Didactics for third year /group 04 Mrs.
Madani
Discipline problems
Discipline means that:
1- Learning is taking place in a disciplined classroom. The relationship between discipline
and learning is not direct at all. There might be well disciplined classes where no learning is
taking place and some learning might happen in undisciplined classes, but we can say in
general that more learning is likely to take place in a disciplined classroom because:
a- more time will be spent on task than on organisation and dealing with
disruptive behaviour,
b- the teacher can monitor better what is going on and can help when
needed to prevent problems in learning.
2- The teacher is in control – this does not mean that s/he dominates the class or is standing
in front of the class telling everyone what to do.
3- Teacher and students are cooperating smoothly.
4- The lesson is proceeding according to the plan – a lesson which is going according to the
plan is more likely to be disciplined, because the teacher knows where s/he is going, activities
are well-prepared and organised, and the awareness that the process is clearly planned tends to
boost teacher’s confidence and students’ trust, which in their turn also contribute to discipline.
Why discipline problems occur
There are many reasons for problem behaviour. it can stem from students’
reactions to their teacher’s behaviour, from other factors inside the classroom, or
from outside factors.
the family – sometimes indiscipline can be traced back to a difficult home
situation,
education – students’ expectations of learning experience can be coloured
either by unpleasant memories or by what they were once allowed to get away
with.
self-esteem – a lack of respect from teacher or peers can make students feel
frustrated and upset. In such a situation disruptive behaviour is an attractive option,
boredom – when the chosen topic or activity is inappropriate, students show
their lack of interest by behaving badly,
external factors – teachers notice significant behaviour changes in different
weathers, sometimes a high wind tends to make their students go wild,
what the teacher does – students who feel their self-esteem to have been
damaged especially if we are unfair, it is more likely for the students to be badly
behaved in the future,
time of the day – the class is in the afternoon, so students are tired, or sleepy, or
hungry,
a desire to be noticed – adolescents often need to be noticed or have a desire
to be noticed in some way.
Solution: teacher should challenge these students with activities that should not let
them take over centre stage.
Teacher’s role in maintaining discipline
by careful planning of the lesson – when a lesson is clearly planned and organised,
students’ attention will be kept on the task.
creating a code of conduct – have a clear code of conduct established through
discussion.
consistency – do not ban students something one week and allow it the next week
because it can lead to the loss of respect.
fairness – teachers should always try to avoid having favourites or picking on
particular individuals. Most teachers have students that they like or dislike more
than others, but a major part of their job is not to show these preferences or prejudices
in the classroom.
attitude – do not have a negative attitude to learning, a teacher, who does not really
care about his job, who is insensitive to students’ reactions to what is happening in the
classroom will lose the respect of the students and it is the first step to problems of
disruptive behaviour.
interpersonal relationships – if students respect you and each other, they are
more likely to cooperate. Fostering a feeling of respect and of good will is an
important factor.
methodology – do not give boring classes; students who are interested and
enthusiastic do not generally exhibit problem behaviour. The greatest simple cause of
indiscipline is boredom. You should vary your teaching techniques and you should
time activities very carefully.
instructions – problems sometimes arise due to students’ uncertainty about what they
are supposed to be doing.
professionalism – students respect teachers who show that they know what
they are doing; it can be demonstrated not only by our knowledge of our subject but also
by evidence that we have invested time in thinking about and planning our lessons.
Dealing with the rising problems
be firm – a relaxed and friendly atmosphere is desired but not at all cost,
immediate action – students often try to find the limits how you can tolerate
misbehaviour, do not let things get out-of-hand, react to these problems immediately,
deal with it quietly – immediate action does not mean making a scene, keeping a low
profile of deviant activity is important.
do not take things personally – try to relate to the problem not the student as the
object to be attacked and dealt with; do not let students pull you into personal conflicts.
do not use threats – teachers who threaten students with terrible punishments and then
do not carry them out are doing both the class and themselves a disservice.
When the problem has exploded
do not raise your voice – Trying to establish control by raising your voice and
shouting has disastrous consequences for it contributes to the general raising of the
level of noise in the classroom,
reseating – an effective way of controlling a student who is behaving badly is
to make the student sit in a different place immediately; troublesome students should
be separated.
change the activity – if the majority of the class seem to be gradually getting out of
control, a change of activity will often restore order.
talks after the class – when one of the students is continually causing trouble, the
teacher should take that student to one site after the class is over and the student
should be given a chance to say why s/he behaves in this way.
