The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-14

be the case, it can be checked readily by l an appeal to higher powers.
 Absolute Control.
 "The absolute control by the teacher for | the time being Is to my mind the funda- mental basis of successful school discip- line, and only so far as this is main- tained can we hope to have good schools obedient children, and law abiding eiti- zens. Any interference on the part of | parents. In the teachers sphere of con ! trol, can only result in harm-invite dis cord, and encourage nsubordination on the part of the child. Teachers need not expect any assistance, in the proper train ing and disciplining of children from pa rents in the homes of weak and vascil- lating government, while pupils, from the
 homes of the refined and cultured, where
 obedience and respect are insisted upon.
 are sure to cause the teacher but little | trouble
 Proceeding upon the hypothesis that
 the home Is responsible for many unruly
 and disobedient children it behooVes us | to consider the best means of meeting the difficulty. The teacher should realize full | ly the sensitive relations existing be-
 tween the home and the school. and exert | herself to bring about closer relations between these two important factors in
 the life of the child often a social visit
 by the teacher marks the beginning of n more thorough understanding between | parent and teacher. Again. there Is d class of children who come from homes
 where kindness and sympathy are un- | known What such children need Is kind treatment, the sunlight of a human soul.
 Discipline forn of sunshine is more at | fectual, more commendabe than that which is begotten of brutality. either of | the will or of the muscle. What would
 improve the average school room of to- day is more sunshine and fewer rules | The teacher whose only conception of
 discipline is to rule through fear-s scold-
 ing threatening, suspension depending | upon the rod of the principal, making 1 penitentiaries of halls and cloak rooms.
 should be classed as a poor dlscplinarian. and is out of place in the modern scho l. | Such methods may be productive of a cer- l tain kind of order, but it IS rar from ideal.
 and pupils thus. held in restraint are
 liable to outburst of disorder when the
 restraining influence is removed
 Few Rules.
 | My observation has been that those
 teachers who have few rules, and see | that these are enforced. are the ones | who control with the greatest ease. The
 best discipline Is maintained where the
 least apparent effort is made in that | direction
 True discipline permits every child to
 do his work. without loss of time to him | self. or annoyance to others. The school | room is the scene of the ehids growth.
 and in order that it may be vigorous and
 healthy, 1t is necessary that the teacher
 possess the tact and skill to harmonize
 existing conditions Poor discipline Is of | ten the result of want of tact and firm ness on the part of the teacher in fact, | firmness. sympathy and tact, together
 with store of common sense, constitute the working capital of the teacher who governs with ease and effect Show me the teacher lacking in these essential
 qualities. and will show you poorly
 disciplined room and unsatisfactory re- suits.
 An important fact which should not be overlooked by the teacher. is that
 obedience is a habit. You cannot have
 it by demanding or simply talking about
 it, like other habits, 1t must be learned l by practice rather than by theory. Let us consider some of the duties devolving upon the teacher who hopes to lessen the problems of discipline. Re-
 member that the teacher often has more
 occasion to watch himself than he has to watch his pupils, as many of the school |, evils are traceable to some fault of prin- 1 cple' in himself. The school is the true
 reflector of the teacher and it Is a diff l cult task to appear what he is not. Some
 one has aptly said: 1He must be what he
 seems and must seem what he Is It Is
 absolutely essential that the successful
 teacher be self-governed. Irritation. m- ipetuosity and indecision soon make a dis | orderly school. Self assertion and threats
 are promoters of disobedience. Noise and l shouting on the part of the teacher l but add fuel to the flames of disorder. the bosterous teacher may expect his
 school to be the same. Again there can
 not be successful discipline where the | physical needs of the child are over looked or neglected. The relation existing | between the physical and metal condition
 Is so close that whatever is contrary to perfect physical comfort will soon be
 reflected in the child's conduct Poorly l lighted, lily ventilated, and improperly | adjusted seats are1 fruitful sources of | disorder in school children.
 Let your methods of discipline de- | velop the self control of your pupils; as far as possible let them control them | selves. Enlist their cheerful and hearty support and impress upon them that
 whatever rules are enforced for the sake of discipline Is only for the general as well as their personal good.
 There is no surer way to win the re- spect and confidence of children than by fair and impartial dealings, under all circumstances and at all times. The sense
 of justice Is strong even in the vicious child. None, more than a pupil, recognizes the fact that certain abuses of school regulations deserve punishment and lit- the resentment will be cherished toward you provided the punishment Is commen-
 surate with the offense. Do not make
 personal issue of every infraction of school rules and when it Is found neces-
 sary to deal with refractory pupils, do so as far as possible in private.
 Sarcasm and Personalities. The wise teacher never resorts to sar- casm or personalities as a means of dis cipline-such a practice is worthy of con- tempt and beneath the dignity of the teacher of high ideals and noble purposes. "Do not overgovern-it may prove as injurious as too little. The child, like the man, detests tyranny and abhors <abso- lutism "Order is heavens first law and all educators agree that 1t must be had by some means or other-if not by tact or by personal influence, then by some form of punishment-which method is to be preferred does not necessitate argu- ment. If punishment must be resorted to for the sake of discipline. let us con slider briefly the form and the extent to which 1t should be carried Punitive meas