Most matters relating to student discipline can be resolved easily by the teacher by using a reasonable and fair approach. Sometimes, a teacher may want to refer the child to higher authority, but this should only be resorted to after several attempts to correct misbehaviour have not worked.
Often discipline is the symptom of another problem such as:
- The student trying to get attention
- The student being unable to cope with the work set
- The student coming from a background where they have not been taught the fundamentals, and are finding themselves too far behind
Madressa's Learning Support department is a group of teacher / volunteers who spend a time with the student on a 1:1 basis and mentor the student to bring them up to speed, or try to determine the root cause of a problem.
If you feel a student in your class needs additional support, please see a member of the Learning Support team, or alternatively speak to a member of the administration team.
Corporal punishment is not acceptable at the Madressa. Amongst the few acceptable forms of caution are making students stand for a part of the lesson, writing lines and detention during break-time. These measures must be used sparingly as well.
DO
- Take it easy – don’t get excited.
- In cases of dispute, listen to both sides and then try asking the students what they think should be done about it.
- Before issuing punishment, try to find out if the discipline problem has external causes, e.g. problems at school or at home.
- Be reasonable in issuing punishments.
- Criticise the behaviour of the child, not the child itself. You may say, “that was a silly thing to do”, and not, “You are a stupid and lazy child.”
DON’T
- Punish the whole class for the misbehaviour of a few. (Unless the whole class has had a passive or active involvement in the misdemeanour)
- Use sarcasm, ridicule or harsh punishment.
- Embarrass a child in public.
- Isolate the child from the class – experience has shown that that does not serve as a deterrent.
- Use academic marks as punishment.