The Philippine Constitution states
that “The state shall establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate,
and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people and
society”(Art. IV Sec. 2). It shows that every Filipino be provided of quality
basic education needed for lifelong learning. The Department of Education which
is being the education arm of the state to make this responsibility and
accountability to the people, its citizen, must take actions for its
realization. All throughout the country, there are several institutions both
public and private that strive hard to meet this goal and objective of the
educational system as a whole. Thereby formulating this educational goal and
objective will determine the whole subject or subject matter to be covered and
will guide in the selection of the content to be given stress or emphasis
according to the needs, scientific studies and philosophy of education.
In line with this, attentive
response to the need of transformation of the educational system facing
critical concerns, the Department of Education is acting its best efforts to
enhance the basic education curriculum in taking bold steps in pursuing quality
education not just in mind but with heart. The agency intends to raise the
quality education through the enhancement of the curriculum and expansion of
the basic education cycle. Thus, the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program is
presented and implemented to seek to provide for a quality 12- year basic
education program that each Filipino is entitled to.
Moreover, it mandates all
educational institutions to strengthen ethical and spiritual values, develop
moral character and personal discipline. (Section 3 (2), Article XIV, 1987
Constitution of the Philippines) In relation to the mandate of the Philippine
Constitution to develop discipline, schools are required to impose rules and
regulations.
The High Court has likewise ruled
that a school has the right to investigate, suspend, and/or expel a student for
a misconduct committed outside the school premises and beyond school hours if
it affects the morale of the school and if it is adverse to the school’s order
and the students’ welfare and advancement. (Angeles vs. Hon. Sison, G.R. No.
L-45551 [1982])
This is the vision grounded on
human development. This is believed to
be achieved through this enhanced curriculum that will provide the benefit to
every graduate formed in the mastery of the core competencies and skills with
values herein. It also assures the opportunity for each individual who equipped
with such competencies and skills to be productive in their chosen field.
Now, at the dawn of a New
Millennium, with the new educational system, the present day culture of the
younger generation is worth analysing for the many factors that influences them.
It's true that globalisation
exposed the youths to immense possibilities in the world. Youths nowadays are
exposed mostly in media and much other carefree entertainment which often
emphasized without obligations, moral values and social commitments. Smoking
and drinking got an elite social status of being modern with most of the youths
including females making it their favourite pastime. This has become the
challenge now for all stakeholders of our educational system wherein sense of
discipline is an utmost imperative. A system of education that will give them,
in addition to the subjective knowledge, a high sense of commitment to the
society, nation and world, has to be developed. This will definitely create a
younger generation who are competent in all the faculties of modern life and
which can protect and uphold the cultural, territorial, intellectual and
spiritual integrity of the nation.
Looking at this aspect of
challenges and the goal of the educational system as a whole, what would be the
significant role of discipline in providing the students a world class
educational experience? Is there any significant relationship to the academic
achievement among learners?
Teaching and learning process
Teaching
process is a profession that requires a lot of skills. It is a process wherein
the teacher should be able to understand the different aspects of learning.
There were a lot of developments in the principles of learning. These
developments had provided the teaching profession a variety of know-how to be
able to maximize the learner’s ability to absorb information and be able to
process them.
Learning does not occur in a
vacuum. Teachers play a major interactive role with both the learners and the
learning environment. There are many educational relevant variables contribute
to make this possible. The motivations of the learners to learn and the
teachers to teach, orientation toward learning and the capacity of the learners
are just some variables to consider. Moreover, the use of the state-of-the-art
technologies and conventional instructional practices which includes methods,
strategies, and techniques has a great impact on the learning process, as to
achieve high academic achievement to both teachers and learners. The classroom
environment as well takes a significant part on this endeavor wherein
discipline is mostly widely used.
