Positive

·        Children may develop better self discipline without external control.

·        Good communication will prevent misbehaviour.

·        Increased student ownership leads to reduction in teacher control.

·        Addresses cause of problem (needs satisfying).

·        Use of physical classroom considered.

·        Use of non-power methods to achieve discipline - reduces resistance, rebellion, retaliation.

·        Acknowledges some problems teacher owned, some student owned.

Minus 

·        Time consuming.

·        Difficult to establish.

·        Not appropriate in dangerous situations.

·        Lack of role modelling/scaffolding of finding solutions to problems.

·        A child unfamiliar with this approach may interpret the teacher's lack of input as lack of interest.

·        Child may not want to develop relationship/ engage in discussion

·       Students may be unprepared for expectations of obedience in institutions outside of school

Controversial

·        Praise / rewards to be avoided - creates dependency and places the power with the teacher.

·        TET warns that a side effect of authoritarian control is obedience. Is that a bad thing?? Life in the real world requires obedience.

·        Requires a deep sense of trust in the student’s abilities ultimately to solve their own problems. Do you? Do they?