Educational Issue: Discipline with Dignity

Concerning disciple I have always felt that taking a more pragmatic approach is almost always the best choice. Behavior is the result of so many different contributing factors, and to ignore these factors is to ignore the source of the behavior. If we as teacher’s take a blanket, one size fits all approach to discipline the behavior will never be corrected, at best covered up through detentions and suspensions, until the student accrues enough of these behavioral marks that they are eventual forced to leave school entirely. Now this student who needed the most help ultimately results in receiving the least. Rather than sweeping students away that teachers come in conflict with, we as teachers should strive to work through these conflicts, it is our job as teachers to teach our students, and this responsibility should not end at our chosen content. If it is that we help to teach our students to work collaboratively or with a community of peers than that too is our fundamental responsibility.

            It is important that before issuing any kind of punitive measures that we fully understand the implications of the behavior that we are trying to correct and how the student is affected. If teachers do not fully understand why a negative behavior has transpired then are they really in a position to fairly deliver judgment onto the student?