Discipline That Disciples

The goal of discipline in our Christian classrooms must be to help parents train children to be Christ-like. We want kids to internalize the biblical principles we teach and to grow in their personal relationships with God. Discipline is an ongoing process in which parent and teacher control gradually gives way to Christian selfcontrol, that is God-control.

Our program includes:

• Emphasis on positive recognition of appropriate behavior
• Underlying attitude of Christ-like love for each other.

We use the S.M.I.L.E. approach to classroom discipline:

• Speak positively! We strive that our words should always be positive.
• Minimize Conflict! We maintain warm and loving environments. We trust in God’s Word and we seek His help through prayer with and for the children.
• Identify and acknowledge each child’s needs.
• Laughter. Laughter is a powerful tool when dealing with children. We keep it handy, generous and ready at all times.
• Encouragement. We encourage, encourage, encourage…we look for every opportunity for learning and becoming more like Christ.

Why Do Children Misbehave, Anyway?

Kids usually misbehave for a reason. Here are some reasons to consider:

• Ignorance of the rules. Never assume that kids know what’s expected of them. Rules need to be spelled out regularly in class, and the consequences need to be stated clearly and applied consistently. Begin each class with a discussion of your expectations and review them periodically (more often with younger children) especially when you see your classstarting to “forget” them.
• Conflicting Rules. Our kids come from a variety of home situations. Each family undoubtedly has a different set of expectations, as does each teacher.
• Frustration. When children are frustrated, they misbehave. The typical response to a sense of failure or frustration is aggression. Frustration can come from the teacher’s actions, another student’s behavior, or the difficulty of a project.
• Boredom. Think of boredom as the opposite end of the spectrum from frustration. Whereas difficult activities can frustrate children, a lack of meaningful activities will bore them. Irrelevance breeds boredom, and boredom quickly breeds disruptive behavior.
• Displaced Anger. When everything else seems in order in your classroom but a child acts out or becomes overly emotional, you may be dealing with displaced aggression