A basic Overview of Behaviour Theories

Theorist	Model	Date	Assumptions
Management, behaviourist, Authoritative, autocratic
Ronald Moorish	Real Discipline		Teachers provide support and guidance for students to behave responsibly. Students need to be taught right from wrong to comply with adult authority.
Lee and Marlene Canter	Assertive Discipline		Student and teacher have rights in the classroom. Clear rules of behaviour and expectations are enforced through a discipline hierarchy of consequences.
Frederic Jones	Positive Classroom Discipline	2009	Teachers maintain student involvement in learning through effective and efficient teacher behaviours such as engaging lessons, setting clear limits, classroom organisation, helping students with work problems and incentives to promote responsibility.
B.F. Skinner	Behaviour modification		Teachers shape behaviour through systematic reinforcement including rewards and negative reinforcement.
Harry and Rosemary Wong	Pragmatic Classroom Management	1998	Teachers need to have clear classroom procedures that are taught to students in the first weeks of school in order to teach effectively. Student misbehaviour is the result of poor teacher classroom management.
Carolyn Evertson and Harris	Classroom organisation and Management Program	1992	The teacher organises the classroom for effective instruction and learning opportunities. Includes teaching rules and procedures from day one of the school year and developing student accountability for behaviour and learning.
Leadership, democratic, mixed
Fritz Redl and William Wattenberg	Group behaviour and classroom discipline		Students in groups behave differently to individuals; teachers support student self-control and offer ‘in the moment’ assistance to help change behaviour.
Jacob Kounin	Instructional Management	1970	Teachers prevent misbehaviour through awareness in the classroom and by using effective lesson management techniques.
Haim Ginott	Congruent Communication	1972	Teachers encourage students’ autonomy through dignity and awareness of student feelings about situations and themselves.
Rudolf Dreikurs	Democratic teaching		Teachers promote self-discipline in a democratic classroom where students and teachers make decisions on how the class will work.
William Glasser	Choice Theory		Teachers and schools meet student needs in order for them to flourish. Quality teacher instruction assists in meeting these needs.
Marvin Marshall	Discipline without stress	2001	Teachers focus on student responsibility and empower students to make choices about behaviour. Students are more likely to behave when given responsibility.
Jane Nelson, Lynn Lott	Positive Discipline	1997	Teachers provide a classroom come to view themselves as capable. The classroom climate is built on mutual respect and cooperation.
Spencer, Kagan, Patricia Kyle, Sally Scott	Win-win discipline	2004	Teachers and students work cooperatively to solve problems in the class. Misbehaviour is seen as a starting point in helping students develop self-responsibility.
Bill Rogers	Positive behaviour Leadership	2015	Classrooms have shared rights and responsibilities for all. The teacher is seen as a facilitator leader who models ethical behaviour.
Ramon Lewis	Developmental Management approach	2008	Categorises student behaviour into four categories, with evidence based responses to challenging behaviours.
Forest Gathercoal	Judicious Discipline	2004	The focus is on student rights and responsibilities and in developing ethical behaviour as reflected in societies laws.
Non-directive, egalitarian
Thomas Gordon	Teacher Effectiveness Training		Discipline is best achieved through student self-control. Teachers use I messages in influencing student behaviour, preventative strategies and incorporate a no-lose approach to conflict.
Barbara Coloroso	Inner discipline	1994	Teachers work to instil an inner sense of control in students. The classroom is structured to allow opportunities for responsibility. Students will make good decisions, are worth the effort and have capacity to take positive charge of their lives.
Jerome Freiberg	Consistency Management	1999	Teachers provide learning communities that are built on trust, cooperation and consistency of message across the school.
Patrick Connor	Pain Model	2004	The teacher is sensitive to students’ beliefs and feelings, he/she values students and attempts to build positive relationships with them.
Alfie Kohn	Beyond Discipline	2006	Teachers work to develop classrooms as learning communities. In these communities students and teachers develop respectful relationships and collectively solve problems.
Richard Curwin and Allen Mendler	Discipline with Dignity	1998	Teachers maintain a positive learning environment that supports student dignity and gives a sense of hope.