DisciplinePhilosophy

My philosophy about discipline is that discipline and classroom management exist as

additional learning experiences for students. I find that my philosophy of discipline is best
realized in the classroom through classroom rules and guidelines that need to be established on
the first day and reinforced throughout the beginning of the school year and at the beginning of
each semester. Good discipline should not come from a teachers desire to control their student or
to assert power over their students, but discipline should come from a desire to teach students to
self-assess and self-regulate their own behavior. A well-disciplined student understands what is to
be socially healthy and independently productive, and can correct his or her own behavior when
straying from these ideals. It is this kind of student that can resolve conflicts in a healthy way and
knows what productive behavior look like.
Students need to have an understanding of why certain behaviors are expected before a
student is disciplined. Discipline is a process that does not end with a reprimand or non-verbal
communication directed towards a student. With a set of classroom rules, expectations and
consequences in place, students should understand why certain expectations exist. While behavior
needs to be dealt with appropriately during a class, I think that the management process does not
end there. If negative behavior is recurring, and is especially severe, I will have a conversation
with that student outside of class about their behavior. It is important during these conversations
that I express interest in why the student behaved how he or she did, and for the student to
suggest how he or she could have handled the situation better.
Many discipline issues can be avoided through the use of preventative classroom
management. Most management strategies serve to minimize idle time for students. In

disciplining students, I believe it is never necessary to use physical force to handle a student. In
severe behavioral situations an administrative official should be notified for assistance. Many
small problems, such as disruptive side conversations or off-task behavior, can be managed by
increasing proximity to the student, or by simply approaching an off-task student and asking how
he or she is doing.
Excessive transition times between activities can create behavior problems. Taking the
extra time to teach students how to transition, with clear directions and modeling the transition
with a group of students for the class, can help deal with uncertainties that give students the
opportunity to display negative or off task behaviors. Transition times also include the transition
in and out of class. I think it is helpful to develop routines for these transitions. At the end of class
I conclude class by allowing students to voice questions they may still have about the lesson, and
reinforce cues and techniques that were necessary for successful lesson objective completion.
Whether this is done verbally, or otherwise, I think it is important to use the last few minutes of
class to help students transition out of class and thereby easing their transition into their next
class.
Finally, stronger disciplinary actions, such as verbal reprimands or removing the student
from the classroom, should be withheld and used only when necessary. I think an appropriate
consequence to negative behavior builds mutual respect in the student-teacher relationship and
helps the student differentiate between minor and major offenses. This will build stronger
connections between the student and teacher and will foster greater attitudes of community and
understanding of the type of behavior that is expected and that which is not acceptable.