Power Struggles: Successful Techniques for Educators

by Allen N. Mendler, Brian D. Mendler

Overview

A typical classroom includes students of considerable behavioral diversity, and maintaining classroom focus is often dependent upon successfully managing disruptive moments. In Power Struggles: Successful Techniques for Educators (Second Edition), authors Allen N. Mendler and Brian D. Mendler provide many different strategies to deal with all levels of difficult and resistant students. Drawing from years of experience, they help teachers understand the root causes of misbehavior and offer practical, step-by-step instructions on how to defuse situations in a way that protects the dignity of all involved and keeps the lesson on track.

(hfour)Chapters(/hfour)

Introduction to the Second Edition

When Kids Push Our Buttons

Prevention Strategies

Intervention Strategies

Defusing Strategies

Challenge Strategies

Power Struggle Scenarios

(hfour)Benefits(/hfour)

This second edition includes:

• Activities throughout to provide guidance
• Easy-to-learn methods of effective intervention
• Real-world stories of these strategies in action

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935543206
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	11/01/2011
Edition description:	2nd Edition
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	1,004,752
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.30(d)

Table of Contents

About the authors ix

Introduction to the second edition 1

When kids push over buttons 3

Preparing for Power Struggles 5

Understanding Why and How Students Misbehave 7

Preparing Students for How You Will Handle Misbehavior 11

Prevention Strategies 15

in-Class Relationship Building 15

Outside-of-School Relationship Building 21

Opportunities for Students to Be in Charge 24

Competence Building 29

Are You Causing or Contributing to Discipline Problems? 32

Questions for Reflection to Help Prevent Power Struggles 34

Intervention strategies 37

Stay Connected to Kids Without Taking What They Do and Say Personally 38

Understand the Hostility Cycle 39

Substitute Less Powerful Words and Images for Those You Find Disturbing 42

Reframe the Situation 42

Defusing Strategies 47

Goals of Defusing 47

Basic Defusing Skills 50

A Defusing Activity 55

Challenging Strategies 59

The Private Three-Step Approach 61

Student Removal and Fallow-Up 62

Student Suspensions 63

The Rest of the Class 65

Power Struggle Scenarios 69

Two Stories 70

Final Thoughts 72

References and resources 75

Index 79

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Power Struggles effectively illustrates the possibility as well as the importance of maintaining dignity and respect—for both student and teacher—during difficult situations.”

—Philip Ruetz, Special Education Teacher, Evergreen Elementary School, Casa Grande, Arizona

“The concept of mutual respect between students and teachers is one that is often forgotten, if not downright ignored. . . . Allen and Brian Mendler give some great ways to remind ourselves of this and strategies for hopefully overcoming these issues.”

—Rory Mack, Reading Teacher, East High School, Laramie, Wyoming