A Classroom Situation in my past where a teacher used an Ineffective Discipline Method and the Changes that could have been made to improve the Discipline Process and create a more Positive Classroom Climate

 

A Classroom Situation in my past where a teacher used an Ineffective Discipline Method and the Changes that could have been made to improve the Discipline Process and create a more Positive Classroom Climate

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Abstract

Discipline management in the classroom is one of the most challenging areas for a teacher to manage. Students quite often come up with disruptive behavior that hampers the flow of classroom activity and it is the positive discipline that can guide student’s behavior that allows them to learn about taking care of themselves and others, but the ineffective disciplining method never does it (Wikipedia, 2021). The successful completion of any classroom learning process depends on how the teacher disciplines and manages the classroom (Gujjar & Naoreen, 2009).

A Classroom Situation in my past where a teacher used an Ineffective Discipline Method

According to the Teacher’s Code of Conduct 1997 and the Child Care and Protection Act 2011 of Bhutan, my country, bodily punishment is banned and it prohibits any teachers from using it as a corrective discipline in Bhutan (UNICEF, 2013). Moreover, Corporal punishment is considered lawful under Article 109 of the Penal Code of Bhutan 2004. However, somewhere and some teachers in Bhutan still use corporal punishment as a means of correcting pupils (UNICEF, 2013).

In 2013 when I was serving in one of the Middle Secondary Schools, a teacher in my school was found frequently disciplining his students by beating them with a bamboo stick, slapping them, making them stand on the chair, and making them do the frog jump whenever he found them without homework or with disruptive behavior in the classroom. It was fully an ineffective discipline method because corporal punishment has an adverse effect on students that makes them fearful and lowers a student’s capability and ability to grow well in becoming an independent and responsible person (Save the Children, 1999).

I never felt good seeing it and one fine day during the recess hour I visited one of his students who was the victim and talked to him. I found out from him that he was having a disruptive family relationship back at home whereby he ended up staying in the corner and seeing their parents fighting. I even got shocked when I got wind that it was their daily schedule. I felt pity for him and planned to talk personally with that teacher and help the boy recover from his trauma because I as a teacher had never used such type of disciplining during my services and still, I don’t think that such punishment would correct them.

The Changes that could have been made to improve the Discipline Process and create a more Positive Classroom Climate

A positive classroom climate promotes a positive and supportive learning environment where pupils are encouraged to have a sense of belonging (Young, 2014) and allow students to be strong both academically and socially (Marzano and Marzano, 2003). Whenever the students appear to exhibit disruptive behavior or don’t turn up to their assigned tasks, the close observation of students about their behavior change is essential because their behavior change could be due to certain reasons or consequences, not that the person is inappropriate (Nagler, 2016).

To improve the discipline process to create a more positive classroom climate, the teacher, instead of reacting abruptly and in a reflexive manner, the teacher could have prioritized the problematic student for teacher-student conferences for character rectification process by examining and understanding the barriers that are hindering them in their learning because they might be confronting stressful situations at home. Such a process could lead to successful classroom discipline (Terada, 2020). By doing so, the teacher could have prepared his students to be mindful of boundaries and limitations that they need to adopt for life in order to excel in their personal and academic skills (Pisano, 2019). The positive attitude of a teacher through modeling oneself plays a lively role in shaping students in many ways because errors are natural, but shaming students in front of others is unethical (Nagler, 2016). The teacher could have remained positive with the pupil and helped him to overcome the problems he was facing.

Moreover, beating them with a bamboo stick, slapping them, making them stand on the chair, and making them do the frog jump really demotivate them to study because it causes them to feel embarrassed in front of their friends and such punishment is not the solutions for positive discipline, instead the teacher could have assumed it not as student’s academic issue (Terada, 2020) and could have motivated his students because it is the motivation alone that can really encourage students to love learning despite minute problems with them (Young, 2014). I strongly believe that the teacher should engage students through a variety of strategies as this would allow them to build their emotions away from negative behavior. More than anything, motivating such students to achieve their goals through various feedbacks that are constructive in nature and remaining focused on student’s learning progress is the primary role of any teacher that would reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom.

Finally, Instead of becoming authoritarian in the class, the teacher could have changed himself as a guide or friend so that students open up if they have any issues that are bothering them in their learning process. The Teacher is considered a successful teacher who is focused on establishing a friendlier and positive environment in the classroom to win students’ hearts (Alleman & Brophy, 1998). The teacher could have taken some steps to win the hearts of such students by making his physical presence with his helping nature to boost the social and emotional skills that help them change themselves instead of punishing them brutally (Terada, 2020). Such action from the teacher would open the gate to developing the student-teacher relationship, creating room for them to understand how much their teachers love and care for them and respect their views (Rosier, 2020).

Conclusion

To conclude, the negative situation in the classroom depends on how a teacher handles the situation creatively and professionally. Failure to implement classroom management effectively leads to pandemonium in the classroom that would not promote positive learning because the students’ behavioral habits may have a negative impact on all students in the classroom. Focusing on boosting students’ self-control and positive discipline through the promotion of positive learning outcomes and improved behaviors always creates a good classroom climate with better learning outcomes in the classroom (Froyen & Iverson, 1999). Thus, a teacher should not physically punish students at any cost. 

 

Reference

Alleman, J., & Brophy, J. (1998). Classroom Management in a Social Studies Learning Community. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ565812

Froyen, L. A., & Iverson, A. M. (1999). Classroom Management. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://intime.uni.edu/classroom-management

Gujjar, A. A., & Naoreen, B. (2009). Role of Teachers as Classroom Manager. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1097655.pdf

Marzano, R. J., & Marzano. J. S. (2003). The Key to Classroom Management. Retrieved September 8, 2021 from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robert-Marzano/publication/283749466_The_Key_to_Classroom_Management/links/56f26c0908aed354e57293d3/The-Key-to-Classroom-Management.pdf

Nagler. (2016). Effective Classroom-Management & Positive Teaching. Retrieved September 6, 2021 from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1087130.pdf

Pisano, G. (2019). Classroom Discipline: Definition & Strategies. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://study.com/academy/lesson/classroom-discipline-definition-strategies.html

Save the Children. (1999). Teach, Don’t Hit. Retrieved September 11, 2021 from https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/node/1609/pdf/1609.pdf

Terada. (2020). 7 Classroom Management Mistakes—and the Research on How to Fix Them. Retrieved September 7, 2021 from https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-classroom-management-mistakes-and-research-how-fix-them

UNICEF. (2013). Corporal punishment of children in Bhutan. Retrieved September 11, 2021 from http://www.iccwtnispcanarc.org/upload/pdf/6543874685corporal%20punishment%20in%20Bhutan.pdf

Wikipedia. (2021). School discipline. Retrieved September 11, 2021 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_discipline#Disparities

Young, J. (2014). The importance of a positive classroom. In Encouragement in the Classroom. ASCD.   Retrieved September 11, 2021 from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/sf114049/chapters/The-Importance-of-a-Positive-Classroom.aspx