Diane Ocaranza

Professor Benson
Course HD 382
9 August 2015
Book Critique
Education in many ways should serve as a model for creating exceptional and
rational human beings. We are not talking about miracles, or anything to far-fetched, but
simply being able to inherit joyful, empathetic, and caring co-existence with the rest of
the world. In the book by Marilyn Watson and colleagues titled, Learning to Trust:
Transforming Difficult Elementary Classrooms Through Developmental Discipline, we
read about creating a type of education that improves the learning of students, their
community, and family. The book emphasizes on attachment theory; the book explains
how attachment theory is incorporated into the school system and classrooms in order to
reinvent the outcomes of young children throughout their school experience.
In the book we read that American schools have adopted the Freudian theory, in
which describes that children are mainly seen as self-gratifying individuals, and in order
to educate children on being good people, we ought to reward and punish them per
behavior. What Watson (2003) teaches us in her book is that on the contrary to what
Freudian theory teaches, we should reinforce and fully discover how to implement
attachment theory into our daily interactions with children. Of course, the book focuses
on teacher- student relationships; however, she extends this practice to all caregivers, or
any adult that interacts with a child.

Most educators have taught their students using Freudian methods when it comes
down to discipline. Children are frown upon, scolded, and in many instances alienated for
bad behavior. Seldom times, do we see authority figures take the time to teach a child
why his or her behavior is non-productive and can get in the way of their success presentfuture wise. Alfie Kohn (2003) mentions, Even a very young child realizes that such
policies are not intended to foster curiosity or creativity or compassion; they are primarily
designed to elicit mindless compliance, the ideal evidently being a student who resembles
an inanimate object (xiii). We have witnessed time and time again that by heavily
shaming or reprimanding a child, causes the child to retaliate even more. Here Kohn is
relating that a child is trained to be a robot in society, in which others tell it what to do,
when to speak, when to act; basically, the child/student is mind controlled and often to
the point of no avail.
Of course, the abovementioned point is good to note because as adults we are
preoccupied and concerned with other things, which leaves us little to no time to deal
with conflicting child, or one that just needs a bit more of care and attention. In this case,
it becomes easier to ride the child off, rather than to stop for a minute and take the time to
interact children properly (patiently, attentively, and genuinely). Sadly, and Kohn (2003)
states, at the end of the day, the objective is still to control children (xiii). Kohn not
only refers to educators, but to anyone who acquires authority over children. The book
reiterates that teachers mainly ask themselves questions in which children can develop
into obeying students. However, teachers fail to question themselves, What do these
kids need? (Kohn, 2003, XIV-XV). Teachers oftentimes overlook the needs of their
student because they are more concerned with their own needs, like meeting their job

expectations, even if it means neglecting the students that need more of their care just to
feel like they fit in in the classroom. Kohn goes on to say, Even with tough kids, Marilyn
tells usand, more important, shows usthe teachers job is not demand obedience but
to build relationships, to understand the students aching need to be cared about (2012,
XV). The point is to have teachers build relationships with their students, rather than
becoming an authoritative figure that children are unable to relate to. In addition, teachers
must reject the idea of controlling their students; instead they should participate in the
activities along with their students. In essence, teachers need make themselves more
approachable models to their students.
In the book we learn about teacher- student relationships, and how these may be
facilitators to build a better educating experience for both teachers and students. Further,
we learn that Developmental Discipline focuses on building a caring classroom
community and a nurturing, trusting partnership with each student. These partnerships do
not eliminate the need for adult control, but more frequently they involve teaching the
social, emotional, and moral skills and understandings that children have not yet
developed (Watson, 2003, XVIII). A lot of times teachers and adults see children
students as little people we cannot identify with, we talk about them, but for some reason
assume that it is difficult to communicate with them. As Watson states, it is that
atmosphere of mutual trust and care that will lead to a naturally well-managed and
disciplined classroom (2003, 3). Watson enhances the use of trust, trusting ourselves
with young children, and being open enough to have children trust us.
The book focuses on nurturing techniques in dealing with children. Watson (2003)
relates, In a school or classroom community, if our values are clear and if we meet

childrens basic human needs for autonomy, belonging, and competence, then our values
will become their values (3). As teachers and adults we need to leave an open platform
to embrace all types of children, varying from societies to race; children must feel
comfortable in whichever environment they find themselves in, in order to collaborate
well with the adult, teacher, or caregiver.

References:
Watson, M., and et.al. (2003). Learning to trust: transforming difficult elementary
classrooms through developmental discipline. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.