Masterclass
To read from The Courage To Be Happy by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, and explore Adlerian psychology’s views on the past, the present, and classroom management.
Key Takeaways
The Past Is a Narrative: The past is not a fixed reality but a story we construct in the present to align with our current goals and worldview.
Focus on “What Now?”: The “Triangular Column” model shifts focus from unproductive complaints (“That bad person,” “Poor me”) to the actionable question: “What should I do from now on?”
Classrooms Are Democracies: Treat classrooms as democratic nations where students are sovereign. Rules must be established by consensus, not dictated, to foster active observance over passive obedience.
Problem Behaviour Stems from Ignorance: Most problem behaviour is not malicious but stems from a lack of knowledge. The adult’s role is to teach with reason, not to punish with emotion.
Topics
The Past Is a Narrative
Adlerian psychology asserts that the past is a narrative we construct in the present to serve our current goals.
Example (Dog Bite): A man’s memory of a dog bite was initially a story of a “perilous world.” As his worldview shifted to a “safe world,” the memory expanded to include a stranger’s help, demonstrating how the present shapes the past.
Historical Parallel: History itself is a narrative rewritten by the victor to legitimise their power.
The “Triangular Column” Model
This model visualises the psyche, reframing past problems into actionable steps for the present.
Sides 1 & 2 (Visible): “That bad person” (blame) and “Poor me” (victimhood).
Side 3 (Hidden): “What should I do from now on?” (action).
Purpose: To shift focus from unproductive complaints to constructive, forward-looking action.
Classrooms as Democratic Nations
The classroom should be a democratic nation where students are sovereign citizens.
Teacher’s Role: Not a dictator, but a facilitator of consensus.
Rule-Making: Rules must be established by student consensus. This fosters active observance (“our rules”) over passive obedience (“their rules”).
Dictatorship Analogy: A teacher who dictates rules creates a “corrupted dictatorship” that invites student rebellion.
Why Negate Reward and Punishment?
Adlerian psychology argues against both rebuking and praising.
Rebuking: Ineffective because most problem behaviour stems from ignorance, not malice. The adult’s role is to teach with reason, not to punish with emotion.
Praising: Creates dependence on external validation, undermining a student’s intrinsic motivation and self-worth.
Next Steps
Sandeep Dutt: Bookmark for the next session on March 21.
Group: Discuss the “Five Stages of Problem Behaviour” in the next session.
