Self-control developed in early childhood is indicative of a child’s ability to demonstrate self-control later on in life. As teachers who have vital attachments with our students, it is our responsibility to help students to internalize self-control. We must also constantly be aware of those factors that hinder effective discipline and therefore undermine self-control and prevent internalized change and growth.
Teachers have the power to directly help students in their ability to internalize self-control. We should verbally encourage students that display self-control. Frequently teachers should self-assess their expectations of students, regarding self-control, to ensure that these expectations are age appropriate. The classroom environment is under the teacher’s direct control and it is therefore, our responsibility to remove distractions from sight if a situation demands high self-control from our students. Bergin and Bergin inform us that, “situations that remove temptations from sight result in greater self-control.” For instance, it would not be of best judgment to allow some students to play educational computer games in close proximity to those students who are trying to complete work at their desks. Such computer games would be stimulating and distracting to students who are trying to exercise self-control. Teachers should also talk to parents of students that struggle in this area. By getting the parents on board with you in-class initiatives, you are helping a parent to understand how important it is that their child develop self-control.
Teachers can also use their knowledge about self-control and human development to teach students ways that they can monitor their own self-control. For example, if there are certain students that are easily angered and explosive, a teacher can tell them it is completely appropriate for them to ask to go to the bathroom in order to have some time to cool off. We can also give our students tips such as generating their own distractions when they are tempted to lose self-control.
Effective discipline the most important key to self-control. Effective discipline is hindered when teachers allow power struggles or authority complexes to command a difficult situation. Instead of using induction, it is easy for a teacher to lose self-control and demand that a child leave the room or to “obey orders, or else.” When a teacher loses self-control in this way it sets a very poor example for students. I have often seen these power struggles. Even though the teacher may “win” it is ugly and the students completely disengage and no values are internalized.
If we, as teachers, don’t take the time and patience to establish and practice daily routines, procedures and expectations we are creating an environment that hinders effective discipline, as much of this discipline can be prevented by excellent classroom management. It is insufficient to explain classroom rules the first day of school and then to expect students to recall them months later. We need to practice routines and explain expectations, rules and consequences consistently throughout the early months of the school year. According to Bergin and Bergin, “research finds that teachers who are good classroom managers spend considerable time at the beginning of the school year explaining rules and procedures. We also have a problem if we explain these rules and procedures and don’t consistently and fairly enforce them. It is easy to let little things “slide,” however, it hinders effective discipline when we lose this consistency in our rules and procedures.
As teachers we also can prevent effective discipline if we are too authoritarian and don’t establish a positive and caring environment where students know that they will be corrected, however, they will still be safe. Harsh discipline in a negative environment instills fear and orders may be followed, however, values will not be internalized. In Bermuda, this is far too often a problem. Both teachers and parents can discipline in a way that is extremely harsh, with threats and shouting, and unfortunately, students have complete disrespect and fail to take many teachers seriously unless they threaten and shout. Fortunately, we know that with persistence and induction this can be reversed.
Disorganized teachers that walk into class late and have to fiddle with papers and figure out what they’re doing for the period also hinder effective discipline as they provide students with the time and opportunity to lose self-control.
We also need to ensure that “intended punishment is not reinforcing.” For instance, I know some students thrive on having a “bad” image. They want to be infamous as the student who gets sent out of class and never takes things seriously. We shouldn’t reinforce that image, but instead set high expectations, even for these difficult students.
A lack of effective discipline at home will also hinder effective discipline at school. During a student-teaching experience I had the unpleasant experience of watching a parent barge into a classroom during the social studies period and then begin to shout at the teacher. This display of lack of self-control by a parent is poor modeling for her child and will hinder effective discipline at school; the teacher will have to spend a lot of time and be very patient in order for the student to understand the value of self-control. Permissive parents who lack consistency and any expectations also hinder effective discipline as they may fail to enforce the need for homework to be done at home. Bergin and Bergin inform their readers that, “children of permissive parents have relatively poor self-control and poor academic performance,” mainly due to the lack on monitoring in the home.
Some communities can send negative expectations regarding their students, and this too, can hinder effective discipline. These negative expectations can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy and students will act as is expected.
Ultimately, as teachers we should seek to foster internalized discipline in our students and look for ways to promote effective discipline. We should educate our students, our co-workers, parents and ourselves about the importance of both self-control and effective discipline to help all members of our school communities.
