Authors Rudolph Dreikurs and Alfred Adler created the "Positive Discipline Parenting and Classroom Management Model." Author Jane Nelsen attended a positive discipline workshop in the 1980s and wrote and collaborated on several books on positive discipline.
Teachers respect their students' needs in a situation and respect themselves by being firm and helping students to understand why classroom rules are needed. The rules can be created with input from students to ensure that classes are respectful to everyone and run efficiently. Consequences for bad behavior must be fair and designed to help students learn from their errors.
Positive discipline focuses on changing the beliefs that cause students to behave the way they do instead of trying to change their behavior. Positive discipline also aims to help students build healthy relationships with other people by providing practical lessons on topics such as cooperation, teamwork, decision-making, setting goals and self-esteem. Students develop trusting and honest relationships with others by understanding what behaviors are right or wrong and the consequences of their choices. Class meetings can be used to help students to express ideas and teach democratic principles.
Positive discipline promotes the encouragement of students rather than praise to recognize their accomplishments. Students are recognized for their improvements and efforts as well as successes, which enhances their sense of personal empowerment and self-worth. For example, a designated place on a blackboard or notice board can post the names of students in recognition of their accomplishments in areas such as being the most helpful, most disciplined, having higher marks or success in extracurricular activities. Students can be encouraged to be self-disciplined by being recognized with certificates or awards, or being elected as "student of the month." The teacher can reveal the selection process to ensure that students understand that the teacher does not practice favoritism.
Positive discipline seeks solutions to problem behavior rather than punishing the perpetrator. Schools choose to have a zero-tolerance policy for corporal punishment and apply positive discipline principles instead.