In the primary grades, the little ones like the sand-pile, the colored blocks, the privilege of leading the procession, of drawing on the black-board with colored crayons, of putting the teacher’s desk in order, of watering the flowers in the school-room windows, of running errands, and a score of similar activities. They will work hard for hours, or act with great self-restraint, in order to enjoy one of the above accessories of the regular school work. They feel that they are co-operating with the teacher when they work for her. In the grammar grades pupils often beg the privilege of holding a spelling-match. It may often be well to indulge them. They will appreciate it and have a deeper respect for the teacher.
It is too important a matter of school-room discipline, and means far too much in the future of many a boy’s or girl’s life, to overlook the fact that if pupils are met with authority only they will challenge that authority. No teacher will deny that if he allows his pupils many pleasurable privileges, they will be obedient to his wishes because he is obedient to their wishes. One does not have to go far to find a teacher who has kept many a boy from smoking, chewing tobacco, gambling or resorting to evil practices, all because that teacher gave the boy his friendship, and filled his life with innocent pleasure. The boy’s own words—and they are often heard—bear testimony to the fact. Who has not heard a boy say, “That teacher wanted us to have a good time, I liked him because he liked the boys, I minded him because he knew what was good for us.” What teacher could not feel proud of such an encomium? It is a reward far more lasting than any stipend for the teacher’s work.
It is not the purpose of this Course to enter into the discussion of why pupils indulge in many evil practices, but the teacher should know that often privileges that lead to no harm are denied pupils; this causes them to seek to break away from restraint. As a rule pupils do not admire or like a teacher who denies them the privileges they seek. Because of this dislike they are prone to antagonize the teacher as much as possible, thus making discipline a more difficult problem for him. Besides, they will do many things unknown to the teacher that will lead to evil. Every one can recall a school where every pupil seemed bent on getting into mischief, where the girls were out late at night, the boys frequented pool-rooms and often saloons, smoked, attended questionable dances and were vicious generally. On the other hand, schools can be recalled where all the pupils seemed well-behaved. In the former instance the teacher was a cold, formal individual who did not indulge his pupils in those many pleasures that amuse and please and keep them out of mischief. In the latter instance the teacher was a big-hearted, sympathetic individual, who loved the boys and girls. He made room for their youthful sports and even entered into the games himself. Thus he could lead his pupils into nobler lives because he acted as one of their number.
A teacher who wishes to render efficient service in his work and make himself more successful in discipline, will use the principle of co-operation. It would be worth while to spend a week or two observing all the exercises and activities of the school and to keep a memorandum of every phase of the work which could be improved by working more intimately with the pupils. The teacher who discretely employs the principle of co-operation in discipline will improve his ability to govern fifty per cent. But the good to the pupils that will result will be gratifying and lasting. For discipline is a failure if the results do not appear in the child’s entire life.
[17]. Principles of Character Making, p. 1. Lippincott.
[18]. Angell, op. cit., p. 436.
Consistency
While good results can be obtained by the use of co-operation, yet it can be made effective only by practicing consistency. In the application of the principle of co-operation in discipline, the teacher needs to be consistent. The entire school should be treated as a unit. Particular pupils should not be singled out as recipients of the teacher’s companionship. Such a procedure would defeat the effectiveness of the principle. Many pupils are so amiable that they are more closely associated with the teacher than more diffident and bashful pupils. Such pupils will naturally secure for themselves a goodly share of the privileges given by the teacher—not because they are selfish, but because they are more forward. Thus it will happen that the diffident pupil will get few or no privileges from the teacher. This will work great evil in a school. Soon some one will accuse the teacher of being partial when in reality the teacher is not at fault, since the forward pupil really causes the teacher to seem partial. Teachers must guard against this condition, for often parents misunderstand the situation and likewise accuse the teacher of being partial. When this happens his influence is undermined. A careful teacher will explain to his pupils that the confident pupil gets more from the teacher than the diffident and bashful pupil. It is his duty to insist that the diffident pupil help himself to all privileges. The teacher needs often to aid bashful pupils to get privileges; he should in many instances seek to reassure such pupils. This will lead them to love and cherish him. No teacher has not had pupils who invited him into their homes, desired to walk with him, took him riding, or brought him various little favors. The sociable teacher will accept with good grace all these kindnesses that pupils extend to him. But here it happens that many pupils will not offer their teachers such favors. This would be well if other pupils did not infer that the teacher is partial. He should make it plain that he loves his pupils all alike, though some treat him with more consideration than others.
A common fault with teachers who indulge their pupils is that sometimes they meet with adversity in the form of an irate parent or some incompatible person and because of their ruffled spirits they spend a day in the school-room without showing even friendship to the pupils. The next day their feelings are placated and, somehow, in trying to make up lost time they make unwise use of indulgence. Such a lack of day by day consistency will surely destroy the effectiveness of companionship.