Theoretical Framework
When you hear the name Spencer Kagan, you probably think instantly about cooperative learning and some of the famous Kagan Structures: Think-Pair-Share, Pairs Compare, RallyRobin, Numbered Heads Together, etc. These structures are the results of years of research conducted by Dr. Kagan, observing and manipulating the "interaction patterns" of children in different situations.
In fact, Kagan has been studying cooperation since 1967 and claims that—to a great extent—human behavior is influenced directly by situation. Therefore, teachers have the power to manipulate classroom “situations” in order to prevent misbehavior. Kagan’s cooperative learning structures work to control the way students interact with others. Kagan claims that the way a traditional classroom is structured pits students against each other: specifically, when one student answers a question incorrectly, other students are secretly happy because that means they have a chance for recognition. Kagan's cooperative structures engage students, foster positive interdependence in the classroom, and help prevent disruptive behavior.
Spencer Kagan categorized misbehavior into 4 sections, the ABCD of disruptive behavior:
1. Aggression
2. Breaking rules
3. Confrontation (power struggles)
4. Disengagement
To deal with disruptive behavior, Kagan co-authored a management strategy called Win-Win Discipline with Patricia Kyle and Sally Scott. The theoretical concept behind Win-Win Discipline is that student misbehavior is the result of their unmet needs. Win-Win Discipline is specifically designed to help meet students' needs or help them deal with unmet needs—thereby decreasing student misbehavior—so that we all "win." The overarching goal of Win-Win Discipline is for students to develop “lifelong responsible behavior.” In order to do this (and in order for discipline to be most effective), teachers and students must work collaboratively to establish what is and is not acceptable behavior in the classroom and continue working together to achieve it.
There are "5 P's" to Win-Win Discipline:
1. Pillars
2. Procedures
3. Positions
Positions refer to students’ physical and emotional states as they exist at any point in time. A student's position contributes to his/her misbehavior. These positions are neither right nor wrong, neither bad nor good; simply, students’ positions reflect their unmet needs. For example, if a student in a classroom feels that he/she is not being recognized with positive attention, then he/she might seek to gain that attention in a negative manner by misbehaving (thereby gaining attention when the teacher disciplines him/her). Kagan names 7 positions:
4. Process
5. Programs
In fact, Kagan has been studying cooperation since 1967 and claims that—to a great extent—human behavior is influenced directly by situation. Therefore, teachers have the power to manipulate classroom “situations” in order to prevent misbehavior. Kagan’s cooperative learning structures work to control the way students interact with others. Kagan claims that the way a traditional classroom is structured pits students against each other: specifically, when one student answers a question incorrectly, other students are secretly happy because that means they have a chance for recognition. Kagan's cooperative structures engage students, foster positive interdependence in the classroom, and help prevent disruptive behavior.
Spencer Kagan categorized misbehavior into 4 sections, the ABCD of disruptive behavior:
1. Aggression
2. Breaking rules
3. Confrontation (power struggles)
4. Disengagement
To deal with disruptive behavior, Kagan co-authored a management strategy called Win-Win Discipline with Patricia Kyle and Sally Scott. The theoretical concept behind Win-Win Discipline is that student misbehavior is the result of their unmet needs. Win-Win Discipline is specifically designed to help meet students' needs or help them deal with unmet needs—thereby decreasing student misbehavior—so that we all "win." The overarching goal of Win-Win Discipline is for students to develop “lifelong responsible behavior.” In order to do this (and in order for discipline to be most effective), teachers and students must work collaboratively to establish what is and is not acceptable behavior in the classroom and continue working together to achieve it.
There are "5 P's" to Win-Win Discipline:
1. Pillars
- Same Side—We’re all working to “enhance the school experience for everyone.”
- Collaborative Solutions/Shared Responsibility—Students and teachers work together to solve discipline problems.
- Learned Responsibility—Students develop the desire to behave appropriately through practice.
2. Procedures
- An ounce of prevention...
- Consistent classroom procedures prevent discipline problems.
- Classroom rules apply, but they are actually “agreements” worked out cooperatively between teacher and students.
3. Positions
Positions refer to students’ physical and emotional states as they exist at any point in time. A student's position contributes to his/her misbehavior. These positions are neither right nor wrong, neither bad nor good; simply, students’ positions reflect their unmet needs. For example, if a student in a classroom feels that he/she is not being recognized with positive attention, then he/she might seek to gain that attention in a negative manner by misbehaving (thereby gaining attention when the teacher disciplines him/her). Kagan names 7 positions:
- Attention-seeking
- Avoiding failure
- Angry
- Control-seeking
- Energetic
- Bored
- Uninformed
4. Process
- Identify the behavior (using the ABCD model).
- Identify the student position.
- Immediately respond using a matched Win-Win Structure (Moment-of-Disruption Structure).
- Structure a Win-Win follow-up to ensure the 3 Pillars are in place (Follow-Up Structure/Long-Term Structure).
5. Programs
- ...Pounds of cure!
- Using good programs (such as an effective school-wide character development program, or implementing cooperative learning) decreases student misbehavior.
- "An engaged student is seldom a disruptive student."