Volume 9, Issue 1

JanuaryMarch 2011

In this Issue
i ii iii iv v Is school teaching children the right value? Share, Delegate, Earn Trust in the Classroom Inculcating Positive Discipline Inside Scoop The Creation of a Teacher Jenny Mosley vi As a H.M of a school, how do you maintain discipline without resorting to corporal punishments? Teacher as a Scaffold 02 03 04 04 05 06

08 10

vii

EDITORIAL

Dear Teacher, Happy New Year! This quarters edition is centered around DISCIPLINE. Discipline is the secret of coherence in any organized group; Soccer Teams, Political Parties, Whatever. No discipline, No coherence. Discipline is a necessary life skill for all achievement, especially great achievements. Without discipline, there can be no scientific advances (eg. penicillin); no entrepreneurial and industrial achievement (eg. mass-produced motor cars); no settled system of Law and Order (look at any advanced democratic country) and no literary achievements (eg. Chetan Bhagat). Children have to be able to take care of themselves to make it inside and outside of school life. It is very unique that each individual knows how to carry themselves. The way we speak, what we speak, things we do, speaks volumes about us. The importance of using Rewards and Recognitions to Lead; How to create a fair environment where everyone feels important and The importance of task allocation are the hallmarks of the towering personality profiled in this issue. She has brought a sea change through her work in the UK and abroad. Read about Jenny Mosley, In this issue, we are also going to read different points of view with regard to the act of disciplining. Students and teachers have expressed their thoughts and views on the topic. Read on and send me your thoughts on the views presented at [email protected] Cheers Editor

Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Is school teaching children the right value?

Recently I came across this poser in one of the newspapers. Over the past few months, we are waking up to the news about the CWG fraud or about how the politicians are raking in big money at the expense of us poor tax payers. Are corruption and cheating the only form of dishonesty? In my opinion dishonesty can take various forms.
We Indians have discovered a game which we all play with lan right from childhood and we take special effort to hone this skill at all times. The name of this game is passing the buck! The refusal to take the onus of responsibility and finding a scapegoat for our actions is the major character flaw of us Indians. Take the example of a child who falls down as it takes the first few faltering steps or as it rides its new cycle. We display our anger on an inanimate object that caused the fall or the nearest person who we could hold responsible. Blame game Needless to say our intention is to divert the childs attention, but very rarely have I found a parent say, falling is a part of growing up! and brushing away the incident. Soon, the child graduates to blaming the peer for lost books or pencils and the partial teachers and tough question papers for missing marks! I am yet to come across a student saying, These poor marks are a true reflection of my complete lack of preparation! Many a times it is not schools or any institution but the adult in a childs life that leads to this dishonest trait in us. In my early years of teaching, I found myself only dealing with complaints of young students. I came up with a bright complaint box wherein all complaints had to be placed and the matters would be sorted out in the last period of the week. Trust me, the complaints slowly petered out and by the third week the box was made redundant. The whole episode went on to prove that when we have sympathetic ears, our complaints are usually vociferous. Children need to be given brownie points whenever they accept their mistakes and take responsibility for their actions both at home and school. Needless to say, the adults should set an example for the same and not blame the barking of the dog for the burnt offering on the dining table!

Taking credit for others job is another major drawback of us Indians. Recently, I read an article on how a young girl fresh out of college shared her brainwave with her colleagues over lunch and found that someone in her group had passed off the idea as her own to the boss. Can we say to the shattered girl, Welcome to the corporate world! Isnt it unethical to pass off others ideas as your own? Foreign universities take a serious view to plagiarism, and we need to teach our children to exercise self-check. It would also be beneficial if schools encourage projects that demand team effort. This would teach students to be a team player and accept that every drop in the ocean counts. I am not talking about personal wealth. It is sharing of relevant information with your colleagues and employees. We are fast becoming world class poker champions and we hold important information close to us that we do not mind costing the company big money or holding success at bay all for the simple pleasure of playing power games. It would be beneficial for these power mongers to follow Joseph Badaracco, a professor of Harvard Business School, In todays environment, hoarding knowledge ultimately erodes your power. If you know something very important, the way to get power is by actually sharing it. Finally, the revival of conducting moral value classes in schools would not be amiss. When I go down memory lane, I remember some amazing stories told at these classes and I appreciate them more today than I did at that time. By Chandrika Krishnan in The Deccan Herald on 19th Nov, 2010

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Share, Delegate, Earn Trust in the Classroom

Paul Dix in the Guardian contd. from the previous issue... in his wake can be dealt when he is calm. Your calm and considered response will be closely observed by the rest of the class and they will be impressed by your confidence even in those emotionally fuelled moments.

