For Effective Behavior And Classroom Management Try These Techniques From The Dog Whisperer.

Of course, I'm not suggesting teachers should think of their students as dogs, but Cesar has developed an approach to training dogs based on ideas and principles that could equally well apply to students. The reasons he uses these techniques stem from the desire to establish and maintain behavior patterns based on understanding a dog's needs, consistency, respect and a sound psychological framework.

Teachers can carefully adapt these techniques for a classroom context, and use them as a basis for successful behavior and classroom management.The Dog Whisperer maintains that one of the most important and successful techniques to train or sometimes re-habilitate a dog is the three-pronged approach of:

• Exercise
• Discipline
• Affection

He stresses that dogs need to have these three needs fulfilled, in that order, if they are to become what he calls 'balanced ' dogs. Dogs need proper exercise every day, not just a quick scamper around the garden or yard, but a proper walk, on the leash, twice a day if possible. During these exercise sessions dog owners not only etablish a bond but show the dog how to walk and follow the owner's lead. Not exercising a dog adequately or sufficiently is, according to Cesar, the single most common mistake dog owners make.

Next in importance for a dog's well-being is appropriate discipline. Notice the word appropriate. It's not harsh, but it is assertive and consistent. It's based on showing the dog 'leadership', in other words setting rules, boundaries and limits. The dog needs to realize [and so do the owners] that failure to respect these limits results in a lack of balance that leads to confusion that ultimately dogs are not able to cope with, and may lead to dogs getting out of control, and all the potential consequences that brings.

It's only when a dog responds positively to daily exercise, and clear discipline procedures, that dog owners should show any affection to their dogs. Please don't confuse things here: not showing affection does not mean harsh treatment or ignoring the dog, but affection such as verbal praise, patting, treats and so on are dependent on the dog achieving and maintaining the balance it needs to be a happy and fulfilled dog.

The Dog Whisperer is highly regarded as an expert in his field and his work attracts a lot of serious attention because it seems to be very successful and many dog owners are drawn to his enlightened and humane approach.Cesar Millan claims that this pattern - exercise, discipline, affection - is based on years of observing dog behavior and is the natural way dogs govern themselves when in packs in the wild.

What's the connection to behavior and classroom management?

We can adapt the three main requirements of Cesar's regime to use with students in the classroom. So,

• Exercise becomes Engagement
• Discipline applies equally well in both contexts
• Affection becomes Approval [ it's perhaps a more approriate word than Affection]

Students need to be engaged [exercised] fully every day, in every lesson. In the same way as a dog needs to be active, learners need to have purpose in their learning. Teachers have a responsibility to give learners meaningful activities to do, not just amuse or indulge them. Teachers need to fulfil this basic need that learners have - to get involved in what they learn, and teachers need to become 'pack leaders' and not only show students what to do but empower them to get the most out of their learning, like dogs need to get the most out of their exercise.

The discipline aspect of good behavior and classroom management has direct parallels with the Dog Whisperer's approach. Set clear, fixed boundaries and limits, have a consistent approach, establish and maintain predictable and well-understood consequences. Cesar Millan uses a very telling phrase to describe ideal dog behavior - 'calm and submissive'. Not submissive in a fearful way, but a dog that's happy to comply because its needs are being met.

As for approval, verbal praise is a powerful reward when used sensibly, and most students also respond positively to appropriate treats, especially when they can see the link to how their behavior and attitude have brought the reward.

Interestingly, the Dog Whisperer stresses that the most important reward for a dog is not the treat or the praise, but the feeling of belonging and knowing it is secure in its place in the pack. There is a parallel here with a powerful need among all students, the need to belong to the group, the need to be valued as individuals, the need to feel fulfilled.

Time for a final word about how behavior and classroom management can benefit from the Dog Whisperer's approach. A well balanced dog learns how to be 'calm and submissive', smart dog owners learn how to be 'calm and assertive'. So a pretty good way to encapsulate effective behavior and classroom management would be for students to become 'calm and submissive' and teachers to become 'pack leaders' who are 'calm and assertive'.

Would you like some help with classroom behavior management?

Find some great books about behavior management at the Classroom Management Success bookstore.


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