THE DISCIPLINE LINEUP
by Maureen T. Mulroy, Ph.D.
Cooperative Extension System
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Adapted from Training School-Age Child Care Staff - A Handbook for Workshop Leaders developed by S. Crosiar, K Sanger, J. Birckmayer, P. Speeding for Cornell Cooperative Extension in collaboration with the Office of Human Resource Development, New York State Department of Social Services.

No Doubt about it, Discipline is an area which causes many School-age Providers to feel inadequate.

They have seen first hand the problems that arise when as autocratic (Do it or else!) style of discipline is used - kids who are defiant, sassing, and uncooperative. They have also seen the chaos that happens when an "anything goes" permissive form of discipline is used.

What is rarely seen is a discipline technique that lets the kids decide the rules by which they will live and learn. A good time to review and update procedures is at the beginning of a new school year.

The discipline line-up is an excellent technique for getting school-agers to participate in establishing the rules and guidelines that they will follow throughout the year. It is a technique that will also fill your need for structure and the kids need for fairness. Here's how!

  1. Hang a piece of clothes line across the wall or chalkboard.
  2. Place numbers across the line as illustrated below.
  3. Label the line as "anything goes" on the left hand side; "let's work it out together" in the middle and "do it right or else" on the right hand side.
  4. Place clothes pins by each of the numbers.
  5. Have the kids select areas that they think require rules or ways of doing things in the program. For example, snacks, picking up games, going outside.
  6. Pick one area and have the kids choose an "anything goes " way of doing; "let's work it out together" response; and a "do it right or else" response.
  7. Give each child small 3"X 5" pieces of red and green paper.
  8. Have the children place green pieces on the pins near the response they want everyone to go with and red pieces for stop on the pins near the response they do not like.
  9. Count the pieces near each response. Those with the highest number of greens become the rules or operating procedures.
  10. It might be wise to consider one area each day. Keep the guidelines/ rules simple.

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