Just a thought - for the teachers of Rajasthan

During the past year whilst talking with many teachers I have heard the same complaint again and again. Teachers are frustrated that the Education board does not allow corporal punishment any more and that they therefore cannot control the class.

Again and again teachers comment that:

• Children do not want to learn
• They don’t want to do their homework and study
• They don’t pay attention
• They don’t know what they want to do with their lives. There is no ambition, no drive, no enthusiasm for the future
• Without punishment there will be no discipline

But:

• What if the students wanted to be in class??
• What would make them want to be in class?
• What would make YOU want to be there?
• What would make you want to learn a subject?
• Interesting classes
• Relevance of the subject to daily life
• Encouragement
• A teacher who also wanted to be there with a passion to be there
• What would give a student direction and motivation?
• Do they have career guidance?
• Do they have a chance to have counselling for their 11^th and 12^th subject choices?
• What would make a student disciplined? Come on time? Do homework?
• A teacher who also turned up on time!!!!
• An interesting, relevant and enjoyable subject, so good it would be a punishment just to miss a class.
• A passion for learning, imbibed from someone who has that same passion
• Look around. There are some great teachers in almost every school. Do the best ones have disciplinary issues? Does the discipline in their classes come through violence or through respect for their quality of teaching??

Just imagine for a moment the following possibility…….

            A classroom can be transformed into a joyous place of learning. A place full of interest and light. A place where the student looks forward to coming to rather than a place they sit passively because of fear.

Please think about the above and then consider…... The Government has not tied your hands by restricting corporal punishment. It has freed your hands to take up a challenge. To bring your enthusiasm to the classroom, enthuse your students and in the process to become even more excellent teacher. To become an ambassador for the subject which you teach. To bring the classroom to life, so that students may flourish and enjoy their education.

When the stick is required it means that the connection with the student is not strong enough. Surely we should do everything possible to establish that connection.

Enjoy