British Preparatory Schools E-Book: Volume III--Discipline


Figure 1.--. 

As a beginning teacher, I had the idea that discipline was not an important matter and was much more interested in the subject matter. I was very quickly disabused of that misconception. The goal of a school is to inpart learning, but the simple truth is that without adequate discipline, learning can not occur. This is not to say that discipline is the central matter at school, it is to say that without basic discipline nothing of value can occur in the classroom. Often this is the principal difference between private and state schools in Britain, the private schools recognize the importance of discipline and insist on basic discipline statndards. There are of course many fine state schools and teachers which recognize this. Unfortunately teachers in the state school often are forced to devote inordinate efforts to the problem of discipline and a few unruly students, often without the adequate support of the school administration. This detracts from the effort on academics. These sort of problems and detractions are for the most part avoided at prep schools and the masters there can devote their efforts to the learning process. British schools, both state and private, schools once relied very heavily on corporal punishment. This had largely changed by the 1980s. Prep schools emplemented more humane and in the long run more effective systems that more rewarded positive behavior and punished negative behavior through system of pluses and minues. Different terms were used in various schools. The schools had not yet entirely discarded coroporal punishment by the 1980s, but it was no longer extebsively used.

Importance

As a beginning teacher, I had the idea that discipline was not an important matter and was much more interested in the subject matter. I was very quickly disabused of that misconception. The goal of a school is to inpart learning, but the simple truth is that without adequate discipline, learning can not occur. This is not to say that discipline is the central matter at school, it is to say that without basic discipline nothing of value can occur in the classroom.

School Views

Often this is the principal difference between private and state schools in Britain, the private schools recognize the importance of discipline and insist on basic discipline statndards. There are of course many fine state schools and teachers which recognize this. Unfortunately teachers in the state school often are forced to devote inordinate efforts to the problem of discipline and a few unruly students, often without the adequate support of the school administration. This detracts from the effort on academics. These sort of problems and detractions are for the most part avoided at prep schools and the masters there can devote their efforts to the learning process.

Discipline Methods

British schools, both state and private, schools once relied very heavily on corporal punishment. This had largely changed by the 1980s. Prep schools emplemented more humane and in the long run more effective systems that more rewarded positive behavior and punished negative behavior through system of pluses and minues. Different terms were used in various schools. Children who built up pluses received rewards and children who acquired minues had some activity restricted or punishmentlike trash detail or detention imposed. Some schools included pluses in house competitions. The schools had not yet entirely discarded coroporal punishment by the 1980s, but it was no longer extensively used.

Teachers

At most schools different teachers often had different attitudes and approaches to discipline. This was something the children quickly noted.

Children's Views

The children also touch upon discipline methods in their school writing.













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