Session Information
10 SES 04 A, Authority, Discipline and Teacher as a Moral Agent
Paper Session
Contribution
Throughout this paper, the issue of coping with discipline problems in classrooms is presented from different points of view. The core role of teachers is to lead learning and teaching processes in classrooms, along with taking care of proper academic dialogues among all students. Along with that, teachers are also educational leaders, and therefore they also need to cope with their students' unaccepted behavior (Inbar, 2005).
The main question of this paper is, what may happen when educational leaders meet class-management difficulties that are caused as a result of discipline problems?
By analyzing three case-studies, different of teaching strategies are offered for the educational leaders. These strategies were defined first by understanding the causes for the discipline problems, and then by understanding the teachers' reactions. In conclusion, an optimal class-management is presented; a model that promotes teachers to become educational leaders.
From class observations and interviewing school-teachers, we learn about the variety of difficulties they face while coping with discipline problems. These difficulties actually stop them from leading teaching and learning processes.
Friedman (1992) emphasizes the fact that while teachers look for creative alternative ways to cope with discipline problems on a daily basis, they waste their energy, focus less on teaching procedures and finally are worn down.
Friedman (1992) also stresses the definition of teachers' leadership in classroom by evaluating their success through coping efficiently with discipline difficulties. These success is expressed by two criteria:
- Their ability to lead learning processes and present students' progress and achievements.
- Teachers' enjoyments or exhaustion as a result of their teaching.
The issue of discipline difficulties educational leaders experience in school is familiar and shared by all educators around the world. The American people graded this topic as the major problem schools face currently. Other studies strengthen this approach, as teacher report that their teaching-effectiveness and their class-leadership are harmed as a result of students' discipline problems.
Literature presents three main categories to explain discipline difficulties:
- Lack of listening: students were doing other things than listening to the teachers, ignoring the teacher, talking and making sounds.
- Over demanding: the students were yelling at their teachers, arguing with them in regard to their learning duties and demanding unreasonable demands.
- Lack of interest and motivation to study: students did not prepare their assignments, did not bring the required books, got out of class without permission and were late to class.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
Inbar, D. (2000). Management of diversity. Tel-Aviv: Reches Publication Freidman, I. (1992). Children behavior and teachers exhaustion. Jerusalem: Szold Institute. Yariv, E. (2010). "I have eyes on my back"; coping with behavior problems in school. Te-Aviv: Reches Publication. Kupferbers, I. (2010). Text and discourse analysis. University of Ben-Gurion
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