10.Do not threaten. in a well-organized classroom, students know the standards of conduct they are expected to maintain. When this situation prevails, there is no point in the teacher’s harping on the swift and terrible punishment that awaits the transgressor. Probably all teachers at one time or another have to take some sort of disciplinary action. But, provided the student is clear as to the nature of his infraction, there is no point in making threats. lf the standard is of such a nature that a violationdeserves punishment, then the teacher should punish. There is nothing to be gained by an extended lecture as to what the teacher is going to do when the next violation occurs.
ll. Avoid humiliating the pupil if possible. if we view our goal as intelligent self-control on the part of the student. then it follows that discipline is an integral part of the teaching-learning process. Actions or remarks that tend to humiliate a student do not promote learning, whether they occur in the area of mathematics, science, or self-control. in the complex field of human interaction, outcomes are difficult to predict. One teacher might comment on a student’s attire in such a way as to amuse the student and his peers. Another teacher might say essentially the same words but evoke a response of resentment and humiliation. The latter teacher would have been in a better position had he or she refrained from making such remarks until a working relationship had been established. A teacher can use terms relative to the school work, personal habits or even the ethnic background of students in such a way as to produce a violent reaction, to the complete surprise of the teacher. This can happen because certain words mean different things to different people. A teacher in an inner-city elementary school found that certain expressions, quite acceptable to her, had insulting connotations to some students. Think of the disciplinary problems this situation could have generated.
l2. Give the students responsibility if they can handle it. The extent to which this can be done varies widely. The assumption of responsibility on the part of the student is a growth process and should
be encouraged. One teacher at the lower elementary level has her class elect offices periodically. Then, working with and through the officers, the teacher is able to have the students take over such tasks as keeping the books in order or checking out playground equipment. One special merit that she sees in this plan is that it reduces the impression of “me versus them.” A secondary teacher arranged that members of his hobby club could work on a club project during their free time. The boys had a fight in the club room. The teacher turned it over to the club members to decide the punishment that would be applied. They not only made the decision as to what should be done; they enforced their decision.