An innovative language-based approach to classroom discipline

1. Tricks of the Trade 2:
The Verb Tenses
Enhanced Techniques in Language-Based Discipline
A Psychoeducation for Teachers Skill-Building Guide

2. We classify verbs tenses the following
way…
 Present Tense. The action is happening
now.
 Past Tense. The action happened at a
specific time in the past.
 Future Tense. States an action that will
take place.

3. In addition, verb tenses can be perfect
or continuous. The perfect tenses are…
 Present Perfect Tense. States an action that
is still going on; for example, “Learning about
verbs tenses has always interested me.”
 Past Perfect Tense. States an action that
began in the past and was completed in the
past. For example, “Dr. Taylor had served in
the Peace Corps.”
 Future Perfect Tense. The action will begin in
the future and will end at a specific time in
the future. For example, “I will have studied
for three hours.”

4. The continuous tenses are…
 Present Continuous Tense. States an action that
is not finished at the time of stating it; for
example, “I’m learning about verb tenses.”
 Past Continuous Tense. States an action that was
happening at a certain time in the past. It can
also refer to an event that took place for a
limited time; for example, “I was studying about
verb tenses before I went jogging.”
 Future Continuous Tense. States an action that
will take place at a specific time in the future. For
example, “In two weeks, I will be studying more
about verb tenses.” Alternatively, “I am going to
be learning about the verb tenses.”

5. How verb tenses and classroom
discipline relate?
 There is plenty that the tenses of verbs can do to
help teachers improve students’ behaviors. Tenses of
verbs are crucial in creating and/or in reinforcing
message meaning, or the specific goal and/or
purpose of our communication. In addition, verb
tenses help in connecting students’ self-perceptions
(how children see and interpret all kinds of events,
positive or negative; also, how children interpret and
evaluate their behavior) with the specific images that
we want to convey. Most specifically, verb tenses help
us shift a student’s negative and pessimistic self-
perception of an event into a more positive and
optimistic one. Each verb tense can be seen as one
“door” that specifically connects the mind to a
particular time frame, attitude, and mental state.

6. The Three Doors

7. First Door/Past Tense
 The door of memories or how things were. When
we put the action (e.g. disruptive behavior) or
feeling (e.g. anger) in the past, we start talking
the language of memories. In addition, we can
give evidence that demonstrates change and
improvement. This is the best tense of verbs to
use when we are trying to manipulate negative
perceptions, suggesting that things in the
present are different and better. With this
purpose in mind, when we discuss disruptive
behaviors or troubling feelings, we get better
results by just placing those behaviors and
feelings in the child’s past.

8. For example…
 You made the wrong choice.
 You blamed yourself for this bad choice.
 You felt disappointed.
 You fought for what you believed was
unfair.

9. Second Door/Present Tense
 The door of action, now. When we put the
verb or action in the present, we create a
sense of immediacy, making things
tangible and unavoidable. Simply put, the
present tense of the verb indicates action.
This is the best tense of a verb to use
when we want children either to act or to
take responsibility for their behaviors.

10. Examples…
 This negative consequence warns you.
 You put this mistake behind you, and you
move on.
 You feel optimistic.

11. Third Door/Future Tense
 The door of possibilities, goals, and dreams. If the
past is the language of memories (how things were),
the future is the language of dreams, or how we want
things to be. Right-in-between those two, the present
is the language of actions. Goals and dreams, or
possibilities, can turn into reality with action. Help
children connect those three (memory-action-dream),
and you will have more engaged and motivated
students. To inspire and to motivate students,
teachers need to start talking about goals and
dreams using the language of possibilities. To do this,
we need the future tense of the verb. When we put
the action in the future, we create a sense of
possibility, strengthening the pull toward what might
be.

12. Some examples…
 You will resolve this issue with Sammy.
 You will feel better when you do.
 You will no longer feel distraught.

13. Creating Completion with Verbs
 Verbs can be perfect or imperfect. The
perfect forms of the verb are the ones that
indicate completion, therefore, when we want
to give closure and show completion, we
need to use perfect tenses. For instance, if
we want the child to put a troubling feeling or
a disruptive behavior behind her, we move
the discussion toward completion in the past,
but, if we want her to feel confident about a
planned action (goal), we use completion in
the future.

14. For example…
 Past Perfect: “You had blown this issue out of
proportion.” (The action began and ended in the past.
The past tense of a verb always increases
completion.)
 Future Perfect: “Sooner than you expect, the anger
will be gone.” (The action begins in the future and
ends in the future.)
 Projecting out a pessimistic feeling, or an optimistic
dream, to a time in the future when the negative
feeling is gone, or the dream is complete, motivates
the child by showing her that it can be done. Creating
completion in the future also makes the action easier
to accept, increasing the probability of the child
complying.

15. Creating Continuity with Verbs
 Verbs can also be simple or continuous.
The continuous form of verbs is the one
that shows continuity. When we want the
child to act; for example, we want the
child to think again about a poor choice,
or we want to show him that there is still
work to do; we can do it with continuous
tenses.

16. Some examples…
 Past Continuous: “Are you still thinking about
what can be a better choice?” (The action is
not finished at the time we state it.)
 Present Continuous: “Your behavior is
improving with each passing day.” (The
action is still in progress, or the action
continues from the past into the future.)
 Future Continuous: “You are going to be
learning several anger management
strategies.” (The action starts and continues
in the future.)

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