The toughest part of teaching for many teachers is discipline. Being able to keep a classroom of elementary students under control and preserve their dignity and respect is no easy task. In many classes, discipline is not even addressed and it hinders the learning of the class.
The core of discipline is to be fair and consistent. Although this sounds easy, it takes a strong teacher with a great deal of patience. It is something that is done early and with time it gets easier, especially when students understand what is expected of them.
Being fair means being clear about expectations and handing out consequences and rewards for the same actions every time. If you ask the class to be quiet when you are talking, then thank them when they respond. Should anyone break this rule and talk out of turn, they should be called on it. This means the first one to break the rule should be caught whether it’s the blond haired girl with blue eyes who sits at the front of class near the teacher’s desk or the dark haired boy who sits and the back of the class with his friends. You should expect the same things from each student, save learning or physical limitations.
Once you decide what should be done with behaviours and actions, you do the same things every time. The rewards and consequences should fit the behaviour. This is coined “natural” by some educators as it only makes sense. A student that didn’t finish some homework should naturally stay in at recess to finish it. A boy who plays too rough in P.E. should apologize to the player he injured. A student caught bullying on the playground should listen to how her actions affected not only the other student, but the teacher and the other students in the class. This is a way to include education in the discipline process.
When a student understands why rules are in place and what effect it has on other when these rules are not followed, the rules are more likely to respected. Students should be aware of how others feel about their actions. This can be done by telling them honestly how you feel and others feel about what has been done. Although this is important, remember the goal is to guide spirits, not break them.
Yelling or showing anger is not necessary for this process. In fact, this may have an adverse effect on the students. You may see them feeding off your emotions and imitate your behaviour in other ways. A gentle but firm voice will be enough if the consequences stand. If you mean what you say and follow through, it doesn’t matter whether you’re loud or quiet. The students will get the message.
The goal of discipline is to focus the energy of the class so true learning can take place. When the class is respected and everyone feels safe in the class, great things happen.
Darren Michalczuk is the founder of the Brick School. He is an experienced classroom teacher who has developed many programs and resources for math, language and music. The Brick School offers quality educational posters, programs and worksheets online for elementary language arts, math and music. Materials are designed to promote effective learning strategies in an easy to understand, straight-forward format. They offer both practical solutions to learning problems and leading edge technology and techniques. It reaches both struggling students and those who need extra challenges in class.With the latest software and leading edge learning strategies, our materials are paving the way for learning. User-friendly porgrams give students instant feedback while they practice important basic skills. Lessons and study guides also include proven learning strategies and memories techniques. Please visit our website.
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