From The Complete Teacher - free in PDF from Dr. Rose. I use this article for my student teachers and interns. It is critical for them to understand both what style of control -- nicely called classroom management -- they are using at different times as well as the reasons they do so. I use this in conjunction with helping them understand who they are as a person and how their various beliefs determine how they interact with and towards their students.

Coercion is the style most used now and since schools began. The belief was the teacher or professor was the expert and the students were mere empty vessels or sponges that absorbed his knowledge. Rote memorization, choral recitation, and copying what the teacher said were used since it didn't matter whether students were interested or motivated. If one wasn't able to regurgitate what was taught the teacher repeated it relentlessly and often added physical punishment until the student got it. If he didn't he was failed until he was as big as his teacher. With civil rights and lawsuits galore times have changed, but most schools have not. Still teachers sit students in rows and talk, talk, talk.

Now in 2009 we have locked down campuses and security guards to protect the students from outsiders and keep them inside where they are often forced to sit silently hour after hour and do rote memorization, etc. Progress?

Teachers legally cannot paddle, insult, or yell at students, which is progress. Yet, their mindset is still that they are the experts and they can lecture hour after hour as students become bored, tired, and emotionally drained. To keep them "busy" or "engaged" is difficult without coercion in the form of warnings, checks or pulled cards for "misbehavior" (usually talking, moving without permission, inattention, or not working), time-out in the classroom or another room, a parent phone call or conference or a trip to an administrator. Of course, the teacher as well as the student is judged on the use of these measures.

Admittedly, there are students who respond badly to coercion and there are a few who will only behave when coercion is used. Coercion appears very effective as the person with the power (the teacher) merely escalates the quantity or quality of the consequences (punishments) until the less powerful (student) completes a task or behaves in the manner you want.

My "Discipline Steps" article gives you the plan to follow as you increase the intensity of the consequences until the student either conforms or (worst case) is expelled. These steps protect you, the school, and the district as well as to offer the student and his parent every opportunity to conform to reasonable demands and policies.

You in turn must conform to your contract and live up to your responsibilities to the student, his parents, the school, and district according to written policies that ostensibly protect all parties from any serious abuse of power.

Of course, many kinds of normal human errors as well as abuses occur at all times at all levels and that's why everyone needs to understand Teaching Styles, Learning Styles, Biochemical Individuality, and the effects of personal beliefs coming from psychological, mental, emotional, and social differences. Because of the complexity of these differences, it appears easier to treat all students with a one-size-fits-all technique with every class member doing the same thing.

Like the rows of desks and students arranged alphabetically facing the teacher, this may have been justified before we knew about human differences. With knowledge of human complexity and with technology this arrangement does not maximize either human relationships or allow for educational growth. It is perfect for docile indoctrination and dissemination of a specific content or skill. It serves as a beginning of many lessons, but not as the main vehicle of learning. To do so with a population that is used to TV, video games, iPods, and belief in their rights and freedoms (even kindergartners say, "My mommy's gonna sue you!") the dependence on coercion alone seems naive. Even when they appear quiet and obedient, students can ignore your goals or demands. Those who are hungry, angry, depressed, sexually preoccupied, or in fear of their lives may be happier at school than in their home or neighborhood, but they are not ready to learn.

Coercion may get their attention, keep them initially from hurting themselves or others, but it takes more and more of your energy and theirs and makes learning less effective or even impossible. You have noticed that even when you use escalating power, many students undermine what you attempt by misbehaving and failing. Many give up totally and drop out as soon as they are able.

I believe most of you use coercion more than you care to admit, but you are that way because that is how you have been treated as a child, a student, and as a quasi-professional. (Unfortunately for a health system, doctors are being increasingly being treated this way by insurance companies and HMO's.)

When coercion does work temporarily it is usually because it is followed with something else -- like persuasion or an effort to know the student.

So, we went to Persuasion. Hewitt's "M & M" theory using rewards is sweeter and appears nicer and more effective. Persuasion is more acceptable because the teacher uses the carrot rather than the rod. The educational result is similar though. The student is rewarded for every type of good (meaning socially conforming) behavior. The school structure or curriculum doesn't change, just the manner in which the students are indoctrinated. Coercion beats them into conformity whereas persuasion seduces them into it.