Jobs for the boys and girls

At the primary level, students mutual trust is encouraged through sharing and delegating jobs in the classroom. A well organised teacher will have students handing out resources, clearing and cleaning the room, preparing activities for various activities etc. The students learn how to share responsibility with others and accept responsibilities for themselves. It is often said that primary schools teach students to be independent and secondary teaches them not to be. The tasks and responsibilities that you are able to share may seem mundane and trivial but by doing this an ethos of shared responsibility can be given a secure foundation.

Dont just get down, get way down

It is often said that getting down to the students eye level is important when delivering praise or sanctions to students. I have often observed teachers who think they are at students eye level but are actually demanding that the students look up at them. I prefer the student to be looking down at me, teachers who do this know that crouching down lower than eye level is not weak but assertive and confident physical language. When you are delivering sanctions there is less chance of a defensive/aggressive reaction, and when praising, you create a more private space in the room.

Pro-actively developing relationships with students

Its not about trying to get down with the kids. Choose your opportunities to build a relationship with a student carefully. Open up casual conversation when the student appears relaxed and unguarded. Try asking for help or advice, giving the student something you know they are interested in (a newspaper cutting, web reference, loan copy of a book) or simply say hello and pass the time of day. Aim for little and often, rather than launching into a lengthy and involved conversation. Your aim is to gently persuade the student that you are committed to building trust. Remember, your intervention may be unwelcome at first so be prepared for your approaches to be rejected. The student may be testing to see how committed to developing the relationship you really are. With persistence your reward can be a positive relationship that others will be amazed at....How do you get him to behave like that? In my lessons, hes made a home under the table and refuses visitors.

Duty at the School Gates

Duty at the School Gates is not a popular pass time for many teachers. The complications of unwanted visitors mixing with students as they arrive or leave is compounded by the confusion of where the teachers jurisdiction lies. Yet, just as you can nurture a positive atmosphere in the classroom standing by the door welcoming students or re-inforcing positive behaviour at the end of the lesson, so you can have an impact at the school gates. Your physical and verbal language is read by students as they pass; if you are calm, confident, positive, smiling and soft spoken, it will reinforce students who are following the rules. Be a bombastic figure and walk around like a cartoon policeman, you will invite aggression and negative responses!

Classroom Makeover
With the growth of the interactive white board and use of computer screens for teaching, many classrooms are reverting to students in rows with the teachers desk arranged at the front and in the corner. Thirty years ago the classroom was arranged for students to see the blackboard, now technology has replaced chalk but difficulties of inflexible classroom configurations remain. With students in rows and the teachers sitting behind their desk, there are many places for students to escape to. If you cannot get to students quickly and easily, then the classroom becomes an arena where conversations about behaviour are broadcast for everyone to hear. Confrontations become more frequent, delivery of praise less subtle and as the teacher retreats behind the desk, the physical divide can easily develop into a psychological one. Desks in rows with the teachers desk at the front makes the management of behaviour harder, stifles gentle human interaction and forces most conversations to be broadcast publicly. They may be able to see the screen but are they engaging with it or with you ?

Chase Me: What to do with secondary behaviors

Secondary behaviors are those that occur during your intervention or as you begin a conversation with a student. They are chase me behaviors designed to push your buttons and gain a furious response. When you have exhausted all of your positive reinforcement, redirection technique, warnings and sanctions and need the student to leave the room, secondary behaviors are the chairs being thrown back or the door being slammed or the infuriating smile that slowly cracks across his face. Dont allow him to take control of your behavior. Resist the temptation to address the secondary behaviors in the moment. Instead, record them and deal with them later.