Furthermore, learning is a
relatively permanent change in behavior including both observable activity and
internal processes such as thinking, attitudes and emotions (Burns, 1995). This
definition entails the relevance of the learner’s internal processes in the
learning continuum. It is imperative that such processes are given much
attention in any learning activity. This is well supported by B.F. Skinnsers’
Reinforcement Theory. According to his theory, the behavior is a function of
its consequences. A learner will repeat the desired behavior if positive
reinforcement follows the behavior. The position reinforcement is in the form
of reward (Buazon & Elevazo, 1994). This reward may be in the form of
verbal compliment or material comparative. Such practice is widely common in
our educational systems. Teachers are using the positive reinforcement like an
additional points or grades for positive learning responses of the learners.
On the context of discipline
In
the evolving views of education, discipline as a school and community systems
approach is an absolute necessity (Swick, 1985; IRIS Media Inc., 1999). Many
laws, rules and regulations reinforce the idea that school systems have a duty
and responsibility to act in a way that guarantees the individual’s right to
safety and education. In lay terms, with respect to local and state law, the
school is granted the ability to use discretion in addressing the unique
situation in whichever way they see fit (Jacob & Hartshorne, 2003). In legal
terms, this freedom of enforcing discipline is known as in loco parentis, which
literally means, in the place of parents (Fischer & Sorenson, 1996). With
this in mind, a collaborative effort of communication between parents,
students, teachers, school officials, and community members is essential.
Although
all areas of education are important and need varying levels of time allotted
to them, it is integral that student discipline not be taken too lightly. With
the amount of time students are physically in the school environment, teachers
and other school personnel often spend as much time, (if not more) with
students than their respective families. As a result, a responsibility exists
to provide the skills necessary for social networking respective to developmental
age (Scotti & Meyer, 1999). Being a successful educator not only includes
helping the student grow academically, but personally. Discipline is at the
core of preparing young adults to be contributing, law abiding citizens in the
community.
Students
engage in inappropriate behavior for a plethora of reasons. Some of the
well-known contributing factors to disciplinary problems include, (but are not
restricted to) substance use, troubles with peers, and problems at home (SVE
& Churchill Media, 1998). Unhealthy relationships with friends, family,
authority figures and even the student himself are often a result of the
disciplinary problems. One theory of why behavioral problems occur is directly
related to the aforementioned concept of meeting needs (Agency for
Instructional Technology, 2000). Although many theories as to why students
display behavioral deficiencies are documented, it is safe to say there are no
antidotal formulas or immediate fixes for the unruly behavior (Hartwig, 2005).
With
the ever-changing nature of education, few things remain constant. The need for
student discipline is one piece that has remained a center stone of the
educational process. The idea of proper and appropriate disciplinary interventions
has been a heated debate of education in years past and will continue to be for
years to come (Sachs & Armstrong, 1992;Witzel& Mercer, 2003).
Discipline is widely regarded by
most educators and the public alike as the number one problem in schools
(Yambao&Esmane, 2008). Even though administrators and teachers alike view
discipline as their number one problem, newly graduated teachers still feel
woefully unprepared for the task awaiting them when they start first teaching
job. There is a plethora of opinions on classroom discipline and systems
available from which to choose.
It is difficult to believe student
discipline can and will be handled by one individual, namely the principal. The
discipline of today's students requires a more collaborative, systems approach
(Brownell & Walther-Thomas, 1999). Teachers, counselors, administration,
support staff, parents and even the surrounding community must be considered in
a system-wide approach to student discipline. Another critical aspect is that
students must be able to relate disciplinary interventions to general societal
rules and standards (Edvantage Media, 1998). It has been documented that
helping the student understand and apply the replacement behaviors of discipline
is just as important as the nature of the discipline itself (O'Neill, Homer,
Albin, Sprague, Storey & Newton, 1997).
Discipline in
school
The practice of student discipline
in the schools is neither new nor innovative. Ways in which educators approach
discipline, however, have changed. Simple concepts such as student choice,
independence, and understanding the students’ needs have all come to the
forefront when working with difficult situations in the school (Cater, 1992;
Nelsen, 1999). Instead of approaching student discipline as a definite right or
wrong, educators are starting to see the importance of treating each situation
individually. To treat each disciplinary situation similarly is not only
ineffective, but also unfair. Much research has addressed the basic needs of
human beings, more specifically students. Nelsen (1 999) identified three very
basic needs students must gain through their educational experience(s):
(1) The student must feel a sense
of belonging
(2) The student must feel a sense
of personal power and autonomy
(3) The student must be allowed and
encouraged to develop life skills
Another common area of research
(and even debate) is that of reinforcement. The concepts of positive and
negative reinforcement are well documented and play a large role in the
sustained behavior of children and adolescents (Kazdin, 2001).
