ABSTRACT
Teachers who quit or fail frequently cause many of their own problems; in other cases they exacerbate situations needlessly. Star teachers spend so little time on discipline because they have invested their time and effort creating learning activities that have helped them build caring relationships with each of the children. Star teachers use few punishments and generally do not think in terms of punishments. They do not conceive of their relationship with students in terms of rewards or punishments because they do not regard their students as animals to be shaped. Stars perceive punishments as examples of extrinsic control—and their goal is to foster the development of internal controls by students. Star teachers do not assign homework in the traditional sense. They try to create assignments that youngsters are able to do independently and successfully. Star teachers spend as little time as possible on tests and grading.