The fact that he has left the room means that he has followed your instructions; the dramatic trail of disruption that he has left

Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Inculcating Positive Discipline

Manju Sharma, Principal, Delhi Public School (Bangalore South)

INSIDE SCOOP

For someone from outside India, the clause in The Right to Education Act banning corporal punishment was surprising. In my mind, using physical or verbal aggression is counter productive to learning--students just dont learn and think if theyre scared or bullied! Many of lifes circumstances are created by three basic choices: the disciplines you choose to keep, the people you choose to be with and the laws you choose to obey. Charles Mill huff
Positive discipline is a program designed to teach young people to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their community. At DPS we believe that self discipline is better learned through guidance than through punishment. It is better learned through a we are a team, I am the leader, its my job to help you grow up approach rather than through a me against you approach. At the Primary level listening and answering as an equal and not as an instructor is encouraged. Criticising, discouraging, creating obstacles and barriers, using sarcastic or cruel humour or using physical punishment is strictly discouraged. The students are allowed to feel valued. Children are motivated to change strategies rather than blame others. Positive discipline is fostered by an efficient management of day to day activities and by upholding high standards of conduct. The institution should set a high bench mark in discipline which the students attain not only by means of written rules but also by an unwritten code of conduct prevailing in the school. Cleanliness, punctuality, courtesy, respect and helpfulness are positive attributes that the school inculcates in its students. These traits are carried with them beyond the portals of the school into their personal and professional lives. All this can be achieved by a self-imposed discipline which is the driving force behind the success of every individual. Discipline that is enforced with corporal or other punishment is superficial and may breed rebellion. On the other hand positive discipline promotes character building and this is what schools should strive hard to achieve. The best way to prevent discipline problems is to have a well thought out, clearly structured and engaging lesson. I first heard these words as a teacher in training and remind myself of them every time I plan . Would I be bored in this class if I were a student? If the answer is yes, then I rework my plan-more activities, more movement and relevant examples. I do not give students time to get bored or misbehave. The next question is always, Are the expectations clear? Confusion leads to uncertainty and opportunities for disruptive behavior. Students rightly want to be paid attention-good or bad. To ensure its positive attention, I dont sit down when I teachI am always walking around the room, moving from student to student and insisting on their participation. As someone starts to squirm or look as if they are plotting something disruptive, I dont wait for the act, but stand next to the student, insist he or she read or ask a question. If students know youre watching-all the time-the attempts to sneak in a poke or pass a note arent there anymore. Let the students ask questions, be engaged and share what they know. If I show them respect when they speak-face them, give them full attention-they follow my model and return it to me and their peers. They are people with feelings, just as teachers are, and treating each other accordingly builds a learning environment of mutual respect. Everston and Randolph write, classroom management must not be seen as an end in itself, but as a contributing factor in student learning. So it is important to first think about what learning experiences we want our students to have and then develop positive classroom management techniques to support those aimsand not to let classroom discipline strategies dictate the learning process.

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The Creation of a Teacher

Author Unknown

The Good Lord was creating teachers. It was His sixth day of overtime and He knew that this was a tremendous responsibility for teachers would touch the lives of so many impressionable young children. An angel appeared to Him and said, You are taking a long time to figure this one out. Yes, said the Lord, but have you read the specs on this order? TEACHER: must stand above all students, yet be on their level ... must be able to do 180 things not connected with the subject being taught ... must run on coffee and leftovers, ... must communicate vital knowledge to all students daily and be right most of the time ... must have more time for others than for herself/himself ... must have a smile that can endure through pay cuts, problematic children, and worried parents ... must go on teaching when parents question every move and others are not supportive ... must have 6 pair of hands. Six pair of hands, said the angel, thats impossible Well, said the Lord, it is not the hands that are the problem. It is the three pairs of eyes that are presenting the most difficulty! The angel looked incredulous, Three pairs of eyes...on a standard model? The Lord nodded His head, One pair can see a student for what he is and not what others have labeled him as. Another pair of eyes is in the back of the teachers head to see what should not be seen, but what must be known. The eyes in the front are only to look at the child as he/she acts out in order to reflect, I understand and I still believe in you,without so much as saying a word to the child. Lord, said the angel, this is a very large project and I think you should work on it tomorrow. I cant, said the Lord, for I have come very close to creating something much like Myself. I have one that comes to work when he/she is sick.....teaches a class of children that do not want to learn....has a special place in his/her heart for children who are not his/her own.....understands the struggles of those who have difficulty....never takes the students for granted... The angel looked closely at the model the Lord was creating. It is too soft-hearted, said the angel. Yes, said the Lord, but also tough, You can not imagine what this teacher can endure or do, if necessary. Can this teacher think? asked the angel.

