Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1958-04-10
BY Dorothy WaIeslSi
Staff Reporter

Is lack of discipline turning our schools into
breeding places of violence?
Many parents fear So Just as they worry
about their own methods of discipline. The recent
New York school trouble has increased the fears
of some.
AS parents, they are afraid that they are
either being too hard on the baby egos or not
applying, often enough the firm hand to the seat
of the trouble.
In school discipline, the parents seek the
obvious. Not always spanking. That's not ac
cepted as readily as IS years ago. But they still
see the teacher as the stern taskmaster.
She should make the children "toe the mark"
cringe when she bawls them out write II will
not 500 times, stay after school, go to the prin
cipals office and bring home notes.
This is discipline, say many parents Not
fuzzy ideals about teaching democracy" learn.
ing selfcontrol,' preparing to be good citizens
and successful in group living" ETC.
Not so, say the educators. Parents don't
know the true meaning Of discipline.
This is possible since the dictionary lists four
different meanings and the experts Is definitions
of discipline as applied in the schools
But what the parents don't realize, say the
school people, is that the classroom where the
children are apparently the least disciplined by
the eacher-and the most self-governed, has
the best control of all, the trained experienced
Master Teacher.
This Master Teacher has complete control of
the teaching situation because she has control of
herself as well as her children.
Control" is the key word. It is better one
than discipline" because it has no emotional
knots for the parents to unite.
To them, it can mean restraint, command
authority" This is very reassurng after the last
Of
of discipline
But these new concepts are the basis of the
control of the Master Teacher. Her first goal is
to win the confidence of her students How?
One teachers answers are outlined in the
National Education Association Journal "Class.
room Control in the High School, by Emile Ruth
Dodge.
Miss Dodge feels that always playing fair"
Is the best way to win students confidence.
Promises should be remembered and kept.
An illustration is found in the educational film
"Skippy and the Three RS
Skippy on pre-school visit was told by his
new teacher that he would be allowed to feed
the fish In the aquarium On his first day, she
remembered and kept the promise To Skippy,
she was obviously person to trust.
Threats are not made unless they can be
carried out
Rules are few but seldom broken. If broken
because of an emergency, this is made clear and
the emergency explained.
The teacher herself abides by the rules.
Next the Master Teacher wins the respect
of her students She has mastered her subject
matter and keeps abreast by continuous prepare.
ton and study.
Sometimes to keep control and earn respect
she even has to demonstrate in concrete way
that she is smarter than her students.
Thomas w. Pyle, assistant superintendent of
ing an exceptional bright student.
BY way of testing her and showing his clever.
ness. the boy managed each class period to turn
a picture to the wall undetected
Although the teacher watched closely and
eliminated all other possibilities she could