Extent of Force for Maintaining School Discipline - Research Paper Example

Extent of Force for Maintaining School Discipline Introduction Discipline is perhaps the most intricate part of an educator’s job. When teachers set high expectations, communicate rules and regulations, and demand frequent feedback, the presence of discipline is more likely to be sporadic. Along with teaching, maintaining school discipline is one of the basic responsibilities of teachers and administrators. Maintaining classroom discipline is an influential ability of great teachers. Through experiences, educators also get aware of how to maintain school discipline and adapt basic techniques in order to practice for those students who might differ significantly from the ones in past. Helping students to learn and govern their attitudes in such a way that it earns long-term benefits for them is a goal of a prudent teacher. Yet, not every teacher has this ability of maintaining classroom and school discipline without forcing, spanking, punishing, or humiliating students. Forcing students to comply with school discipline can be done in two ways; verbal forcing and physical forcing. There are number of ways through which verbal forcing can help teachers and students in maintaining discipline at school and in classroom without giving rise to any unpleasant situation. Verbally forcing is a way of teaching students rules and regulations. Verbal forcing is a common way of teaching policies and disciplinary actions, as it usually does not cause any harm to student or teacher. In fact, it results in satisfaction of parents also. The problem arises when teacher or administrator use physical forces to maintain discipline within the premises of school. Explanation When verbal forcing fails, the need of physical forcing emerges. This approach of disciplinary action often undermines the ability of student and results in nuisance in school system. Traditional approaches to maintain discipline have always remained punitive, negative, and reactive; therefore, they often lead to bad feelings for all the relevant parties. A positive approach to maintaining school discipline is to design a process that encourages good performance and solve performance problems. The basic notion behind this approach is to treat a student like an adult who need to solve a problem, instead of treating him like a child who must be punished. It is more likely that student will produce effective results and will correct the problem. Sugai, Sprague, Horner, and Walker, (2000) conducted a study to prevent violence at school. Sugai, Sprague, Horner, and Walker, (2000) stated that an upsurge is seen in the number of incidents related to violent behavior in schools. Educators are demanded to make schools safer. However, schools receive very little assistance and guidance in their endeavors to develop and retain a proactive discipline system. Sugai, Sprague, Horner, and Walker, (2000) provide an idea related to how office discipline referrals can be used as source of information in order to manage, monitor, and modify their interventions for schools that exhibit high rate of behavioral problems (Sugai, Sprague, Horner, and Walker, 2000). Hyman, and Perone, (1998) contributed a study related to impact of policies and procedures of educators on misbehavior of students in schools. Hyman, and Perone, (1998) stated that victimization of students by administrators, instructors, teachers, and other staff members of school, mostly under the name of discipline seldom contribute to alienation, aggression, or misbehavior of student. Yet, Hyman, and Perone, (1998) states that how these policies may contribute to school violence are mentioned in anecdotal evidence, survey data, and clinical studies. Assistance of school psychologists can be taken for the prevention programs (Hyman, and Perone, 1998). Unruly Behavior of Students – Statistics According to Daily Mail Reporter, (2011), teachers are more likely to be given powers to handle disruptive behavior of students in schools by using force on students. The ministry is seeking ‘unequivocally restore adult authority to the classroom’ after observing statistics related to increasing level of aggressive behavior in schools. The previous system in U.S. focused on ‘no touch’ policies but it is most likely to be replaced by new policies. Previously, teachers were not allowed to touch students in the course of teaching them an instrument or aiding them in an accident. After this amendment, teachers will be able to use reasonable force to prevent student from leaving or eject disruptive students from the classroom. This measure will enable the teacher to stand between students or block their path physically. Educators will now be allowed to restrain youngster in order to get them under control or guide them by arm (Daily Mail Reported, 2011). With this resolution, staff may get involved to prevent unruly students from attacking teachers or other classmate. Staff may also get involved in breaking up their fights. Furthermore, they will have the power to forcefully expel troublemakers from the lectures. This amendment was a result of statistics from Department for Education, which revealed that approximately 1,000 students are excluded for assault or abuse each day in the schools of England. The statistics are even worse in United States. The research