CHAPTER 6

Using Logical
Consequences When Rules
are Broken
Aileen Alfonso
Mara Andrada
September 16, 2008
ED334
 Purposes of Logical
Consequences
 to make clear the connection between
behavior and consequence
 to support children in figuring out how
to behave differently
 to show children our belief in their
ability to make better choices
 to stop unwanted behavior
 Neither Punishment
Nor Permission
 Consequences versus Punishment
- teacher’s attitude
- student’s input
 Like punishment, the permissive
approach is not productive
 Logical consequences are related to the
rule breaking
 Natural Consequences
 Occur without adult input
- ex. A child who forgets his lunch may get
hungry.
 “Often our intercessions are necessary
because natural consequences are not
productive in the ways we might hope.”
(147)
- ex. The hungry child takes a classmate’s
lunch.
 The “STOP STEP”
 STOP then ENFORCE with actions

Small and subtle STOP signals: (149)

- A look - A glare
- A gesture - A few words
- A touch - A few gestures
- Removal
Guidelines for Implementing
Logical Consequences
Logical Consequences:
- are respectful of the student and of the
classroom
- need to respond to choices and actions,
not to character
- need to be put into practice w/ both
empathy and structure
Continued…
 should describe the demands of the situation,
not the demands of the authority
 should be used only after the teacher has
assessed the situation
 help restore self-control and self-respect
through actions, not just words
Teachers need to stop and think before
imposing logical consequences.

Mara
3 Types of Logical Consequences

1. Reparation: “You broke it. You fix it.”

2. Breach of Contract: “If you are not
responsible, you lose a privilege.”
3. Time-outs: “You must forfeit participation.”
 Reparations
 Give children opportunities to face mistakes
and repair their damage
 Allow children to take responsibility and
correct their wrongs
 Help children learn what happened by seeing
the impact of one’s behavior
 Give students who were harmed a voice
 Often includes an apology

– VERBAL APOLOGY
– APOLOGY OF ACTION
 Reparations
 INDIVIDUALS making reparation
A student accidentally knocks over another
child’s block building.

 GROUPS making reparation

The class is rude and unruly with the substitute,
or “guest teacher.”
 Breach Contract
 More responsibility = freedom
 Help learn responsibility by offering
practice on tasks integrated in the
classroom.
 We expect and trust that children will do
their work, respect others, be fair, and
take care of property
A BREACH of that trust i.e.
- Telling lies, disrespectful to others

 A Privilege is not a reward for students

who finish their work…
What do we do as teachers
WE
 Reteach
 Remind
 Invoke consequences when necessary
 Narrow the choices
 Reorder the steps

 Losing a privilege is the consequence

when children “blow” a responsibility.
 Losing a Privilege
 INDIVIDUALS
A student says that her work is done
when it isn’t, in order to play games or
avoid a task.

 GROUP
A group lesson becomes very noisy
 Time-outs
 Removing a child from a situation temporarily
to stop disruptive behavior

 INDIVIDUAL
A child makes negative or sarcastic comments
 GROUP
A group is not able to cooperate.
 Summary
 When children break rules :
we respond in a way that holds them
accountable and helps them learn from
their experience.
 Signaling, reparations, loss of privileges,
or time-out.
 Logical consequences STOP-Take
time-Action-Connection-Student Input-
Chance. (STACS Chance)
 QUESTIONS?
 Activity