Teaching With Discipline

How much a child learns depends more upon the characteristics of the child than nay other single factor, and one of the most important of those characteristics is attitude. The term attitude is difficult to explain. In psychological terms it refers to a readiness to respond in a certain way when a given situation occurs. It is what one might call a mind or mental set. It can also be explained as a more or less stable set of opinions, interests, or purposes which involve an expectant kind of experience or readiness for an appropriate response. A social attitude is the sense of being sensitive to social relations, social duties, or social opinions.

Negative attitudes can become a child greatest disability to learning while positive attitudes can become a child’s greatest asset to learning.

The development of positive attitudes toward school and learning must begin on the very first day of school and continue throughout the entire school year. The attitude that school is important and a good place for students to learn what they need to know and what they need to do to become good citizens must be interwoven into all aspects of the school’s atmosphere, environment, and curriculum.

Children tend to be more positive towards the idea of following rules of good conduct when they themselves are included in the establishment and listing of the rules for which they will be held accountable. Once students list the rules they know to be important and should follow, does not necessarily mean they will always remember to follow them. Daily review and reinforcement of rules on the part of the teachers are necessary if good conduct and study habits are to be instilled in boys and girls of all ages.

The concept that learning is best accomplished in an atmosphere free from disruptions; that learning is achieved by good study habits; and that it is the student’s responsibility to do his/her best must be made evident during every lesson of every day.