Unusual Discipline

Hello everyone,

I'm thinking lately about unusual or creative disciplinary methods that teachers will sometimes try. These can sometimes work and they can sometimes backfire, and I thought I'd give you heads up on a few that come to mind.

Reality therapy: I like the idea of reality therapy. I was introduced to it in college, and I saw it at work when I worked at a psychiatric hospital years ago. In the hands of a skillful therapist, it can be very effective.

Sometimes teachers use something like reality therapy with their students. The idea is that you tell the kids, "Such and such is the logical end of the course you are choosing," or (one that I used once) "You need to study because you will never play in the NFL."

These aren't bad in and of themselves--necessarily. The problem comes with how you are interpreted. You need to be very careful with how students perceive you, which means that if you are going to use anything like a dose of reality, you ought to make sure you have a lot of time to completely explain your meaning.

Be careful of saying something that can be interpreted as saying that someone is stupid. The word "stupid" is far more offensive in Spanish than it is in English. Be careful that, when you judge a course to be stupid (such as telling the boy who announces that he wants to be a drug dealer when he grows up that his course is a stupid one--true story), that you cannot be interpreted as telling the boy that he is stupid. (You would be better off using another word that isn't a Spanish swear word.)

If you want to point out to students that failure to do well in American academics may land them in a low-paying, dead-end job, be careful that you are not dishonoring worthy people. Don't put down the custodian or garbage men or the hundreds of worthy jobs that people have. Homelessness and working at McDonald's forever are too easily dismissed as unlikely (most of them know how to get better jobs eventually). It usually works better to talk about the choices that education gives in choosing honorable work of all sorts.

Humiliation as tactic: Teachers have historically used this. I've seen many teachers try it with varying success. I can't recommend it. It backfires more than it succeeds, especially if you and the student come from differing backgrounds.

Don't make students wear humiliating clothes (hats or T-shirts), or stand or sit in humiliating places to punish them. It's a sure way to have their parents after your credential. Never give students humiliating labels or nicknames for discipline. (You even have to be careful with affectionate labels or nicknames, because the students might misinterpret them.) It's usually best to reprove them quickly and efficiently, and that's usually best done away from their peers. A sharp public reproof ("Please don't talk while I'm talking," or "Please switch seats so you can't talk with your friends") is more than sufficient.

I don't mean to take away all your possible disciplinary methods. Sometimes a creative way of dealing with someone can be very effective. I just want to make you aware of some pitfalls. Take time to evaluate whatever you do; reflect on your classroom practices; make changes when you need to and press on.

Jeff Combe