Generally speaking, a sense of
trust and communication must somehow be conveyed through discipline (SVE &
Churchill, 1998). Little communication and high rates of disconnectedness
increase the chance of misbehavior and disobedience. Showing empathy and
genuine interest for the student's well-being will encourage collaboration and
cooperation in time of need. It is equally important to express these attitudes
when students are behaving appropriately and not just in time of defiance (IRIS
Media, 1999).
The concepts of trust and respect
will only go so far, however. Research today focuses on having a system wide
plan and model of discipline in order to proactively approach disciplinary
procedure (Hartwig, 2005; Brownell, 1999). Trust and respect are sure to be
implemented into the overall plan, but the technical components of the
designated plan are an important part of successful execution. In order to
develop an accomplished program, Brownell (1999) claims the objectives must be
measurable and the program must be sustainable; in which system approaches are.
Glasser(1984) states that the
control is necessary for the psychological balance in once life. It is a common
trait of human beings to want control in their lives. In schools, this is
carried to such an extent that discipline itself is often seen as synonymous with
control.”In schools, the most widely and practiced interpretation of the word
discipline in control”
The school
climate
Hoffman et al. (2009) write that
positive school climate has been linked to improved student behavior, academic
achievement, and motivation. Further, the authors write that many factors such
as motivation, collaborative decision-making, equity and fairness, caring and
sensitivity, and order and discipline all have an effect on school climate.
School climate has an important
impact on students’ lives at school, their behavior, academics, and motivation
(Hoffman et al., 2009). Further, Syvertsen et al. (2009) report that middle
school students who perceive their schools as having a positive climate will be
more likely to break “the code of silence” and report to an authority figure if
they hear something dangerous is going to happen in the school. Kupermine et
al. (1997) state that school climate might even affect a broader range of
outcomes, including self-esteem.
School climate has long been an
interest to researchers because of its importance in school (Anderson, 1982).
However, due to the mass of research, the multitude of variables,
methodologies, theories, and models, school climate is not easily defined. To
conceptualize what school climate is Anderson (1982) uses the analogy:
“Personality is to the individual what ‘climate’ is to the ‘organization’” (p.
369). Anderson explains the four variables that appear to be tied to the total
environmental quality (ecology, milieu, social system, and culture). Building
characteristics and school size are the main focuses in the ecology variable.
Building characteristics include the age, characteristics, and size of the
building, as well as class size. Anderson explains milieu is the characteristics
of persons or groups within the school environment. Several factors of this
variable effect the school environment. For example, it is suggested teacher
stability (teacher characteristics) is important. Accordingly, the author
reports teacher attitudes toward work (teacher morale) correlate with school
environment. There are several factors in the social system variable that
effect school environment, such as shared teacher decision-making, good
communication, and teacher-student relationships. Culture is the final variable
and includes three important factors: teacher commitment, expectations, and
rewards and praise.
Peterson and Skiba (2001) define
school climate as the overall feelings students and staff have about the school
environment over a period of time. These feelings have to do with how
comfortable each individual feels, how they feel their learning (or teaching)
is supported, and how safe they feel in school. The authors write that school
climate is a reflection of the school environment.
Research suggests a positive school
climate has a positive effect on students and, conversely, negative school
climate has a negative effect on students. Hoffman et al. (2009) write that
school climate has been linked to improved student behavior and academic
achievement, student learning, student failure, student delinquency,
absenteeism, suspension, and low motivation. Similarly, Peterson and Skiba
(2001) hypothesize that comfortable and supportive feelings would support
effective and efficient learning and teaching as well as positive student
behaviors and attitudes, and on the contrary, negative feelings such as
concern, fear, frustration, and loneliness would negatively affect learning and
behavior.
