Discipline in the classroom can be a tricky issue for teachers. It is difficult to attain a structured and ordered class, some teachers can find this very hard to accomplish. There must be a balance, for however essential it is to have an ordered classroom; a teacher cannot spend all of their time trying to attain it. There are a plethora of different strategies available to teachers trying to instill discipline in their students. This essay will attempt to examine the most effective of these strategies and how they can be best employed in the classroom.
Classroom discipline is not maintained by punitive measures alone, in fact they should be a last resort in the teacher’s arsenal. Preventative measures should be taken to ensure a relaxed and inclusive learning environment, thereby excluding the possibility of bad behaviour. First and foremost a teacher must establish a good rapport with their students, this means that the students should have a healthy respect for their teacher while not feeling unable to freely and easily communicate to their teacher about all and any aspects of their education. This means using a combination of all the learning styles to ensure that all the students feel safe and included. Teacher participation, I.e. the teacher using personal stories to illustrate concepts, this helps the students develop a personal connection with the teacher while learning.
Teachers must also ensure that what they are teaching is interesting. There is nothing like boredom to promote bad behaviour. Material used in lessons should always be as engaging as possible so as to motivate students to want to learn and participate.
However bad behavior can never be avoided totally, whether it be due to students being tired at the end of the week or other external issues.
Often the most simple and obvious methods work the best, for example: placing disruptive students at the front of the class is a good way to encourage them to engage with the lesson. Separating students that disrupt each other can also be an effective strategy. Teachers must never spend time arguing with students, but must quickly halt any disruptions. Teachers must be careful however to be sure not to be too negative towards students and be aware that the students will respond much better to positive encouragement. Exclusively using punishments will only serve to further alienate students that are having problems.
There is a possibility that teachers will be confronted with extreme cases. These might be children with ADHD or learning difficulties. Children with ADHD should be referred for appropriate assessment and treatment, as this will prove very effective in most cases and will avoid the student being punished for something they have little control over. Similarly students with learning difficulties should receive appropriate assessment, which can then help the teacher tailor the learning process for that particular student. Above all teachers must be aware of the needs of their students and not simply interpret bad behavior as a disruptive child but deal with the problem at its root.
In conclusion, classroom discipline and good behavior from the students is not something that can be attained overnight but is part of the overall approach to teaching. Discipline is integral to every element of teaching, and if done well won’t appear as a conscious process but an implicit part of life in the classroom.