Practical school discipline

by Ray Coppock Beery

The following story was told by an old man. He said that when he was young he was quite wicked; among the evils in which he indulged was evil thinking and vulgar and blasphemous language. He had become so offensive that many people shunned him. He was aware of his condition but was unable to change himself. One day a friend advised him to memorize a number of good poems and sacred songs. Whenever his mind should revert to evil thoughts or he had a desire to use vile language, he was to repeat the poems, or if he was where he could sing, he was to sing some of the sacred songs. He did as he was advised. Persistently he followed his friend’s counsel, and in less than six month’s time, he had cured himself of his evil-mindedness and the use of vile and blasphemous language.

The same principle of substitution that the old man used when he was a youth is very applicable to many problems that arise in the school-room. Of course, it must be borne in mind that the teacher does not have the child for the entire day, and that the home may offset much that the teacher does. If such is the case, the teacher’s only chance of success is to solicit the aid of the home. While he may not be able to do this in every instance, it is fair to assume he will get the home aid necessary in almost every case. All voluntary acts of the child are founded upon some motive. The teacher’s attack against any bad habit of a pupil must not be a direct attack against the habit itself. Another type of action should be substituted for it. It is a very homely illustration but nevertheless true, that a cesspool can not be removed by removing the refuse. It will fill up again. But if the pool is filled with good solid earth, the pool will not return again. So it is with an evil in any child’s or adult’s life. If the evil is removed, put a positive good habit or activity in its place or the evil habit will return. It is often the case that the evil habit crowds out the good habit after it has been admitted into the child’s life. This cannot happen under the watchful care of a good teacher.

The principle of substitution may be likened to the planting of a lily garden where once flourished a bed of thistles. The teacher must ever be on the look out for a place where he can plant a positive virtue. When planted it must be nurtured and cared for until it reaches perfection. It will then crowd out at least one vice. Discouragement should not thwart the teacher in his attempts to eliminate evil from a child’s life. His duty is clear and he should summon every aid to his assistance in order to accomplish his purpose.

The Principle of Expectancy

“Seek and ye shall find,” “Knock and it shall be opened,” are Biblical injunctions that embody more truth than appears on the surface. Just as true is it to say, “Expect and ye shall receive what ye expect.” The following true incident is very much to the point and worth repeating.

During the first few years of the nineteenth century a French lad was learning to be a drummer for the French Army. Among the various selections of army music which he was required to learn was a retreat. When it came time to learning the army retreat, he refused, telling his teacher that he never expected to beat a retreat. “But,” said the teacher, “no army can be so victorious but that sometime in its career it must retreat.” Again the boy replied, “I never expect to beat a retreat.” It was but a year later when he became a drummer boy in Napoleon’s army. In one of the hardest fought battles of Napoleon’s military career, it became apparent to Napoleon that his army would be defeated and practically all captured. To save this situation the great general ordered a retreat. The drummer boy did not beat a retreat. Napoleon angered, rode up to the boy and in harsh tones ordered the lad to beat a retreat. The lad looked up and replied, “I can not beat a retreat.” The now enraged general shouted, “Beat a retreat!” Again came the firm, resolute reply, “I can not beat a retreat.” There was in the lad’s expression a look of firm expectation that he would not need to beat a retreat. The general was furious, he whirled his horse about and derisively shouted back, “Then beat a charge.” At once that firm determination which made the boy self-confident and expectant, fired his spirit and he began to beat a charge. All the years of resolution and expectancy that were pent up in his soul now echoed and re-echoed in those drum beats. The soldiers caught the spirit of firmness and, thrilled with an ardor that they had never felt before, they followed the drummer boy to victory.

The above story illustrates the Principle of Expectancy—a principle that is fundamental in discipline. It goes much further than merely to expect a thing to be done when it is commanded. It becomes a part of the individual, if that individual has a firm grip upon the principle of expectancy. It is a principle that will inspire the teacher with self-confidence. Everyone can recall some teachers who had so firm a belief in their ability to do things and secure results as to have no fear that assigned tasks would not be well done. When the teacher has the principle of expectancy so well fused into himself as to have confidence that he will get whatever he justly seeks, then, and only then, will he be an accomplished disciplinarian.