Joubert
and Prinsloo (2001:124) state that a code of conduct in school plays a leading
role in the creation and the implementation of good discipline. That is why,
responsibility on this matter becomes more effective if there is good
discipline. A learner can be delegated if he is disciplined. According to
Lorenz (1986:2) orderliness, guidance and effective discipline plays a
significant role in giving learners direction so as to reach or achieve the
expected goals and objectives in their formal schooling. The targeted academic
achievement is easily achieved if there is good discipline at school.
If
the learner is well disciplined he has a direction in life. A learner knows
what to do at what time. A leaner should also know his destination and which
steps he needs to take in order to reach his destination. The continual conduct
Walters (1992:28), being enriched on mental, emotional and moral level. Ehlers
(1981:25) states the major problem in any school is to balance orderliness and
direction in the instructional program against realities of human diversity and
curriculum variety. He also stated that human diversity is a fact of life even
in the most isolated cultures.
The
following characteristics of effective discipline are cited by Joubert and
Prinsloo (2001:122-123).
1. Discipline
is used to create order. Effective discipline ensures that human activities in
daily process of education takes place orderly. The willful and the wayward
behavior of each individual are consequently checked by discipline.
2. Discipline
ensures fairness. Fair protection of the respective interests of the various
participants and interested parties within the education system is essential.
The disciplined learner is able to differentiate what is appropriate and what
is not appropriate.
3. Discipline
protects the leaner. In an orderly environment discipline protects the leaner
against unruly and undisciplined behavior of his fellow learners. It also
protects a learner against his own waywardness.
4. Discipline
contributes to the spiritual development of the learner.
5. Discipline
is prospective.
6. Discipline
should be directed primarily at correction.
On
one hand, Emmer, Sanford and Warsham (1984:102) highlight obedience, full
participation, harmony, politeness and loyalty as the characteristics of
effective discipline.
On
the other hand, rudeness, chronic violence, fighting, other aggressive behavior
and defiance and hostility towards the teacher are characteristics of poor
disciplineas highlighted by Emmer, Sanford and Warsham (1984:103).
Lewis
and Doorlay (1995:124) emphasize that if the educators themselves are well
disciplined and understand their work as well as their learners and possible
challenges, there could be only good results in academic achievement. Educators
are exemplary and know their work and understand the learners are working with
them. So learners will be in a good position to achieve academically as there
are educators who have self-respect and understanding. Moreover, if
self-respect prevails in the school situation, learners will learn
self-discipline. If there is self-discipline, there are more chances of having
direction in the fulfillment of the learners’ goal so positive academic
achievement is possible (Khuluse, 2009).
Consequently,
this will help to improve wide school discipline to make sure there is
consistency among all of the teachers and administrators. Students would be
given clear rules, expectations and consequences that would be applied
throughout the school. All teachers and administrators have a role within the
discipline plan and all students are aware of the rules and the consequences
that will result when rules are broken. Also, White, et al (2001) state that
discipline encourages communication among all members of the school community
and takes the guesswork out of administering punishment.
In
addition, if discipline is present at school and the parent at home is also
aware of good discipline at school and it is also applied at home, this is a
good recipe for good academic achievement because what is applied at school is
also applied at home. There is no difference between the school environment and
the home environment (Khuluse, 2009). Indeed, there should be partnership
between parents and educators in effective discipline.
If
the school is well facilitated and the needs of the learners are catered for,
there will be good academic achievement. This can also be improved by the
availability of resources, relevant educators, enough learning space when is
conducive, relevant teaching style and clear code of conduct.
The
implementation of effective discipline at school is a key for the learner in
his journey to adulthood. Parents often have choice to enroll their children in
a school with good discipline which often leads to good academic performance.
Thus,
the significant role of discipline must be clear to the learners and educators
so as to achieve high academic performance. Characteristics of effective
discipline should always be acknowledged so that the need of effective
discipline should be understood by each and every learner at school. Teachers
should be aware of the causes of misbehaviors so that in their counter measures
should know exactly which are applicable. Learners should be aware about the
relationship between discipline and academic achievements and also be aware
that effective discipline results in good academic achievements.