Not only think, said the Lord,. but reason & compromise. The angel came closer to have a better look at the model and ran his finger over the teachers cheek. Well, Lord, said the angel, your job looks fine but there is a leak. I told you that you were putting too much into this model. You can not imagine the stress that will be placed upon the teacher. The Lord moved in closer and lifted the drop of moisture from the teachers cheek. It shone and glistened in the light. It is not a leak, He said, It is a tear. A tear? What is that? asked the angel, What is a tear for? The Lord replied with great thought, It is for the joy and pride of seeing a child accomplish even the smallest task. It is for the loneliness of children who have a hard time to fit in and it is for compassion for the feelings of their parents. It comes from the pain of not being able to reach some children and the disappointment those children feel in themselves. It comes often when a teacher has been with a class for a year and must say good-bye to those students and get ready to welcome a new class. My, said the angel, The tear thing is a great idea...You are a genius!! The Lord looked somber, I didnt put it there.

Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Jenny Mosley is the founder of Jenny Mosley Consultancies, a vibrant training company and exciting resources organization. Jenny has developed her highly successful school and classroom management model over the years based upon a background of teaching experience, research and collaboration with local education authorities and schools. Jennys key model, Quality Circle Time (QCT), encompasses a whole-school approach to, Promoting Positive Relationships Creating a caring and respectful ethos Helping children develop their self-esteem and self-confidence Providing efficient and effective systems and support for all staff Creating great lunchtimes and playtimes Nurturing the creativity in all people in school and Promoting social and emotional development of all children in Educational Institutions.
This approach has been recommended in many Guidance reports in the UK and more recently in the UK Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning Document, for primary and secondary schools, and for Early Years too. Jenny has a talented, highly experienced and well-supervised team of consultants, who, along with her, take the model to the full range of educational settings: mainstream primary and secondary schools, Independent and Special Schools, Nurseries, Care Homes and Adult Education. The Consultancys training includes a comprehensive suite of creative and innovative courses designed for todays learning environments, including courses for boosting energy, raising self-esteem, relaxation, successful transitions, emotional literacy, listening skills, parents, peer mediation, lunchtimes, playtimes and more. Jennys key to positive behavior management is her Golden Time incentives and sanctions system. Her Golden Time system allows teachers to manage behaviour in a positive manner. She understands that recognising and praising good behaviour is equally, if not more, important than punishing children for bad behaviour. These strategies are used in the majority of schools up and down the UK, encouraging children towards positive behaviour and as a celebration of positive behaviour within the whole school community. Jenny has authored and co-authored

Jenny Mosley

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many books, including best sellingTurn Your School Around, Quality Circle Time in the Primary Classroom, Quality Circle Time in the Secondary School and Positive Playtimes. The Teacher Foundation and Jenny Mosley Consultancies has been working hand in hand through the last decade to bring a positive change into school relationships; between teachers and students, heads of schools and teachers, among teachers and especially among students themselves. TTF has enabled the process of setting up efficient and effective support for all staff, gentle handling of children and nurturing the inherent creativity in all the people in a school. When asked to speak about her passion she had this to say... I started my career in 1972 in a secondary modern boys school and became very interested in how the creative arts could help children express their conflicts and develop self-esteem. I then worked in inner London in an EBD school for young people of all ages. Again, through working with some great teachers, I became even more interested in weaving listening and drama activities into the circle. Much later in my career, having developed a particular circle time approach, I was asked to pilot my model in 30 different schools. From this early work in the mid-eighties, I then worked on an Eco - systemic approach to raising selfesteem and promoting positive relationships which has now been developed into the Whole School Quality Circle Time model. For 15 years I combined my work as an M.Ed lecturer at Bristol University, a visiting lecturer at London University with running my own consultancy company. Now I, and my team of teachers and consultants, concentrate on providing national and international in-service training for all teachers, support staff, parents, children and their partnership agencies. People often ask where I get my energy from I think energy comes from making sure that there is some balance in your personal and professional life, making sure there is fun and spending some time and money on yourself! People often feel guilty about focusing on themselves. But you cant keep on giving out if you are not putting back in. A small tongue in cheek scenario that I mention is that when I am working with a very difficult child or colleague I just think quietly to myself for your sake I am going to book myself a massageit somehow makes some of our harder work less difficult as there are some days when we shouldnt attempt too much other than to try and get through the day with treats and dignity! Constant change, inspection and target-setting have taken their toll on the psyche of the nations teachers. Yet, research proves that teachers with sound self-esteem and a strong sense of selfrespect foster high self-esteem pupils who, in turn, can fulfill their true academic and social potential. On our training programmes we invite in the whole school community and we teach a range of collective and self-care strategies. We encourage team-building and corporate policies to help staff look after each other and themselves. We try to point out that until the adults start to model happiness, pleasure and respect, we shall have a generation of children not wanting to grow up! Children suffering from mental health problems . need to be surrounded by energetic, yet calm role models. In order that the whole community can speak and listen to each other, we involve

