The End of Discipline in Classrooms
Discipline has always been a problem area in the field of education. Younger the generation, bigger the challenge. It is a known fact that teachers face this challenge every year and have to come up with new and different of dealing with every passing class. It is a phenomenon that causes consternation and fear for teachers. Indiscipline in classrooms is not just a noisy bunch of students but can be many other trouble creators like inaudible responses, tardiness, sleeping during classes, copying or cheating during tests, inability to complete homework and at times rude talking with teachers. These factors depend on many other personality related issues that can be developed anywhere irrespective of whether the students in class or outside. Hence teachers have to deal with undisciplined students in a different way to avoid any negative outcomes.
Understanding the Difference between Punishment and Positive Disciplining
The results of punishing a student can be very detrimental as punishment does not assure that the student will not repeat his actions. At the same time, punishing can have emotional and physical effects on the child that may lead to future problems. On the other hand, positive discipline is a process where the student is trained how to follow the rules and maintain a code of conduct. Hence, instead of using punishment as an option that may have fatal consequences, teachers can adapt positive discipling with patience. Suspension or reactive strategies are not the right way to deal with the problem. Teachers are expected to reach to the root cause of the student’s behavior and suggest a constructive way f handling the situation that is best for the child.
Teaching is an art. That is the reason why teachers are expected to be creative in every area of teaching. Discipline is an important area that is a hassle for most of the teachers. They usually resort to temporary solutions like making the student stand out of the class or take ten rounds of the playground, but these solutions are not a part of effective disciplining. Teachers can:
- Set up a set of rules in the class before starting
- Be expectant that the students will and must follow the rules
- Set goals
- Appreciate the students
- Explain the value of discipline
- Listen to the students
- Be approachable
- Get to the root cause
- Be patient
- Reward the student for every good behavior
The class in session and the students are the responsibility of the teacher. If the students are misbehaving or going against the code of conduct, the teacher is authorized to object this behavior and put a stop to it. When a teacher discipline, the students in a positive way, a respectable bond is created between the teacher and the student. This bond compels the student to think twice before breaking the next rule. School is where we learn life lessons and our teachers are the gurus who teach impart on us the knowledge of life. If discipline is a virtue that is followed by a student in school, he or she will follow it for the rest of their life as a life lesson.
