Roy L. Smith said, “Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.” Students are bright with potential yet must be given structure as a framework for the knowledge they are acquiring. In the following you will read the basic structure and outline of my own views of discipline, views that will be modified and refined with more experience and with the variety of personalities and cultures I will encounter. My philosophy is based on my desire to create an encouraging, inviting, and positive learning environment for all students.
To create this environment a strong structure of rules and guidelines must be put in place, guidelines that are consistently and fairly enforced. Preventative discipline is the starting block of a well managed classroom; teachers who are well-prepared, creative, and proactive avoid wasting class-time by having to deal with discipline issues. Jacob Kounin explains that instruction and classroom management are inseparable and that the instructor’s own abilities to cut down or create boredom drastically affect students’ behavior.
Before problems escalate, it is important to direct one’s attention to the student(s) who may be starting to step outside classroom boundaries, the teacher must be constantly aware of what is taking place within the classroom, move closer to the problems, and interject with bits of humor. By showing students that their work is important, by encouragingly supporting positive behavior, and holding high-expectations, the teacher supports his or her discipline strategy.
However, sometimes corrective discipline is necessary. It is my belief that teachers must explain what the expected behavior is and then insist that the students follow expectations. Teachers must insist on behavior that meets the needs of the classroom and encourages positive social interaction. Rules not only lead to a more productive classroom, but to life-long lessons and training of correct social interaction.
When time calls for confrontation and correction of behavior that is unacceptable, it is also important to love and care for our students, not to crush them, but to train them, weeding out problems and protecting their own growing spirit. Haim Ginott explains that it is important to use discipline in place of punishment, we cannot attack our students, but help them in a refining process to achieve ultimate success by administering strict guidelines, while being consistent and fair in their application.
It is very important to me to have a positive relationship with the students, to make it known that one is willing to do whatever he or she can to help students succeed, and then, most importantly, do just that. Although discipline must be firm and consistent, I do not think all students must be treated equally, but fairly. It is important to be willing to make changes to classroom procedures for students with special circumstances. My end goal is not to be best friends with my students but to be an agent of truth in their lives, their biggest cheerleader, and a positive role model in a very difficult world.
I have based my own classroom rules on five “p”s that are necessary for facilitating a positive classroom: be polite (treat others with respect, be positive or neutral in your interactions), be prompt, be prepared (complete homework, bring class materials), be productive (use class-time wisely), and be part of the solution, not the problem. Consequences must be enforced fairly; students should be warned of the upcoming negative consequence verbally before it is administered. Consequences are not threats, but rather a promise of things to come when boundaries are over-stepped. In general negative consequences will be as follows: quiet verbal warning, warning after-class, lunch detention, call home, after-school detention, in-school suspension, expulsion. The consequences for breaking a rule like “be prepared” are losing points on homework that is incomplete. Positive consequences may include: verbal or written encouragement, high-five, smile, positive calls/emails home, cultural food activity, and field trips. What I have found most effective is my use of a punch card. Like a frequent buyer card, students who demostrate positive behavior, participate in class, or are extra helpful recieve a punch on their card (16 punches equals a free homework pass). I do realize that some schools have their own policies and school-wide rules which will be equally enforced in my class, this is important as students need consistency.
My end goal is to simply meet the needs of all students. My hope is that discipline will not be emphasized in my classroom, but rather be a necessary background, to the beautiful melody of students learning and growing. I am willing to see the big picture, to administer a strict set of guidelines, so that students can grow and blossom. Through high-expectations, creative and exciting lessons, my hope is that I can be a teacher whom students respect for effectively doing my part to facilitate their dreams.