the schools in a commitment to setting up an ongoing, time tabled process of circle meetings. Through these forums, which are governed by strict ground rules, all individuals tackle the key interpersonal issues affecting their school development. The circle meetings incorporate a range of strategies to ensure not only that everyone feels supported, but also that their relationship skills are continuously being enhanced. We implement a visible moral values system, with attendant practical imperatives (safety routines); the establishment of a highly motivational system of sanctions and incentives that is democratically shared by all adults and children; the promotion of strategies to create calmer, more productive lunchtimes; the implementation of daily success programmes and therapeutic intervention to help children who are beyond the usual motivational strategies; and the shared back-up system of support of teachers themselves under unacceptable levels of stress. Once all these structures are in place, the circle meetings, timetabled for all adults and children, continue to act as a review body. Once a circle of people have learnt to listen and respect each other, research shows that pupils feel safe enough to become creatively adventurous. There is no fear of a backlash if they make a mistake, as there is now a culture of support and celebration.It needs courage to be part of a growing, transforming culture, and courage which is fueled by the quality of relationships. Opinions of students from Delhi Public School (Bangalore South) on Circle Time: SASS has been helping everyone, not just me. It has helped us to understand ourselves better. With entertaining games we always learn something; like, developing listening skills, learning more about our class mates, openly discussing our problems. We eagerly look forward for the next session Sanaa Alvira It has been very important in moulding my inter-personal and intra- personal relationships. This is a never-seenbefore platform where students can have a heart to heart conversation on sensitive issues, knowing that the secrets are not going to be betrayed. The teacher shares some anecdotes too, which makes the experience fun filled and enjoyable. We too often see that we are not the only ones; the whole class may have undergone the same situation. Thus to sum it up, the QCT session has helped us to open up, interact and have fun. Briti Ghosh This is a platform for us to get closer to our friends as well as teachers Aakash Varma During these sessions, the teacher becomes our friend and helps us with our problems Sai Preetam It increases our faith in the teachers and class mates. This also strengthens our relationship with our friends Vaibhav Malani

Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Different Perspectives in Disciplining

Mrs. Lily Periera, Director, Babyland Childrens Education had this to say... The first and foremost thing is to be a loving person to children. If the child is aware of your true love, he or she will try to avoid wrong behavior for fear of losing the teachers love. The withdrawal technique helps a great deal to modify behaviour to create discipline. Be firm and not rude. Use motivation and not pressure. Use the word therapy and not punishment. DISCIPLINE by Archana Srivastava, Principal-Vibgyor High, Bangalore I feel positive discipline provides a safe environment for the students. It is imperative to set boundaries and lay down ground rules for the students to behave. One needs to remember a few things while disciplining the students such as: not harming the self esteem of a child and no dwelling or reminding them of their past mistakes. One should also keep in mind that discipline is individualistic in nature,

Rajalakshmi, Gurukul, Kanakpura Road, Bangalore Apart from being Head Mistress, I am also a teacher, a guide, a friend and a parent. As I live in these various roles, I am imbibed with the power to understand, reflect and comprehend the deeper feelings of a child. So I have shed my ego and arrogance; hence I do not dictate terms, I place the facts & expectations in front of them. I make them set goals, inspire them to dream & cherish the fruits of their small & big achievement.

I offer the best to my team to display their talent, take up challenges and opportunity to grow. This makes me turn away from corporal punishment. Thus sow a thought and reap an action. Reap an action & reap a habit sow a habit & reap a character, sow a character & reap a destiny. I empower my team of teachers with skills to face the challenge of handling students without resorting to corporal punishment. Correct and timely realization and implementation of simple changes in my behavior as a parent, friend, guide, teacher and mother enables me to be less stressful. It has smoothened and strengthened the bond between me and the child. So corporal punishment is not a tool for me.

