Institute for Problem Solving

Positive Discipline Training for Classroom Teachers

Positive Discipline in the Classroom is a research-based classroom management program that empowers teachers with skills to build their students’ sense of community, prepare them for successful living, and increase academic achievement.  Experiential learning methods give you skills to help students practice better cooperation, social skills, self-direction, responsibility, and mutual respect in the classroom. This type of problem solving approach has been shown to promote high academic achievement.

The Peace Resource Center has trained over 800 educators, principals, and support staff and 21 school systems in Positive Discipline. If you would like to register for an upcoming workshop click here.

Trainers:
Sonya Zumbiel, , M.Ed., Instructor, Education Department, Wilmington College, taught in the Norwood City Schools and Sycamore Community Schools.  She is a Positive Discipline trainer, incorporating the philosophy into her classroom practice.  Sonya has led hundreds of workshops on Positive Discipline in the region.

James Boland, Ed.D. Professor of Education, Director of the Peace Resource Center, Wilmington College is a board member of The Center for Effective Discipline.  Teaching pre-service teachers since 1985, he began his teaching career as a Learning Disabilities/Behavioral Disabilities tutor in the Cincinnati Public Schools and taught in the Southwest Local School District in Ohio.  Jim has led hundreds of workshops on problem solving, peer mediation and breaking down barriers between student clique groups at the middle school level.

Location, Materials and Fees:
Workshops can be held at your facility or on the Wilmington College campus and generally are 8 hours in duration.  Each workshop includes a copy of the book Positive Discipline in the Classroom and a workshop guide for each participant.  Fees vary depending on the size of your group and location but typically average about $75 per person. 

Grants to support this training may be available through organizations such as the Center for Effective Discipline www.stophitting.com or The Ohio Children’s Foundation www.ohiochildrensfoundation.org.

The Peace Resource Center has trained the following School Systems:

Amesville Elementary Amesville, OH
Clinton Massie Elementary Clarksville, OH
Clinton County Headstart Wilmington, OH
Cox Elementary Xenia, OH
Dater Montessori Cincinnati, OH
Denver Place Elementary Wilmington, OH
East Elementary Marysville, OH
Edgewood Elementary Marysville, OH
Hillsboro Elementary Hillsboro, OH
Holmes Elementary Wilmington, OH
Loveland Middle School Loveland, OH
Marysville Middle School Marysville, OH
New Vienna Elementary New Vienna, OH
Sabina Elementary Sabina, OH
Warren Primary Center South Bend, IN
Webster Elementary Hillsboro, OH

Total number of workshop participants: over 800

These are some of the comments made by previous workshop participants:

• It was one of the most useful workshops/courses I have ever had.
• The best part of the workshop was the “role-model circle”.  It made me realize what yelling, ignoring and belittling does to children.
• My whole perspective of how to talk to children is different.
• This workshop has changed my entire perspective on how I handle my class.
• How refreshing to discover the Positive Discipline isn’t more educational “mumbo-jumbo” – it’s practical and applicable to any educational setting and grade level.