My "earned time" concept was developed as a persuasive technique. With a large family and no extra money I rewarded my students with time. After each lesson was completed they immediately could select how to spend their time. At first I dictated it and it didn't work too well. Once I talked to them and I asked each how he wanted to spend it, it began to work. I didn't realize it, but I was showing them respect and sharing my power. Instead of giving those who finished more quickly more academic work they could play games, engage in art, listen to music, or talk quietly with others.

The good thing is that the new technology can deliver facts, even teach many skills faster, more interestingly, and without coercion or persuasion. This begs the question. Why have teachers? Technology can quickly assess, reach each student at his level in anything, train him through branching and pacing, and evaluate and record his progress much better than a teacher can who teaches to the whole class.

Beating and begging need to be replaced by relationships and negotiations leading to increasing individualization with social training in pairs, small group dynamics, and still, at times, whole class learning.

Negotiation, the third style, is most difficult at first, but it results in students who are more responsible, independent, self-confident, and competent.

Negotiation is not palatable to many people in power -- which includes teachers. They feel they have earned the right to call the shots and often do not take kindly to being challenged by those they believe have less legal, physical, emotional, or mental powers. It is why unions fought to balance the boss' powers. It is why the populace overthrows dictators and why teachers are protective of their believed powers and control of their students.

I tell teachers that if they think they are totally in control that they are delusional. Despite some supervisors who delight in pointing out the number of students who are, at any moment in time, not engaged, the reality is that it is much higher. Observe any staff meeting, in-service, or university class and if you could listen to what was really going on their heads, well, it would be depressing.

Negotiation usually doesn't happen nor even attempted because teachers themselves are trained through coercion and persuasion and see nothing wrong with using these to indoctrinate their students. The administrators, education professors, and lay public were and are used to only coercion and persuasion. "I turned out well in this system, it should work for my students, my teachers, etc."

The first step is to change the management paradigm to negotiation. This means there are places and times for class size and small group learning, but it must be based on continuous listening to and observation of each student. This can be done in preschool to college.

Negotiation means a paradigm shift in thinking. It means learning to be a good listener, a careful observer, and to share power. The latter is most scary to most adults. They think that sharing the power will leave them unable to control the students. And, the truth is, control is the not so hidden agenda and message of schools. It's always been that way. Through control those in power can be assured that the life they are most familiar with will continue as it has.

It's almost always outside influences or forces that provoke or produce change. The new technology provides the vehicles for these changes, but negotiation and a focus on human relationships means that the teacher can still be the critically important person in the education equation. My free book The Complete Teacher shows them how.

You develop a relationship with each student by learning who he is, his interests, his talents, his strengths and weaknesses. When he feels your concern and you prove it by sharing your power to determine the direction of his life, you have a student who will cooperate with you. I do this with 1st graders and my university students. I negotiate with them so that they know the things I am obligated by contract or mandate. I tell them if they help me teach them these things we will have more time to do the things each or the group likes to do. I do not lie to them and they trust me because I respect their right to be whoever they want to be.

It is not a perfect system, but it develops mutual trust and loyalty. When they do mandated things like testing they do them for me as well as for themselves. Strangely enough, the focus on each person does not make him or her more self-centered or selfish. Because they are treated with respect, they (some more slowly, gradually) treat their classmates and me with respect.

Except for the required things, we talk about, discuss, negotiate, and find compromises on all other things. Besides students who do their best (most of the time), who are usually cooperative, they are more self-motivated, more responsible, and they smile and sing more than most.

There is a time and place, because you are human, for coercion and for persuasion because it also works towards your goals, but the more you learn to use negotiation the more satisfaction you get from teaching and your students will be more human, well-rounded, and effective learners.

The Christian parable comparing the effectiveness of helping by giving a person a fish or teaching him how to fish is the difference between Coercion, Persuasion or Negotiation. The process of negotiation not only shows respect for each student, but demonstrates the teachers understanding of each one's uniqueness, provides for that, and so allows and encourages the expression and best development of each one's skills and talents. They learn to think for themselves. It is the hardest to do in the beginning, but as the contact continues, the teaching and learning become easier, more fulfilling, and most effective.

Most school changes the past two centuries have been superficial, because the power structure of schools has not changed. You are not trusted as a teacher as scripted learning, strict demands on when, where, and how you will teach things all work towards 'teacher-proofing" the system. Trying to protect it from poor teachers has crippled the teaching profession. Yet, to become a great, even a good teacher, it is your freedom to make mistakes and learn from them while you get to know and understand, to appreciate the uniqueness of each child and class that will help you evolve as a human being and as a teacher.