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meaning even though the situation or the mistake committed by two students may be similar , one cannot handle both the students in the same way! We need to avoid meting out our anger or frustration on them. Finally ,I feel that if expectations are laid down clearly, children will learn to function and behave accordingly. Lets reward them immediately instead of looking for immediate punishments!

Some Pearls of Wisdom

Encourage or reprimand A better way to encourage good behavior is to remember to praise them as often as needed. This doesnt mean never reprimanding them for doing something wrong. But its important to criticize the childs behaviour rather than the child as a person. Instead of saying, You are very naughty, say something like, I dont like what youre doing, or, We wont allow that behavior. Think about what to say and how you speak to the child Use the same tone of voice with children as you want people to use with you. Talk respectfully to them and about them. Its very tempting to ridicule children in the hope that constantly pointing out bad behavior will make them stop doing it. But this often has the opposite effect. Children soon learn that they get attention by doing things teachers dont like.

Mr. Khan as Head of Citizen School, Banaglore was asked what he did to maintain discipline among his students, without resorting to corporal punishment. He had this to say, The Academic Coordinator and the teachers work very closely with each other. There are daily informal meetings where the teachers are free to discuss any issue they have to deal with. The important points that came across were that they made sure no child felt left out of the school activities. Children were encouraged to participate and any child showing leadership qualities was given appropriate, additional responsibilities. Whiling away of time was frowned upon by the Head of the School, so the teachers were on their guard against unruly behavior. Counseling was an integral part of the school ethos. There was no corporal punishment and long term solutions were the focus when there was a problem at hand. A quick fix was too temporary and not something looked at by the School Management. He added that there was better discipline among the students since the last two years, from the time they started working with The Teacher Foundation on the Whole School Turnaround project.

Teaching children by way of example One way children learn is by imitating & copying others. This is why parents need to behave in ways which set good examples. Its important that we, as parents, show respect for children - Naturally, children who are shown respect themselves will show respect to others. Although children need to know they are unique individuals, they also need to know they are part of a group too. This is why we need to teach them to share, to listen to others and to take turns. Avoid smacking / hitting / physical punishment as it only teaches children that violence is the best way to maintain control and it encourages them to hit other children.

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Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Teacher as a Scaffold
Gita Varadarajan

Gita Varadarajan worked with Neev Pre-schools as head of 2 of their branches and as a curriculum coordinator of all their schools. She moved to New Jersey, United States in May, 2010. She is currently in the process of applying for her masters in Literacy Education and is also working on Literacy initiatives with a couple of schools in Bangalore. She was also part of the panel discussion organised by TTF during the T Net Mela in 2006. These are her thoughts and experience on Positive disciplining and Classroom management
In todays changing classrooms, with new methodologies, new teaching strategies which are all focussed on making children have a greater voice in their learning, where children are being exposed to making decisions, inquiring, questioning and finding solutions, the role of the teacher has undergone a drastic change. However, is the teacher who is so used to being the sole authority and center of power in the classroom able to share this with her students? Is she able to change her role from one of instructor to one of a facilitator? These were big issues that I had to deal with in the classroom. On one hand I had to make sure that the learning journey was different and more enriching for the children. I had to work out interesting experiences which would give children the sense of discovery and the ability to get a deeper understanding and all this led mostly by them, with only a little scaffolding from me. This itself was a big challenge and then of course there was the most important aspect of all learningclassroom management. Without a positive classroom climate any learning would be difficult and therefore it was key for me to be able to work at that first before anything else. I feel that it is important to set down clear expectations of what is acceptable behaviour and what is not and why? Getting the whole class involved in this expectation setting process, helps as you get the buy in of all the students and their commitment to keeping their word. This is the easy part; Setting classroom rules. All children are very willing to participate and sign off on it. But then comes the difficult part. What happens when somebody does not keep their commitment and breaks the rules that they themselves agreed to? After all, they do see it everywhere in our country. Violation of traffic rules is but a small example but one which children see their parents, school bus drivers and perhaps teachers do too. So what is the big deal about breaking a few rules in the classroom. Definitely, the world will not come to an end. Therefore, while it is fine and dandy to talk about upholding classroom rules and meting out consequences when children break them, we as adults need to examine what kind of examples we are setting for our children. Many schools for example, have a time within which children have to be in school. If they are late, a late fee is charged. But does the same rule apply to the teachers? Ive heard many teachers say, These rules are for the children, not for adults, but I do think we really need to examine this stance. Obviously something like this is being carefully noticed by children and they are forming not only an unfair opinion of the world, but also about the sanctity of commitments. It is true that certain decisions can be taken and certain acts committed only when you are an adult, but there are

