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Rudolf Dreikurs

By Dan Macdonald

and Hannah Botsford

BACKGROUND Founder and the medical director of the Community Child

Guidance Center of Chicago

Consultant in public schools

Influenced by social psychologist Alfred Adler

All Humans want to belong and be accepted by others.

All behavior, including misbehavior is orderly, purposeful and, directed toward achieving social approval

Theory Dreikurs suggested that a behavior is a result of a

individual’s needs.

He also believed that our behavior and our choices are the result of our own biased interpretations of the world in front of us.

Human beings all have a need to belong and be accepted. When a student is unsuccessful in obtaining acceptance, a

pattern of misbehavior begins.

All misbehavior is the result of a child’s mistaken assumption about how to find a place and gain status.

Four Goal Types That Motivate Misbehavior

Attention getting

Power and control

Revenge

Helplessness or inadequacy

“Attention Getting” Most common goal for most children Annoying in class Distract their teachers

Show off Lazy Disruptive Ask irrelevant questions

Only function appropriately through teacher approval When asked to stop, will comply but will start again

later

Giving Attention Increases Misbehavior

Instead… Ignore the behavior, give “the eye” Legitimizing the proper behavior: using another

student with proper behavior, have the whole class join in the behavior

Doing the unexpected: turning out the lights, changing the voice, playing a musical sound

Distracting the student: ask a direct question Noticing appropriate behavior: thank the students,

write well-behaved students’ names on the board

“Power and Control”

When children fail to gain all the attention they seek, they often engage in a power struggle with parents and teachers.

Teachers never win Children win because society expects adults to behave

in a responsible, moral way. However, children can cry, argue, contradict, lie, be stubborn, and disobedient.

When asked to stop, they become defiant, and increase negative behavior and challenge the adult.

Avoid putting pressure on children to make them behave appropriately

“Revenge”

Student feels unable to gain attention or power. Believes that others have deliberately tried to hurt them

and attempts to get even. Convinced that nobody likes them “If I’m hurting, then I have the right to hurt others.”

physically or psychologically. Hits or kicks others Destroys property.

Refuse the fight Change the subject Use time out Establish consequences

Teachers should…

“Helplessness or Inadequacy”

Child has given up on the possibility of being a member of the group

This child wishes not to be seen Wants to be left alone Rejects social contact, refuses to try most

educational demands

To Help…

Provide tutoring Avoid criticism Stress that making mistakes is okay Build confidence Acknowledging effort

How does a teacher understand the goal of the misbehaving child?

If the teacher feels annoyed, then the child’s goal is attention getting.

If the teacher feels beaten or intimidated, then the child’s goal is power.

If the teacher feels hurt, then the child’s goal is revenge.

If the teacher feels incapable, then the child’s goal is helplessness.

PUNISHMENT Dreikurs does not believe in the use of

punishment, reinforcement or praise.

Natural and logical consequences

Encouragement

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Praise vs. EncouragementEncouragement

Corresponds to children’s goals.

Focuses on effort rather than achievement

Positive feedback Motivates them to

continue trying Acknowledgement of effort Self Message between equals Stimulates cooperation Stimulates helpfulness

Praise Focuses on the level of

achievement. Given for a completed

achievement Tells students they have

satisfied the demands of others

Patronizing Creates a superior

position. Stimulates competition Stimulates selfishness

Tips for Teachers  Always speak in positive terms, never be negative  Be democratic rather than autocratic or permissive  Encourage students to strive for improvement, not perfection  Emphasize student strengths while minimizing weaknesses.  Help students learn from mistakes, which are valuable in learning Encourage independence and the assumption of responsibility  Show faith in students, offer them help in overcoming the obstacles.  Encourage students to help each other  Be optimistic and enthusiastic a positive outlook is contagious.  Use encouraging remarks such as, “you have improved”, can I help

you?”

3 TYPES OF TEACHERS

Autocratic

Permissive

Democratic

3 TYPES OF TEACHERS

Autocratic

Permissive

Democratic

Autocratic

Permissive

Democratic

PROS

Students and teachers can learn how to communicate constructively.

Based largely on respect and learning about compromise and consequences

Students learn to be independent They learn how to take responsibility for

themselves and their actions

CONS Inexperienced teachers may have trouble

identifying the different students and their motives

In a large classroom of 20 or more students, teachers cannot always have the time to determine the objectives of each student

Puts all the blame on the students. Some situations can be misleading and not have

a clear natural or logical consequence.

Questions or Comments?