Classroom Discipline and Management

Book excerpt: Classroom discipline remains the single most common problem educators face in their day-to-day teaching. Because discipline problems are so prevalent and difficult to solve, many educators and specialists in related fields have attempted to provide help for teachers. Their suggestions come from a variety of perspectives and are based on different assumptions about the purposes of schooling and the capabilities of students. Teachers often fail to scrutinise the assumptions on which these discipline approaches are based or to measure them against their own values and educational philosophy. This text is designed to help teachers explore various approaches to classroom discipline along with their own personal philosophy. The text emphasizes informed decision-making. The teacher must have an understanding of the assumptions behind a disciplinary approach, as well as the theory and practical applications of that approach.