CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Effective Classroom Discipline: Nurturing a Positive Educational Space

11 November 2023/ By Zineb DJOUB

Classroom discipline is a crucial component of effective teaching and learning. It is a pre-requisite for teaching skills and expertise to shine, and the key to students to excel and progress. While the term may conjure images of strict teachers and punitive measures, effective classroom discipline is not just about control. It is about creating a space where both students and teachers can thrive. In this blog post, we will delve into what classroom discipline means and some essential strategies for achieving it.

# Engaging intrinsically students

Classroom discipline is not about teachers’ power to stifle students and make them comply. Instead, it is about your skills and enthusiasm to motivate and engage students actively in their learning journey.

This means effective classroom discipline is not forced and imposed through fear of punishment, but it is rather created and fostered through engaging lessons, positive feedback, and incentives.

In a disciplined classroom, students are not merely compliant because of external rewards or punishments; they are genuinely interested in learning and invested in their own academic progress.

So, effective classroom discipline engages intrinsically students.

To achieve this goal, we should take a proactive approach to discipline, taking steps beforehand to prevent behaviour problems from happening in the first place. This involves using proactive classroom management strategies that will help build relationships with students, clarify expectations, establish routines, and create a positive classroom culture.

These strategies will really save you a lot of time and energy and help you create a more positive and productive learning environment where students are eager to learn, participate actively, and make responsible choices.

# Sharing control for mutual benefit

When we think of effective classroom discipline, we should not focus on who holds or wins control of everything in the classroom, but on how and when we should share that control with students to benefit everyone involved.

There are instructional practices that require teachers’ primary control. For instance, when delivering instruction, we have to have control to grab students’ attention and get them focused. Similarly, when assessing their performance and providing feedback, we need to get them actively listening so that they can figure out how to close the existing learning gap or further improve.

However, in other practices, it is necessary to shift this primary control from the teacher to the students to actively involve them in the learning process and encourage them to take ownership of their education.

Student-centred instruction includes, for instance, students making choices, discussing their own ideas, performing their assigned roles within the group, self-assessing, and monitoring their progress.

Sharing control with students not only boosts their engagement, motivation, and critical thinking but also fosters mutual respect and empathy.

So, effective classroom discipline is about creating an inclusive environment where students and educators work together for the benefit of all. It’s not about relinquishing control entirely but about sharing it judiciously to empower students, foster their personal and academic growth, and build a classroom community where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

# Nurturing Self-Discipline and Responsibility

A classroom is a community of individuals who share the same goals and perspectives. They need to collaborate, share mutual respect, communicate regularly to clarify their intentions and experiences, and take responsibility for their actions and roles.

This means we need to make our students aware that we both strive for quality learning and self-discipline or the ability to regulate one’s own behaviour and impulses is key to achieving this goal.

As teachers, our role is to guide and support students to learn at their best and they need to embrace their learning, show commitment, and make efforts to progress.

So, effective classroom discipline involves nurturing self-discipline and responsibility in students.

To instill responsibility, we should set clear expectations and provide students with opportunities to make choices that align with those expectations. Moreover, to empower them to make responsible choices we should help them understand why certain classroom rules exist and how they contribute to a positive learning atmosphere.

It is also necessary to support and guide students towards self-discipline and responsibility. This is through incorporating restorative practices that provide opportunities for reflection and growth. For instance, if a student misbehaves or disrupts class, the teacher can initiate a restorative dialogue to allow the student to reflect on their actions, comprehend the impact on others, and devise a plan to make amends.

Other strategies to make students accountable for their misbehaviour and develop more self-discipline include:

• Holding one-on-one conferences with students to discuss their misbehaviour. After listening to them, you can collaboratively set goals for improved behaviour.
•  Using reflective assignments that encourage students to think deeply about their actions, their consequences, and how they can make better choices in the future.
• Setting up a system for students to track their own behaviour and progress such as behaviour charts or self-assessment tools that help students monitor and take ownership of their actions.
• Using misbehavior incidents as teaching opportunities to help students understand the consequences of their actions on themselves and others.
• Rewarding students when they demonstrate improved behaviour.

# Balancing discipline with support

We need to recognize that effective classroom discipline is not rigid, but flexible. It is important to understand individual students’ needs and adjust disciplinary approaches accordingly. So, besides fostering self-discipline in students, we need to acknowledge and address their needs because these can be the causes of their misbehaviours.

We should create a supportive framework for students that includes mentoring, counselling, individual teacher meetings, and access to resources that address students’ needs, such as academic challenges or emotional issues.

Further, support can come in the form of differentiating instruction and assessment, recognizing that each student is unique and may require tailored approaches to succeed. This recognition of individual needs can avoid disciplinary issues in the first place.

In conclusion, effective classroom discipline is the cornerstone of a positive educational space. It is not just about control but about engaging intrinsically students, creating an inclusive environment where control is shared, guiding students toward self-discipline and responsibility, and finding the right balance between discipline and support.

Ultimately, effective classroom discipline is about preparing students for a future where they can excel, contribute, and embrace the challenges of the world with grace and determination.