Responsibility-centered discipline (RCD) is an approach to classroom management developed in the 1990s by educator and psychologist William Glasser. It is built on the belief that the goal of discipline should be to teach students to be responsible and make better behavioral choices, rather than merely punish them for misbehavior.
The core philosophy behind RCD is that we need to view students as capable of responsible self-control rather than as irresponsible rule-breakers. It requires shifting our mindset from blaming students for their bad behavior to working with them collaboratively to solve problems. The focus is on building Responsibility-Centered Discipline which encourages relationships, communicating clear expectations, and providing a warm but structured environment.
Instilling Accountability Through Choice Theory
RCD draws on Glasser’s choice theory, which proposes that all human behavior is chosen to satisfy one or more basic genetic needs – survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. When students act out, it is because they are trying unsuccessfully to meet a need.
Rather than clamp down with harsh punishments that Often further alienate struggling students, RCD uses interventions that appeal to students’ needs for belonging and power. The goal is to guide students to make better choices that meet their needs without harming others. Teachers help students see the natural consequences of their actions, stressing that they are ultimately accountable for the choices they make.
Setting Clear Expectations
A key part of cultivating student responsibility in the RCD model is setting clear expectations and directing students’ attention to meeting those expectations. Expectations should be co-created with students whenever possible so they have ownership over classroom norms and rules. Simple, positively framed expectations work best, such as “raise your hand to speak” rather than “don’t shout out answers.”
Teachers then consistently reference the established expectations, especially when giving students feedback. Rather than scolding them for talking out of turn, a teacher reminds them to raise their hands. This keeps the focus on what TO do rather than what NOT to do. It frames expectations as responsibilities students must meet, not arbitrary rules meant to control them.
Building Relationships and Community
At the heart of RCD is the teacher-student relationship. Students are more likely to choose responsible behavior when they feel a sense of belonging at school and trust their teacher has their best interests in mind.
Teachers must get to know students personally and show genuine care and respect. Class meetings can provide a time for students to share their interests, concerns, and suggestions. Cooperative learning activities also help students bond.
When conflict arises, teachers avoid power struggles and instead collaborate with students to find solutions. The end goal is a classroom community where all members uplift each other’s dignity and feel motivated to contribute responsibly.
Providing Encouragement Over Praise
RCD emphasizes encouraging students’ efforts and improvements rather than offering excessive praise. Too much teacher praise can inadvertently send the message that students are only successful because of the teacher’s approval, rather than their own competence.
Encouragement conveys the belief that students can succeed on their own merits. Teachers might say, “I can see you prepared very thoughtful answers” rather than “Good job” This underscores that progress comes from students’ responsible choices and actions, boosting their intrinsic motivation.
Empowering Students Through Choice
Student empowerment is central to RCD, based on the choice theory tenet that we all have an innate need for power over our lives. Teachers can satisfy this need by providing meaningful choices in school tasks and activities. This allows students to practice responsible decision making.
Of course, students aren’t granted limitless freedoms. Teachers set parameters to guide choices, making sure all options align with classroom expectations around safety, learning, and consideration of others. As students demonstrate good choices, they earn more autonomy.
Logical Consequences Over Punishment
When students do breach classroom responsibilities, RCD emphasizes logical consequences over punishment. Punishments often provoke student defiance or learned helplessness. Consequences help satisfy students’ need to see cause and effect relationships between their choices and outcomes.
For example, if a student chooses to waste time messing around rather than working on a group project, the logical effect is he or she must do the work later during free time. The teacher makes clear the student alone is responsible for this outcome. This avoids a power struggle, centers accountability on the student, and provides a chance to make better future behavioral choices.
The Self-Evaluation Process
A unique element of RCD is teaching students to self-evaluate their behavioral and academic progress. At least once a week, students rate themselves on how well they met classroom expectations and responsibilities.
To scaffold this process initially, the teacher provides students with evaluation criteria highlighting specific positive behaviors connected to each expectation, such as “paid attention during lessons” or “used kind language with peers.” Students assign themselves a score from 1-5 indicating how consistently they displayed each behavior.
This self-reflection primes students to monitor their conduct and feel a sense of responsibility over meeting expectations. Reviewing evaluations also helps teachers provide constructive feedback and have meaningful discussions with students about behavioral progress.
Influencing Inner Motivation and Attitudes
RCD founder William Glasser noted that we can never force anyone to do something against their will. External motivators often activate only temporary or superficial compliance. Instead, we must influence students’ inner dispositions and attitudes to elicit lasting responsible behavior.
Teachers can foster this inner motivation by establishing a warm, supportive classroom climate rather than ruling by fear of punishment. Taking time to cultivate personal relationships with each student also develops trust and a willingness to live up to the teacher’s high expectations.
Conclusion
When students make poor behavioral choices, the focus is kept on analyzing the effects of those choices rather than blaming or shaming the student. This prevents defensive reactions as teachers guide students to reflect on what responsible alternatives could help them successfully meet their needs next time.