organization Public Agenda reports the following statistics (Public Agenda, 2004). Nearly 78% (8 out of 10) teachers said that students are haste in reminding them that they or their parents have rights to sue them. Nearly 55% teachers reported that districts backing down from forceful parents leads to disciplinary problems at the schools nationwide. Nearly 49% of the teachers said that they have been accused due to unlawfully disciplining a pupil (Public Agenda, 2004). Recommended solutions by parents and teachers include stern enforcement of prevalent rules of conducts. Other solutions include limiting the ability of parents to sue school over disciplinary actions. According to Ruth A. Wooden, President of Public Agenda, disrespect, rowdiness, bullying, lateness, talking out, and loutishness – these types of misbehaviors are stirring poison in the learning environment of public schools. Almost in every other school, a minority of pupils consistently challenges legitimate rules, regulations, and authority of schools and therefore, are preventing teachers from teaching and majority of pupil from learning. Chairperson of Common Good, Philip K. Howard states that the current legal environment of schools undermines the school systems by empowering students and their parents to intimidate teachers by litigation over virtually anything (Public Agenda, 2004). Forcing Students to Maintain Discipline It is an intricate line for both teachers and parents to walk, and one solution does not seem to fit all situations. Spanking, punishing, or forcing physically - especially for young children – can surely bring the tantrum at the end, but one certainly notices that short-term relief comes at the expense of long-term health benefits. Parents usually disagree about whether it should be acceptable to raise a hand against their child, a large numbers of governments have decided to come up with one solution for this problem. This solution is banning any kind of violence by anyone against students. All over the world, societies have decided that in general violence is not all right. It violates the rights of children not be hit. Therefore, as much as 31 countries have forbidden spanking children by anyone. One does not need to worry about the line because it is either there or not. When it comes to U.S., the country has not yet adopted such a ban. In 2011, a bill was introduced in Congress, the purpose of which was to terminate corporal punishment in school. At the same time, spanking is likely to endure creating higher stakes and high passions as school district and individual states plan how to infer the available evidence of impact of corporate punishment on the health of children. Such bans already limit the ability of teachers to force students in order to comply with disciplinary regulations. Therefore, the idea of the ‘extent’ of forcing students in order to maintain discipline is nothing but vain. The previous conditions seem to continue when teachers have no power of overcoming unruly behavior of students. Using a small degree of force against student, but not deadly force, is justified if the administrator or teacher is entrusted with supervision, care, or administration of student. It can be applied only to the extent to which the administrator or teacher believes that force is necessary. However, teacher cannot force student to engage in a behavior that is painful, embarrassing, or physically uncomfortable. Furthermore, teacher can also not use derogatory procedures or languages that are formulated to humiliate student. Teacher may also not deprive a student from any basic need such as meal, nutrition, sleep, or clothing. Conclusion The government has an important role to play in this regard. They must give schools the support and freedom they require to provide a structured and safe environment in which educators can teach, and students can learn. For teachers, they should try to maintain discipline within the premises of school maximally by taking into account all the viable strategies and possible factors including appropriate learning and teaching material in order to stimulate the thirst of learning and inherent capacity of students. Parents must also try to comply with regulatory policy of school and should observe whether their child at mistake of not. Parents’ leniency can spoil their own child. For students, it is recommended to support the teachers and not to give them any chance for demonstrating force at them. Works Cited Public Agenda Press Release. “Discipline Problems, Unruly Behavior Seriously Threatening Student Achievement” 11th May 2004. Web. 5th December 2013. Park, Alice. “Should Teachers Be Allowed to Spank Students?” 1st October 2012. Web. 5th December 2013. Daily Mail Reporter. “Teachers will be allowed to use force on unruly pupils as ministers lift 'no touching' rules to restore classroom discipline”. 11 July 2011. Web. 5th December 2013. Sugai, George, Sprague, J. R., Horner, R. H., and Walker, H. M. “Preventing School Violence The Use of Office Discipline Referrals to Assess and Monitor School-Wide Discipline Interventions” Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 8.2(2000): 94-101. Print. Perone, D.C. and Hyman, I. A., “The Other Side of School Violence: Educator Policies and Practices That May Contribute to Student Misbehavior” Journal of School Psychology 36.1(1998): 7–27. Read More