[jensw]

Does anyone here use "Love & Logic" principles in the classroom? How does it work for you?

I just finished reading the book Teaching with Love & Logic and I really liked it. I'm thinking about incorporating the methods into my teaching style, but I'm keeping some operant conditioning concepts. The authors were against rewards, but from what I could tell, they were really talking about "bribes" rather than "rewards." Bribes don't work, variable reinforcements do (I also really like Karen Pryor's Don't Shoot the Dog, which is about positive reinforcement principles.)

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else had some tips/ideas/comments...

[JRichard]

I have used L&L with my own children for about two years now. It works well, especially in teaching them to be responsible for their own behavior. I have just recently started introducing it into my classroom. Last year, I used empathy a lot, as well as enforceable statements. This year, I am going "all out" by putting up the poster, and talking to my students about "How I Run My Classroom."

If you want other L&L teachers to talk to, try the Love & Logic Forum:

http://www.loveandlogicforum.com

Jenny

I've been using it for 3 years, and I love it. I've attended Jim and Charles Fay's conference twice. Not only is it wonderful for your students but it is a great way to keep you calm and collected as well. My favorite saying that always works is "I love you too much to argue." Love it, Love it, Love it!!!

[MaryMac]

Because it works! I went to a workshop 2 years ago and found that I had already been using many of the methods. It helps create a learning environment where the kids know they are the ones responsible for their behavior and their work. No more arguing with the kids!

[jensw]

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to trying it. I keep reading "What would you do?" posts here and thinking of how to apply L&L principles.

[JKB]

When I first started teaching, I had never heard of Love and Logic. However, over the years, I have attended three different workshops. While the message is virtually the same, I felt like I walked away with a more knowledge each time.

The best part of Love and Logic is that it works! Also, when I go home each night, I don't feel like I have been in a battle field! There's nothing worse than to feel like you had to argue your way through a classroom day!

Have a great year! JKB

[angelangst]

The biggest idea from love and logic that I use is giving the child two choices, both with outcomes I like. They feel so empowered that they get to choose what is going to happen. They find no reason to argue at that point.

[caro]

Hi,
I was contemplating using a love and logic approach, what approach do you start with the first few days of school? What kind of poster do you have, I mean what does it say? thanks.

[JRichard]

If you go to the Love & Logic site, you can find a picture of the poster in their kit for teachers. I will try to remember what it says as closely as I can:

How I Run My Love & Logic Classroom

I will treat you with respect, so you know how to treat me.

Feel free to do anything that doesn't cause a problem for anyone else.

If you cause a problem, I will ask you to solve it.

If you can't solve the problem, or choose not to, I will do something.

What I will do will depend on the special person and the special situation.

I actually, have already been able to use L&L a couple of times this week (first week of school). Here are my descriptions of what I did:

1. First period, I had a student who was humming and making weird noises when I was talking. I had already moved this boy's seat from last class because he was talking with the boy next to him while I was talking. I walked over and stood next to him and talked. He still hummed. I walked away and continued talking, then looped back to him and gave a slight head shake. He STILL continued humming. I finally had the kids working on their own on something, so I walked over and said to him, "I just wanted you to know that when you make noise while I talk, it distracts me." He was really taken aback and apologized. I said, "Just wanted you to know." and walked away.

2. Lunch period--two boys messed up during lunch. One boy was goffing off in line. He was sent to eat at our punishment table by the AP. Another boy was talking when then AP asked for silence. Both were very remorseful, but I did not want them to leave without hitting the point home. The one goofing off in line, I told would be last in line out of our whole team during lunch today (that means 110 people eat before him). The boy who talked will spend the entire lunch today at the punishment table, not able to talk during lunch.

Jenny

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Also, for how I started the year, I go over my procedures with my 7th graders for the first week of school. I teach a few procedures a day, along with some opening activities (a tour of the school, multiple intelligence test, icebreakers, etc.). I go over the opening and closing procedures on the first day as well as our team rules and how I run my classroom. I go over those every day the first week as well. I ask them when I talk about how I run my classroom, "Who is an anyone else?" I get them to say students around them, in the class, me, and the teachers on either side of me. I then talk about the kinds of things that could cause problems (talking, touching, breaking a team rule, breaking a school rule, etc.)

[Wendy8]

I am in the middle of reading the book Teaching with Love and Logic. There are some great ideas to implement. I am looking forward to finishing the book. Glad to hear that others are reading and using.

I am wanting to use love and logic this year but I am unsure of a few things. Are you supposed to have a behavior chart? Is anything sent home about how the child behaved that day? If there was a behavior problem do you tell the parent in some way or just keep it between you and the child?

[TuesdayBear]

I've been using L&L at home and at school. Our whole staff has been trained in it, actually.

I really like it for most cases, but it does not work in all cases. So you have to be willing to let it go sometimes.

I found when I was first starting it that it was best to try one strategy or enforceable statement at a time. Pick something that you'd like to use, and then just practice using that one. Then, when you've got it down, you can try something new.

If you can't attend a workshop, there are some really great L&L cd's that you can buy. I'd recommend them.