Basics of Adler and Dreikurs’s social theory

Adler’s Basic premises (Dreikurs, 1972, pp. 8-9)

i) Man is a social being and his main desire (the basic motivation) is to belong.
ii) All behavior is purposive. One cannot understand behavior of another person unless one knows to which goal it is directed, and it is always directed towards finding one's place.
iii) Man is a decision-making organism.
iv) Man does not see reality as it is, but only as he perceives it, and his perception may be mistaken or biased.

Students’ goals that motivates misbehavior (Wolfgang, 2001, pp. 117-122) (Dreikurs, 1968, pp. 37-40)


i) Attention Getting
Students who are looking to belong and be recognized in the class. This is more often identified with disturbing behavior. Many times this occurs because students are not getting the recognition that they feel they deserve. If students cannot get attention for their positive behaviors (being on task, completing work, arriving on time, etc.), they will seek it with inappropriate behaviors (continually calling out, refusing to work, asking irrelevant questions, etc.)

Wolfgang (2001) explains, "A student who seeks attention should not receive it when he acts out. To give attention to the student for inappropriate behavior would be playing into the student's plan and would not help the student learn how to behave productively in the group" (p. 120).

Instead of giving attention to the attention seeker, look to these techniques:
• Minimize the Attention (Ignore the behavior, stand close by, give written notice)
• Legitimize the Behavior (Make a lesson out of the behavior, have the whole class join in the behavior)
• Do the Unexpected (Turn out the lights, play a musical sound, talk to the wall)
• Distract the Student (Ask a direct question, ask a favor, change the activity)
• Notice Appropriate Behavior (Thank students, write well-behaved students' names on the chalkboard)
• Move the Student (Change the student's seat, send the student to the thinking chair)


ii) Power and Control

Students who feel inferiority, so trying to be boss. Once the battle has been joined, the child has already won it. Behavior characteristics consist of the student repetitively doing a behavior to make him or her the center of attention. When asked to stop, he or she becomes defiant and escalates his or her negative behavior and challenges the adult. The teacher will feel annoyed at the student’s actions.

Wolfgang (2001) states, "A student who wishes to possess power should not be able to engage the teacher in a struggle. The teacher who falls for this 'bait' and gets pulled into the battle is merely continuing the excitement and challenge for the student. The student becomes increasingly bolder and pleased with trying to test the teacher. The teacher should attempt to remove the issue of power altogether and force the student to look for some other goal for behaving" (p. 121).


iii) Revenge

Students who think the only way to get recognition is to retaliate against adults for the way they feel they have been unfairly treated. This is formed after a long series of discouragement by failing trials for attention getting and power.
Behavior characteristics consist of a student who hurts others physically or psychologically. The teacher will feel hurt in relation to the student's actions.

Wolfgang (2001) explains, "In this case, the teacher is dealing with a more difficult task. A student who feels hurt and wishes to retaliate must be handled in a caring, affectionate manner. It is likely that this student appears unloving and uncaring, and is very hard to 'warm up to.' But this is exactly what the student needs--to feel cared for" (p. 121).

Look to these techniques with students who are seeking power and/or revenge:

• Make a Graceful Exit (Acknowledge student's power, remove the audience, table the matter)
• Use Time-Out
• Set the Consequence


iv) Helplessness and Inadequacy

Students who gave up on the possibility of being a member or of gaining any status in the group and no longer care what happens.
Behavior characteristics consist of the student wishing not to be seen, acting passive and lethargic, rejecting social control, refusing to comply, or trying most educational demands. The teacher will feel inadequate or incapable in relation to the student's actions.
Students may sit silently and engage in no interaction, passively refuse to participate, or request to be left alone in this instance.

Wolfgang (2001) states, "The student who shows inadequacy or helplessness is the most discouraged. She has lost all initiative of ever trying to belong to the group. The teacher must exercise great patience and attempt to show the child that she is capable" (p. 122).

To assist a helpless student look to these techniques:
• Modify Instructional Methods
• Use Concrete Learning Materials and Computer-Assisted Instruction
• Teach One Step at a Time
• Provide Tutoring
• Teach Positive Self-Talk
• Make Mistakes Okay
• Build Confidence
• Focus on Past Success
• Make Learning Tangible
• Recognize Achievement




Teachers’ Role

• The teacher must recognize students’ inner goal and them help the students change to the more appropriate goal of learning how to belong with others (Wolfgang, 2001, p. 115).

• Techniques of modifying child’s motivation (Dreikurs, 1972, p. 34, 41)

i) Observe the child’s behavior in detail.
ii) Be psychologically sensitive to your own reaction.
iii) Confront the child with the four goals. The purpose of confrontation is to disclose and confirm the mistaken goal to the child. Use the four "could it be…" questions: 1. Could it be that you want special attention? 2. Could it be that you want your own way and hope to be boss? 3. Could it be that you want to hurt others as much as you feel hurt by them? 4. Could it be that you want to be left alone?
iv) Note the recognition reflex.
v) Apply appropriate corrective procedures.
"In carrying out this procedure, the teacher moves through silently looking, questions, command, and back to questions" (Wolfgang, 2001, p. 118).

• What teachers need are…(Dreikurs, 1968, pp. 53-54) (Dreikurs, 1972, p. 43)
i) Disinvolvement
ii) Use of logical consequences rather than reward and punishment
iii) Encouragement – accepts the child as worthwhile and assists them in developing his capacity and potentialities. Unlike the reward, which is given to a child for something well done, encouragement is needed when the child fails.

Classroom Meetings

 Basic Idea
Students need to practice democratic principles in school in order to learn how to contribute later to society as a whole. The central process for carrying out this modeling of democracy is the use of the class meeting. Any problem child is a problem for the whole class, and the solution to the problem grows most naturally out of the helpful involvement of all class members (Dreikurs, 1972, p. 78).


Purpose
Open classroom meetings create a context for developing empathy and group membership. Group discussions provide the teacher with an opportunity to help the children understand themselves, and to change their concept of themselves and others which will eventually change their motivations from hostile to cooperative living (Dreikurs, 1972, p. 79).


 Eight building blocks for carrying out effective classroom meetings (Suggested by Jane Nelson (a Dreikurs-Adlerian writer))

i) Form a circle
ii) Practice compliments and appreciation
iii) Create an agenda
iv) Develop communication skills
v) Learn about separate realities
vi) Recognize the four purposes of behavior
vii) Practice role playing and brainstorming
viii) Focus on nonpunitive solutions