Preventive or punitive disciplinary measures in South African schools: Which should be favoured?

Abstract

Recent research shows a major paradigm shift towards preventive and positive rather than punitive disciplinary measures. Since the essence of learner discipline is correctional and educational rather than punitive, this approach seems to be the correct one – especially after the abolition of corporal punishment in South African schools. However, the question remains: is there still room for punitive and reactive learner discipline in our schools? And if so, which is the better approach, and where should the emphasis be? This article endeavours to evaluate the two approaches by means of a normative framework. Rather than ruling which approach is the more successful one, the authors argue that it is not the one or the other, but rather a combination of the two approaches. One of the guiding determinants for correct decision-making is vested in maintaining a safe, harmonious and orderly environment conducive to education and learning. The decision regarding the most effective form of discipline in a particular instance should therefore be determined by the context of the situation. For example, it depends on the seriousness of the misconduct, the attitude of the learners (e.g. was it as a result of intent or negligence?), the age of the learner, the influence it had on the teaching-learning environment, et cetera

The Relationship between Teachers’ Trust in Students and Classroom Discipline Beliefs

“…Individuals who trust people more control them less, and individuals who trust people less control them more (Vosselman & Meer-Kooistra, 2009). Also, when the trust level between educators and learners decrease, educators tend to use more power (Oosthuizen et al, 2003). Teachers who adopt rules and consequences discipline model argue that rules and consequences are determined by teachers, and control of classroom activities belong to the teachers (Wolfgang, 1999(Wolfgang, , 2001).…”

“…Relationship-listening discipline model proposes using power and control at a minimum level by teachers (Wolfgang, 1999(Wolfgang, , 2001). Using power and control at minimum level can be interpreted as there is a trust based positive climate (Oosthuizen et al, 2003). Hence, it can be suggested that teachers who prefer relationship-listening discipline model control their students less, and trust in their students more.…”

“…Individuals tend to use more power towards untrusted people and tend to control them more in some situations. For instance, when teachers distrust their students, they control them more (Oosthuizen et al, 2003). However, individuals tend to use less power towards trusted people and tend to control them less (Das & Teng, 2001;Klein-Woolthuis, Hillebrand, & Nooteboom, 2005;Vosselman & Meer-Kooistra, 2009;Neveu, 2004).…”

Increasing resilience, lowering risk: teachers’ use of the circle of courage in the classroom

“…This is followed by the belief that learners could not make responsible decisions (4.01), not seeing it as important to involve learners in decision making (4.11), not involving them in the creation of classroom rules and (4.15), lastly, not encouraging them to be assertive (4.19). These results seem to indicate that the participants wanted to control learners (punitive approach) and did not want to empower learners to make responsible decisions, giving them responsibility and providing opportunities to take initiative and solve problems (positive discipline) (Oosthuizen, Wolhuter & Du Toit, 2003). It may be that teachers are afraid that learners with behavioural problems would use such opportunities to make the school even more unruly and that they as teachers would lose control of the classroom.…”

Foreword

“…The most pressing problem seems to be that teachers are at a loss regarding the methods available to them for the maintenance of discipline . In research on the availability of methods for the maintenance of classroom discipline, PD emerged as one of the most important methods (Oosthuizen, Wolhuter & Du Toit 2003;Van der Walt, Potgieter & Wolhuter 2010a). Positive discipline, an approach developed by proponents such as Jane Nelsen, Lynn Lott, Cheryl Erwin, Kate Ortolano, Mary Hughes, Mike Brock and Lisa Larson, is designed for teaching young people to become responsible, respectful and resourceful members of their communities.…”