What's more important-cold steel or warm hugs, harsh consequences or second chances? Do we achieve safety and security by making schools harder - or making them softer? To understand the debate that has been raging since time immemorial, between the "hards" and the "softs" we have to analyse our education system and the mindset of our young learners.
The era of the softs began just a decade ago. Instead of zero tolerance, more and more schools and institutions now advocate expanded tolerance-discipline reform. The age old adage of "Spare the rod and spoil the child" has become redundant. "Restorative justice" is now in vogue. Students who indulge in fights or who cursed out a teacher are asked to "circle up" and work their problems out with words. 'Positive behaviour intervention" is considered to be a good practise -meaning students sometimes get incentives for not acting up.
These new policies have to be adopted with varying degrees of buy-in, professional development, resources and success. Schools have to be cautious not to fall prey to a "culture of tolerance and leniency that allows habitual offenders to fly under the radar in a way that puts other kids at risk". I think it is humane that if pupils make mistakes they are given a second chance. However, we have gone far from over disciplining to under disciplining. The pendulum looks poised to swing back from "softs" to "hards". Policymakers have been making enough noise for a long time to get smaller class sizes, more money for school counselors but implementation has been a major issue.
Outside the home and classroom, strong education policy is critical to an excellent education system. Education polices in various countries and India too, dictate everything from length of a school day to staff requirements to curriculum. As educators it is our mission to ensure that all children receive an excellent education, regardless of their background, so much so that every student grows up to be a responsible student. The solution shouldn't be draconian rather with lot of compassion and hope we have to direct our attention and adopt the middle path. It is essential for us to understand that children are in some way savages, untrained in the ways of society, the need is to make them stand tall and stop worrying about test scores.
As the board examinations are knocking at the door, it is vital for parents and teachers to ensure a congenial atmosphere of learning for the young ones. By doing this we build self-confidence in students, thereby safeguarding the most important ingredient to success that is motivation. Some of the simple strategies to be used to improve confidence at this crucial juncture can be by
* Focussing on achievements
* Sharing positive experience
* Making minor personal changes in communication
*Enabling learners to practice self-acceptance
* Lending unconditional support and reward
* Lessen fear and anxiety
* Build resilence
* Exhibit improved bonding
*Help set manageable goals
* Give useful feedback at regular intervals
Let the learners see possibility instead of limitation, and help them see very failure as an opportunity to improve and excel. Grow and bloom everyday to spread your sheen all around.
"Listen o my lovely students leave all fear In any situation never leave your cheerMistakes do occur in reality realmNever lose your heart and don't shatterLearn from your mistakes and improviseBecome more and more wiseAdmiration and success will follow suite Never lose your confidence and don't fear."
(The writer is a senior teacher at Delhi Public School, Ranchi and the views expressed in the article are her own.)