We Do It with Love: Book Review of Teaching with Love and Logic

 

Teaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom by Jim Fay

Description

Teaching with Love and Logic by Jim Fay and Charles Fay, Ph.D. was the professional development (PD) reading for my school this summer. Last summer, I attended Responsive Classroom training. Several years ago, in a different school, we had a PD day on another classroom management system. Though I cannot remember what it was called, I found that several things did not square with how I interact with students. For example, when a student was off task, you were supposed to just point at the board so that they could see what they were supposed to be doing and not answer any of their questions. Other things I found helpful–such as giving students a chance to review the instructions on their own instead of answering questions immediately after they have been let loose to do their work.

At the heart of Teaching with Love and Logic in the Classroom is managing interactions with students. First, to let them know that you are paying attention to them, then to set boundaries for behavior in the classroom, and finally to make sure that students have a chance to find solutions for any mistakes they make.

Basically, Teaching with Love and Logic in the Classroom posits that difficult students should be approached first with being told that the teacher observes something about them, such as an interest. Over time, the teacher comments on observations, and eventually the student will begin to change their behavior, since they have been recognized. There is also a focus on restorative justice, and when a student disrupts the learning of other students, they should do an act of restorative justice. Further, the onus for making changes should be on the student and not the teacher.

The primary difference I noticed between Teaching with Love and Logic and Responsive Classroom is that Teaching with Love and Logic focuses on building relationships while Responsive Classroom focuses on building routines and systems within the classroom. There is a lot of overlap between the two and there are many good strategies that teachers can use from both books.

Would I teach this book? 

Teaching with Love and Logic does offer many good strategies for teachers to use. The writing of the book, however, can be a bit hokey at times. The interactions between teachers and students, for example, do not sound like real children. And there are a few moments when teachers say things to the students that I find especially grating. For example, when a student is not doing what they are supposed to be doing, a teacher asks, “Do you hate me?” This seems like an odd thing to say to a student, even as a joke. A child’s behavior may be in part a response to a teacher, but one of the most important things to remember as a teacher is not to take their behavior personally. While I teach middle school students, they are still children, and they are often unable to articulate their emotions. Suggesting that their behavior has some sort of personal origin, even as a joke, does not feel comfortable to me. The focus of learning is not on the teacher, but on the student. While I care deeply about my students, I do not focus on how they feel about me, nor do I want it to come up as a topic of conversation.

While there are many helpful suggestions in Teaching with Love and Logic, in the scenario that I was teaching a classroom management class, I believe I would likely choose a different book.

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