Discipline problems
by Nina M. Koptyug, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English,
Lyceum # 130, Novosibirsk, Russia
In her article, the author examines the causes of discipline problems in class and possible solutions to them. She goes on to say that there are a few stages that must be followed when trying to deal with students' misbehaviour in class, the first of which is identifying the causes.
The author quote from someone anonymous, "For every person wishing to teach, there are thirty persons not wishing to be taught". Next, Nina M. Koptyug comments that different types of learners may depend on the their families' well-being. Besides, students may come to classanoxious about an upcoming test in another subject, which, by the author, will influencen establising good rapport with them.
As stated in the article, another reason for discipline problems occuring is students' inability to cope with the tasks.According to the article, the second stage is identyfing the ringleaders. The author goes on to say that it is vital to keep ringleaders busy. Whereas the third stage is varying traditional tasks. By the author, it is beneficial, in terms of discipline, to praise students' for their achievments and alternate tasks which cover skills that students have difficulty with. The author gives an example of working in a computer lab as a good means of enhancing students' writing and pronunciation abilities.
Another stage, mentioned by the author, is increasing students' motivation, which, according to her , can be attained in a variety of ways depending on the students' grade level.
The last stage, which is elaborated on in the article, is what the author calls establising the priorities. Nina M. Koptyung points to the role that the teacher play in a classroom. According to her, it is the teacher that is responsible for everything that goes on and who has the power to restore good rapport with students. Yet, the author claims that this cannot be achieved without the feeling of self-confidence.
My opinions,
Nina M. Koptyug gives an account for discipline problems, but in my opinion this explanation is too shallow. Apart from the family situation of a student and the timetable clashes, there are a few more causes of classroom problems, in my opinion.
One of these can be the peer pressure and the trends of the day. For some it can be undoable to work in class because of their feeling that no one should command them. Some students reject the notion of school as such as they do not want to feel subjected and this does not have to be any related with student's family's hardships.
As to keeping the ringleaders busy, I would like to say that this should be done with a possitive approach, meaning, not to treat learning a language as a tool of repression. I do believe that such motivation for working in class can lead to disastrous results. From psychological point of view, once external motivation seizes to exists people do not feel motivated at all. I think that this rule would apply to teaching just perfectly.
Talking about motivation, I am a supporter of the idea that students should find the point of learning languages only by themselves. Of course, teachers can help them do it, but this should not turn into a teacher's endless talking about the need for learning languages due to final exams coming up.
Finally, I would like to express my doubts about the role of teacher in class presented in the article. The author wrote that the teacher must be the boss and the students will feel it. In my opinion, what students need to feel foremost is that they are responsible for their learning, their achievments etc. What I mean by that is that it is much better to evoke internal motivation in students rather than the external one.
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