The Desist Approach
The Desist Approach is a classroom management strategy developed by Jacob Kounin in the 1970s. This approach focuses on preventing disruptive behavior rather than reacting to it after it occurs. The term “desist” refers to the teacher’s ability to stop misbehavior quickly and effectively.
Key components of the Desist Approach include:
Withitness: The teacher’s awareness of what’s happening in all parts of the classroom at all times.
Overlapping: The ability to attend to multiple events simultaneously.
Smoothness and Momentum: Maintaining a steady flow of activities without abrupt transitions.
Group Focus: Keeping all students engaged and involved in lessons.
Challenge and Variety in Seatwork: Providing stimulating and diverse tasks to maintain student interest.
The Desist Approach emphasizes proactive classroom management, where teachers anticipate and prevent problems before they escalate. By implementing these strategies, teachers can create a more positive learning environment and reduce the need for disciplinary actions.