Classroom discipline that promotes self-control

In this article the authors distill principles of effective classroom disci pline from the extensive literature on parent-child interaction and on moti vation of behavior. Although there are many books and articles on classroom management, there is little empirical research on the topic, and even less that stresses management that aims to preserve children's perceptions of a utonomy and to foster self-control. Research and theory make many recommend ations regarding autonomy, control: internalization, and so forth, but they tend to be abstract. Based on that literature, the authors suggest a concr ete approach to discipline that they call persistent persuasion. Persistent persuasion involves the adult continually restating a command until the ch ild complies, but without increasing the level of power or using coercive t hreats so that the development of self-control is not undermined.