Discipline in Elementary Schools

How it Affects Everyone

Dana ReeseEnglish 1105Mrs. Owens

September 6, 2009

Parents and teachers should work together as a whole to decide on discipline plans for the children in the schools

A child who has discipline will be a better student, have better grades, and get along better with

other students.

Children should know from the beginning that if they do something wrong they will be punished, and if they interrupt class by acting out that will also come with consequences. They should also have a reward for behaving in the appropriate manner.

Ask Americans what Ask Americans what worries them most about worries them most about

the public schools, and the the public schools, and the answer might surprise you: answer might surprise you:

discipline. For several discipline. For several decades now, poll after poll decades now, poll after poll shows it topping the list of shows it topping the list of parents' concerns. Recent parents' concerns. Recent

news stories—from the news stories—from the Columbine massacre to Columbine massacre to Jesse Jackson's protests Jesse Jackson's protests

against the expulsion of six against the expulsion of six brawling Decatur, Illinois, brawling Decatur, Illinois,

high school students to the high school students to the killing of one Flint, killing of one Flint,

Michigan, six-year-old by Michigan, six-year-old by another—guarantee that another—guarantee that the issue won't lose its the issue won't lose its urgency any time soonurgency any time soon

Hundreds of PreK-8 Hundreds of PreK-8 teachers from across the teachers from across the United States, Canada, United States, Canada, and elsewhere and elsewhere participated in a survey participated in a survey that covers everything that covers everything from classroom size, to from classroom size, to teacher’s beliefs on teacher’s beliefs on punishment, and punishment, and rewards. The median rewards. The median class size reported isclass size reported issomewhere between 16 somewhere between 16 and 23 students. The and 23 students. The teachers responding work teachers responding work in ain awide variety of socio-wide variety of socio-economic settings. economic settings.

87% of teachers surveyed disagreed

with the statement:’ rewards and

punishments train children to be

irresponsible'

45% of teachers surveyed have one

or more of their students

on individual behavior

contracts

42% of teachers report that class

meetings are an important

component of their behavior

management

approach

75% of teachers surveyed have a

written discipline plan with

stated expectations and

consequences

62% of teachers surveyed

report that they involved their students in some way in creating

their classroom rules

52% of teachers surveyed report

that their school has a school-

Wide discipline policy that

spells out the rules and

consequences

86% of teachers surveyed post their

classroomrules on a wall or

bulletin board in their classroom

Hundreds Surveyed

Hundreds Interviewed

88% of teachers surveyed agreed with the statement: ‘

Intrinsic rewards alone are not enough to motivate many

school-age children'.

64% of teachers surveyed disagreed with the statement: 'Teachers should use intrinsic rewards. Extrinsic rewards,

like stickers, are bribes'

62% of teachers surveyed reward their students

by table groups, teams, or rows to encourage

good behavior

78% of teachers surveyed use whole-class

rewards (rewards that

the entire class earns)

68% of teachers surveyed disagreed with

the statement: 'Punishing a child does not teach

a child to be responsible'.

72% of teachers disagreed with the statement:

'Most of the punishment teachers give children

is unnecessary'

There are many things parents and teachers should know There are many things parents and teachers should know about discipline such as discipline is not the same as about discipline such as discipline is not the same as

punishment. Instead, discipline has to do more punishment. Instead, discipline has to do more with teaching, and involves teaching your child right with teaching, and involves teaching your child right

from wrong, how to respect the rights of others, which from wrong, how to respect the rights of others, which behaviors are acceptable and which are not, with a goal behaviors are acceptable and which are not, with a goal

of helping to develop a child who feels secure and of helping to develop a child who feels secure and loved, is self-confident, self-disciplined and knows how loved, is self-confident, self-disciplined and knows how to control his impulses, and who does not get overly to control his impulses, and who does not get overly frustrated with the normal stresses of everyday lifefrustrated with the normal stresses of everyday life

All children are different and have All children are different and have different temperaments and different temperaments and

developmental levels and a style of developmental levels and a style of discipline that may work with other discipline that may work with other

children may not work with a certain one. children may not work with a certain one. Parents and teachers should also Parents and teachers should also

understand that how you behave when understand that how you behave when disciplining children will help to determine disciplining children will help to determine how children will behave or misbehave in how children will behave or misbehave in

the future.the future.

It is normal for childrenIt is normal for children

to test their limitsto test their limits

Discipline in elementary schools Discipline in elementary schools is such an important part of a is such an important part of a Childs first school experience.Childs first school experience.