Guidance or Discipline: Which Approach Sets Your Classroom Up for Success?

Guidance vs. Discipline

Guidance and discipline are two different approaches to managing behavior in elementary students, and each approach has its own set of benefits and drawbacks.

The guidance approach focuses on teaching students the skills and strategies they need to make positive choices and behave appropriately in different situations. This approach seeks to promote self-regulation and self-discipline, and it emphasizes teaching students the underlying values and principles that support positive behavior. Guidance includes a focus on positive reinforcement, clear communication, and respectful interaction. This approach helps students develop social-emotional skills, self-awareness, and a positive sense of self.

Discipline, on the other hand, is an approach that focuses on establishing and enforcing rules and consequences for behavior. This approach seeks to promote compliance and obedience to authority, and it emphasizes punishment for misbehavior. Discipline can include a focus on negative reinforcement, control, and punishment. This approach can help students learn to follow rules and understand the consequences of their behavior, but it may not address the underlying causes of misbehavior or promote long-term positive change.

Effective and Ineffective Strategies

Effective guidance practices in the classroom:

1. Modeling: Teachers who model the behavior they want their students to exhibit are more effective in guiding their students. For example, a teacher who wants their students to be respectful will be more successful if they model respectful behavior towards their students and others.
2. Positive reinforcement: Teachers who use positive reinforcement to encourage desired behavior are more effective in guiding their students. For example, a teacher who praises a student for completing a difficult task or using good manners will encourage the student to continue exhibiting that behavior.
3. Clear expectations: Teachers who clearly communicate expectations for behavior and academic performance are more effective in guiding their students. For example, a teacher who lays out the expectations for a class project or assignment will help their students understand what is required of them.
4. Constructive feedback: Teachers who provide constructive feedback that helps students understand how to improve are more effective in guiding their students. For example, a teacher who points out specific areas where a student can improve their writing will help the student to develop their writing skills.
5. Active listening: Teachers who actively listen to their students and respond to their concerns are more effective in guiding their students. For example, a teacher who listens to a student who is struggling with a particular subject and offers support and resources will help the student to succeed.

Ineffective practices in the classroom:

1. Punitive measures: Teachers who use punitive measures such as detention, suspension, or expulsion to discipline students are not effective in guiding their students. Punitive measures can create resentment and anger in students, and may not address the root cause of the problem.
2. Shaming or belittling: Teachers who shame or belittle their students are not effective in guiding their students. Shaming or belittling can damage a student’s self-esteem and create a negative classroom environment.
3. Inconsistent enforcement: Teachers who are inconsistent in their enforcement of rules and expectations are not effective in guiding their students. Inconsistent enforcement can create confusion and resentment among students.
4. Lack of communication: Teachers who do not communicate expectations or provide feedback to their students are not effective in guiding their students. Students need clear communication and feedback in order to understand what is expected of them and how to improve.
5. Failure to address underlying issues: Teachers who do not address underlying issues such as learning disabilities, mental health concerns, or home life challenges are not effective in guiding their students. These issues can greatly impact a student’s ability to learn and succeed, and need to be addressed in order to provide effective guidance.

Guidance Wins Out

Overall, guidance may be more effective than discipline for elementary students because it helps students develop the skills and strategies they need to make positive choices and behave appropriately in different situations. It promotes a sense of self-awareness and self-regulation that can help students make positive choices even in the absence of explicit rules or consequences.

Guidance also focuses on positive reinforcement and respectful interaction, which can help students feel valued and supported in their learning and growth. However, some situations may require more immediate consequences or intervention, and in those cases, discipline may be necessary. It is important to find a balance between guidance and discipline and to use each approach as appropriate for the situation at hand.