Summary
1. The idea, that fundamental principles in discipline are not broadly applicable in the school-room, is false and unpedagogical.
2. Fundamental principles operate toward definite ends.
3. The failure to use fundamental principles in discipline gives rise to difficulties in school-management.
4. Like begets like. The same spirit that the teacher manifests in the school-room is the spirit that will take root and grow in the lives of his pupils.
5. The principle of suggestion drops a stimulus into the child’s mind which starts an action.
6. Suggestion for character building comes from the character of the teacher—his every-day life.
7. All of the activities of the teacher are suggestive of good or bad to the pupil.
8. Negative suggestions often incite the very actions they are supposed to prevent.
9. Codes of rules against numerous offenses, usually suggest those offenses to pupils. They are reminded to do that which they would never have thought of, had it not been suggested.
10. Many of the activities of life depend upon the law of suggestion.
11. Suggestion is a potent agency in volition.
12. Leading suggestion is a name applied to a principle which says, “Suggest only a small part of a duty at a time, then a little more and so on until all the duty has been done.” Very often, to suggest a long series of acts to the child does not appeal to him effectively.
13. Imitation is closely related to suggestion. Pupils especially imitate and make use of suggestions from those whom they like.
14. The principle of approval in discipline is valuable in that it appeals to the child by showing one’s satisfaction and pleasure in the good work he has done.
15. The opposite of approval is fault finding. It is not too radical to say that a teacher should never be guilty of fault finding.
16. Many faults in children can be eradicated by a judicious use of the principle of approval.
17. It is an easy matter to discourage and ruin the best pupils by constant fault finding.
18. By approving what little of good there is in a bad child, the child may be improved, and helped to become a good child.
19. The teacher who does not embody in his life worthy traits of character, can not effectively approve them in other lives. The source of approval is important.
20. Encouragement is a form of approval.
21. Sometimes the best pupils have met grievous obstacles and need positive encouragement.
22. The fundamental principle of Initiative in Co-operation may be applied to advantage in discipline in several ways. A word, a look, a deed, a material object, a privilege—all may be instruments of initiative in co-operation.
23. Doing a favor must not be confused with the practice of buying good behavior or work, because the effect is entirely different.
24. Pupils cannot be taught to govern themselves if they are always governed by some stronger will. Children must be allowed to form judgments of their own so that later they can make their own good decisions.
25. Often even prudent concessions are denied to pupils; the result is that they gratify themselves and as a rule fall into hurtful excesses.
26. Consistency on the part of the teacher is necessary if initiative in co-operation is to be prudently applied.
27. A teacher cannot be consistent when he is liberal in kindnesses one day and on another day makes no concessions at all.
28. Care must be exercised in using the principle of initiative in co-operation, so that all pupils are benefited as nearly alike as their merits will allow. Unless teachers are careful, they will be accused of being partial.
29. The principle of substitution assumes that a positive virtue must be cultivated in a child, when we desire to remove a vice.
30. The institutions for reforming bad boys from the large cities are conducted on the principle of substitution. The boy’s life is filled with useful work and recreation which replaces his idle habits.
31. In the school-room it is highly essential that the day be filled with useful work and play; if there is idle time, pupils will use it in mischief-making.
32. Free-for-all recesses and noon intermissions are breeding spots in the school day for mischief and evil.
33. Supervised play is the only solution for the wise use of the play period and the crowding out of occasion for evil at school.
34. The teacher should pay no attention to the objections to supervised play. The objections come from those who misunderstand or those who have low motives.
35. The principle of expectancy is closely correlated with the other great principles underlying discipline.
36. Just to the extent that the teacher is able to use the fundamental principle of expectancy, and only so far will he be successful in the use of the other fundamental principles of discipline.
37. It is necessary to use firmness and determination with the principle of expectancy.
38. The fundamental principles of discipline are the teacher’s devices, or means, which he must use to obtain the end of discipline—self-control.
THE END