As I researched peer reviewed articles for my Master's capstone paper, I found numerous strategies for behavior management. The one strategy that I am now starting to incorporate in my classroom is the Raise Responsibility System.< name="Title" content=""> < name="Keywords" content=""> < equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
"After 24 years as a counselor, supervisor, and administrator, I decided that I wanted to spend my final years in education doing what I enjoyed most—classroom teaching. I took a position teaching middle school social studies, computers, and math. Since I had previously taught at this level (as well as at the elementary and high school levels), I felt familiar with the situation. What I did not realize was that the situation had changed. What struck me immediately was the amount of inappropriate student behavior. Graffiti, rudeness, disrespect, and a lack of interest in learning were prevalent. Although I was aware that society had changed, I had forgotten just how clearly students reflect the society in which they grow” (Marshall, 2004, p. 498).
This is how Dr. Marvin Marshall begins one of his many his articles about how he designed an effective behavior management strategy for teachers called the Raise Responsibility System. He was inspired by several men in history who helped him develop this system, which would promote responsible behavior. These men were Stephen Covey, Abraham Maslow, Jean Piaget, Douglas McGregor, William Glasser, and W. Edwards Deming.
This system recommends three principles to practice: being positive, providing choices, and asking questions to encourage reflection. Next, he explains the three phases of the system, which are 1) teaching a hierarchy of social development, 2) asking students to do some reflection, and 3) eliciting changes in behavior (Marshall, 2004, p. 504). This hierarchy of social development has four levels. The first level at the bottom is called Anarchy, which is unacceptable behavior in the classroom. In this level, students are unsafe, noisy, or out of control. The second level is called Bossing/Bullying and it is also unacceptable. This level shows students basically being bossy and breaking classroom standards. The third level is called Cooperation/Conformity and it is a very acceptable level for students to strive for. Its characteristics are cooperation, good listening, performs expectations, and the motivation is external. The highest level one can achieve in the hierarchy is called Democracy. A student at this level develops self-discipline, shows kindness to others, develops self-reliance, and has internal motivation (p. 515). The values that are imbedded into this strategy are extensive. The teaching of values is important and this system accomplishes that goal.
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