Pupils need discipline with parental guidance. . .

Ronald A. Carter, EdD

Teaching is the most noble profession as always been said many times by educators. Also, it is an admitted fact that teachers are the parents of children outside their homes during their formative years. But, it is sad to hear that there are some classroom teachers who do not deserve due honor and respect. They DISCIPLINE their pupils, to the extent of child abuse, wrong acts or some practices that should be stopped.

We should understand that children need love, care and affection to make them enjoy their studies. They should also preserve the dignity, respect and high admiration of the teaching profession as well as due respect and love for teachers.

We could not deny the fact, that there are naughty, disrespectful and quarrelsome pupils in our classroom. There is nothing wrong in disciplining them for misbehaviors for being unruly or for not listening to the lesson taught for the day but the PUNISHMENT should be done with PARENTAL LOVE and must never be CORPORAL PUNISHMENT.

Instead of inflicting corporal punishment; soft words love and care, due attention and recognition should be extended to them with pieces of advice that such wrong doings shall not be committed anymore. Teachers, as surrogate parents have a primary role in modeling effective attitudes and behaviors and in directing their learners toward structured, healthy activities. One of the most important ways a teacher guides a child's path is by providing him/her with attention and by making the child feel important and valued which positively contribute to their mental, emotional and psychological development.

Discipline pupils in a way that love and concern of a parent is evident. With these, your good deeds will be remembered forever. As the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6 “Teach a child to choose the right path, and when he is older, he will remain upon it.”

The author is School Principal

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II at Lacmit Elementary School, Arayat West District