Budd Churchward,the author of The Honor Level System: Discipline by Design, explains that students function at different levels of discipline and states that schools should not expect all students to be disciplined the same. Mr. Churchward believes that rates of progression through the stages of Kohlberg's model differ from student to student, but that the progression from stage to stage is the same regardless of sex, race, or culture.

A brief summary of Churchward's ideas is offered below.

Churchward's main concern is that in a society that expects math, reading, and other subject's programs to be different for each student or each grade level, the discipline programs are the same at each level. He has developed a discipline program based on Kohlberg's ideas that take into account the moral development of each student. He, like Kohlberg, believed students followed a progression of stages on the road to self-discipline, and each student progressed through those stages at his or her own personal rate.

He renames the stages and offers some examples in his web page.

Stage 1: Recalcitrant Behavior The Power Stage: Might makes right!

Stage 2: Self-Serving Behavior The Reward/Punishment Stage:" What’s in it for me?"

Stage 3: Interpersonal Discipline The Mutual Interpersonal Stage:" How can I please you?"

Stage 4: Self-Discipline The Social Order Stage:" I behave because it is the right thing to do."

Working Through the Stages

Churchward encourages teachers to work through the stages; not skip from stage to stage. He encourages teachers to talk to the student to see what is troubling him or her: "Whatever the cause, it is worth taking the time to talk with the student and see what's going on". He further encourages teachers to help students through the stages and most importantly, don't give up!