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As a teacher of 3 years now I do find that classroom discipline is very important. I would prefer to not use the word “punishment” as it seems to be a negative word so I will continue to use the word “discipline.” I do believe that teachers should discipline their students for bad behavior. It helps create a more organized classroom and I find that it helps the teacher have a little bit more control, which is especially helpful if the teacher is dealing with young learners. I do think there are some forms of discipline that work well that are not extreme. School should be a fun place to learn so teachers should not have extreme forms of discipline to scare the students. I have tried out a few forms of discipline in my own classes and from my own experience I like to explain and demonstrate classroom rules; rules that are culturally appropriate for the classroom. I find that having rules sets the standard for how good or bad behavior will be tolerated in the classroom. My class will all together come up with a list of 10 classroom rules and the rules are clearly displayed with words and pictures so every student can see it and understand it. Once these rules are identified and clearly understood by the students then they go into effect. I find that a benefit for having the rules clearly laid out is that the students can keep an eye out on their classmates as well and they can let the teacher know if someone is not sharing toys or if someone else is running inside. One of the big rules I have for my classroom is “no fighting.” The students will fight over toys or markers or books and then it can lead to physical fighting, which is not tolerated in my school. So as a teacher I want to prevent any physical altercations. My students know that if they fight and it does get physical where they are pushing or hitting each other then there will be consequences to their actions. I explain to my students that they are rewarded for good behavior. For example, if the class does not fight during drawing time then they can have a longer outdoor play time. However, if two boys are fighting over a box of markers then that play time privilege is taken away for a certain amount of time. I find this method to be very effective for my classroom of 5 year olds. I am rewarding and praising good behavior while also taking away privileges. I understand that some teachers and even some schools prefer to not discipline their students for bad behavior. I also know that it is a cultural thing as well. Some schools in China for example are very harsh when it comes to classroom discipline whereas in Brazil it is more laid back. I do believe that it is important to set a certain standard in the classroom and make sure to carry it out. It does help with classroom management and control and in most cases it can lead to a better organized classroom and also a safer classroom.
