ABSTRACT
A humanist perspective foregrounds the idea that a child’s behaviour is a manifestation of a complex inner world, and approaching the development of positive behaviour solely from the adult’s perspective shows only half the reality. Carl Rogers was a psychologist who originally worked as a therapist. Rogers’ techniques in therapy very simply involved listening to the person and reflecting back to him what he said, in an accepting and understanding way. Considering the humanist approach in educational settings rather than a therapeutic one, the role of the educator is characterised as a person who creates a supportive, trusting relationship through the Rogerian concepts of ‘empathy’, ‘congruence’ and ‘unconditional positive regard’. The almost universal ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child imposes a responsibility on educators to respond to the idea that children have explicit rights. Educational settings following a humanist approach to supporting positive behaviour are characterised by choice and autonomy for children.
