND THEM BY ACTING
OUT

BELONGING

IF THEY ARE NOT

SEEING A MEASURE OF
SUCCESS, THEY MASK
THEIR INADEQUACY BY
ACTING OUT OR ACTING
LIKE THEY DONT CARE.

THEIR BELONGING
TO THE GROUP IS
TIED TO DISRUPTING
THE CLASS
POWER

COMPETENCE

CUTTING THE MUSTARD

P R E V E N T I O N ST R AT EG I E S
Power struggles virtually always involve students with unfulfilled basic needs

P R E V E N T I O N ST R AT EG I E S
In Class Relationship Building
GREET STUDENTS
GREET STUDENTS UPON ARRIVAL. SAY HELLO, AND TRY TO MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH
EACH STUDENT EVERY DAY, BY NAME OR NICKNAME AS THEY ENTER THE CLASSROOM.
THIS SHOULD BE EASIER THIS YEAR AS ALL STUDENTS WILL START THE DAY HEADING TO
YOUR CLASS AT 7:55. A GREAT WAY TO BUILD THE 5:1 POSITIVE TO NEGATIVE RATIO AS
WELL.

START WITH A CLEAN SLATE

WHATEVER HAPPENED THE DAY BEFORE IS IRRELEVANT. SOME

STUDENTS MAY NEED A CLEAN SLATE EVERY HOUR AND TO BUILD ON
THAT TO GET THEM TO A FULL DAY. REMEMBER BEHAVIOR IS
SOMETHING THAT IS LEARNED AND TAUGHT.
USE 2X10 METHOD

THIS IS A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDER. CHOOSE A STUDENT WHO YOU

SENSE MIGHT BE DIFFICULT AND FIND 2 UNINTERRUPTED MINUTES EACH
DAY FOR 10 STRAIGHT DAYS TO BUILD A DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP.

P R E V E N T I O N ST R AT EG I E S
Additional Techniques

OUT OF SCHOOL RELATIONSHIP

BUILDING

OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO

BE IN CHARGE

WORK TO GET PARENTS ON REMIND

OR OTHER FORMS OF CONSISTENT
COMMUNICATION AND TELL THEM
WHAT IS WORKING AT SCHOOL.

ORGANIZE A ONE WEEK POSITIVE

CAMPAIGN - LOOK FOR THE POSITIVE SPIN
ON A STUDENTS BEHAVIORDEFIANT
BECOMES OPINIONATED.

SEND NOTES HOME

LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO
PARTNER WITH PARENTS IN BUILDING
APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR AT SCHOOL
AND HOME.

ASK THEM TO HELP MAKE SOME OF THE

RULES - PEOPLE WHO LACK POWER AND
INFLUENCE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BREAK
RULES
TELL LESS, AND ASK MORE - RESPOND TO
CHALLENGES WITH A QUESTION. (THATS NOT
FAIR! REALLY? DO YOU HAVE A WAY I CAN
MAKE IT BETTER?

COMPETENCE BUILDING
RESPECT AND TEACH TO DIFFERENT
LEARNING STYLES.
USE AND INDEX CARD FOR NOTE
CRAMMING
USE CREATIVE TESTS, QUIZZES, AND
HOMEWORK. (OMAHA MATH TEACHER)

Q U E ST I O N S FO R R EF L ECTI O N
Help Prevent Power Struggles

1.

2.

WHEN YOU VISIT A FRIENDS HOME, WHAT ARE

SOME THINGS HE OR SHE DOES THAT HELP YOU
FEEL WELCOME? CAN YOU APPLY THESE IN YOUR
CLASSROOM?

IDENTIFY A PRACTICE THAT YOU CAN DO

IN THE CLASSROOM WITHOUT CHANGING
YOUR BASIC STYLE OF TEACHING TO
PROMOTE A SENSE OF CONNECTION WITH
YOUR STUDENTS.

3.

4.

WHAT RESPONSIBILITIES CAN YOUR DO YOU

ASSIGN TO YOUR STUDENTS TO GIVE THEM A
SENSE OF IMPORTANCE IN THE CLASSROOM?

WHAT VALUES DO YOU BELIEVE

ARE NECESSARY FOR GOOD
LEARNING AND TEACHING TO
OCCUR. (RESPECT, LISTENING, ETC)

C H A LL E N GE
Self-Evaluate or Have a Peer Evaluate

THE NEXT POWER STRUGGLES

PD WILL BE ON SEPTEMBER 10TH
YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO EITHER
SELF EVALUATE YOUR
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT OR
HAVE YOUR GRADE LEVEL
PARTNER SELF EVALUATE.
THE SECOND CHOICE INVOLVES
ASKING ME TO COME IN AND
TAKE YOUR TEAM MEMBERS
CLASS AND THEY WOULD COME
IN AND FILL OUT THE
ASSESSMENT.