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definitely many commitments which both students and children should make and uphold. I think the behaviour we as teachers exhibit in the classroom should role model the behaviour that we expect from our students. It is important for us to analyse how we act with our children and how we think and feel about them. We need to think about the kind of people we want them to be and what our long term goals for our students are. When I did that thinking, I realised that very often the practices in my classroom were not leading to many of those long term goals. I wanted children to be sensitive, independent and well balanced people, yet there were times in the classroom that I myself did not exhibit those behaviours. How we feel about the children isnt as important as how they experience those feelings and how they think they have been treated. That is where using Quality Circle time came as a godsend. It was a good solution to providing a framework of what we value as long term goals for all citizens in a society. It was something that all of us were committed to uphold whether you were a student or a teacher. However, the part that I had a lot of trouble implementing was the rewards and sanctions part, as I deep down did not agree with the philosophy. I feel that driving discipline through rewards and consequences treats caring as a privilege and not a gift. I think the relationship that students must have with their peers should not be one of reciprocity but based on caring. I know that this sounds idealistic, but keeping track of every good deed a child did and rewarding him/her for it was a very tiresome task. What however, was easier ,was talking with children about consequences and therein lay the problem. It was much easier to focus on the negatives and not make a big deal about the positives and thats where I felt that it was becoming a difficult system to follow. Firstly it was time intensive to note down positives and secondly it was difficult to schedule rewards in a packed curriculum day. I felt it is much easier to work with children on the premise that what you do is not tied to a reward or consequence. The I do something for you, if you do something for me formula was difficult to follow, I think would be best left for later In life, when the rule of reciprocity would apply to their work and economic dealings. It is something that we should protect our children from. Children should feel that even if they do something wrong, they are still valued by their peers and teacher. I remember, that very often there were some children who always got into trouble and they began to be labelled, and with withdrawal of privileges, it was evident to the whole class that they had broken their commitments. But isnt there a way of working things out? I often talked with children during a bubble time about how their behaviour made them and me feel. I encouraged them to write or draw about their feelings if they were unable to speak about them. This opportunity to vent itself

sometimes was the solution. I found using circle time and getting peers to solve problems was a great way of addressing issues in the classroom. Just getting children to realise that they are all important members of the classroom community where all is fair and equal was what I think this methodology addressed. I used QCT very effectively, that there came a point in time that whenever children had a conflict, they themselves would huddle in a circle, one assuming the role of a facilitator and solve problems independently. They remembered to listen to each other, take turns, and use positive language while giving solutions. It was an absolute eye opener for me and I think that that day still remains as the most rewarding day of my career as a teacher. It did take time and sustained effort to use QCT, but the results not only made children accountable for their own behaviour but also gave them the ability to receive feedback positively and act on it on their own initiative. It also made me realise that discipline through fairness and reason is far more effective than discipline through rewards and conditions. I did not use privileges and consequences, just the powerful world of emotions, feeling and words and lots of instinct and it worked just fine. I had a caring sensitive class, who were focused and involved in their learning, as well as enjoying positive and fulfilling relationships with their peers.

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Teaching Unchained JanuaryMarch 11

Membership of The Teacher Foundation entitles schools and individual teachers to several benefits right through the year (including vacation time): Free membership to The TNet - The Teacher Network Use of computer and internet facilities (10.00am - 6.00pm) on all days (Mondays to Saturdays). Use of Reference books, periodicals, journals on education at the foundation. Free quarterly teachers news magazine - Teaching Unchained, to communicate examples of educational practices in our country, whats latest on the international education front, showcase original research done by educators and novel classroom experiences of teachers. 10% discount on all Storehouse items, books and resources. 20% discount on general workshops, seminars and conferences. Free participation at Afternoons with TTF - the talks, guest lectures, discussions and video-viewings on a variety of educational issues.

#1/24, Hanumanthappa Layput Off Ulsoor Road, Bangalore 560042 +91-80-41231149, 4113 1930 Email: [email protected] www.teacherfoundation.org TU Editor: Lalitha Chacko

E V E RY T E A C HE R M O RE EN A B LED; M O R E I N SPI RE D