The writer once visited the gymnasium of a public school just when the high school pupils were taking their regular daily exercises. The exercises were being directed by the principal. At the close of the gymnastic period, the principal in a whining tone of voice with these words commanded the pupils to leave the gymnasium: “I want you to leave the gymnasium now—right away now.” This teacher did not expect the pupils to leave the gymnasium promptly. He implied that much in his command. He got what he expected. Many of the pupils continued to loiter about the gymnasium striking at each other and making other useless movements. It took several more whining commands before he succeeded in getting the gymnasium cleared of pupils. In fact, some left it so reluctantly as to show that they had been antagonized by the principal. This all came about by an improper attitude of the principal in his lack of expecting his command to be obeyed. Had he said to the pupils in a firm tone of voice at the close of the gymnastic period, “This is all,” and then stepped to the door and opening it, standing aside and expecting nothing else, except that every pupil would promptly leave the building, the result would have been different. Every pupil would have left the gymnasium promptly and the spirit of antagonism would not have appeared.

In actual school work, no principle can do more good in its application than the principle of expectancy. One teacher can assign a lesson to a class without any admonishing or even the slightest suggestion that they should study the lesson. The class will return on the following day and recite a good lesson. Another teacher may assign to this same class a lesson, also without a suggestion as to the class preparing the lesson. However, in the next recitation the class will not have the lesson. Upon careful investigation it will be found that the one teacher has in his make-up that something which makes pupils feel and know that he expects nothing else than that his pupils will learn the lessons he assigns them. He does not inform his pupils in so many words that he expects them to study the lesson he assigns. He assumes as much; then, with a confidence in his pupils that is compelling he expects them to do his every bidding. The other teacher, not in words either, but in his very manner, is vacillating. He lacks confidence in himself and in his pupils. He is suspicious. He is not sure his pupils will study if he tells them to. He can not assign a lesson with a safe feeling that the pupils can do nothing else but learn it. He waits until the class comes before him, and then begins the recitation in a half-hearted way as though he knew they did not know the lesson. It is a safe assumption. He is not disappointed. The class has not prepared the lesson. There are many teachers who think themselves “smart” and wise, when they can say to a class before they have even begun the recitation, “You look as though you did not have your lesson. I can tell it by your eyes.” Such a teacher is a liar. No teacher can tell beforehand whether a class has a lesson or not. It is little wonder that so many teachers fail. They are the rocks of destruction to their own pupils.

On the other hand, in the actual discipline of the pupils, the principle of expectancy is of vital importance. Who can not recall a teacher going to the back of the school-room to correct a pupil and then walking away casting side-wise glances, and sometimes making quick turns about, as much as to tell the pupil, “I am suspicious of you.” But the information is far broader than that. That teacher by his suspicious attitude tells his pupil that he is expecting the pupil to perpetrate more mischief. If he did not think the pupil would repeat his pranks, he would not need to watch him. Thoughtful teachers can afford to reflect upon this. Nothing is more liable to breed mischief and contempt among pupils than to treat them as though they can never be trusted. A teacher practicing such an attitude of suspicion can never succeed in school-room discipline. To reprimand a pupil and then have enough confidence to expect the pupil not to repeat the offense will without fail reach the better self of the pupil. He will not repeat the offense. Teachers should always expect the best result to follow their efforts. They should make expectancy the keynote of their lives. Not to be expectant is to be suspicious. The question can very appropriately be asked: “What pupil likes to be suspected always by his teacher?” And with emphasis: “What teacher would like to be suspected?” Then it is high time that teachers expect more from their pupils. They will get more. Expect them to know their lessons, and they will prepare them. Expect them to be obedient, and they will be obedient. Expect them to be kind and courteous, and they will be kind and courteous. To live in expectancy is to live in hope. To the teacher who expects the good and hopes for the better, there can never be a dull and dreary school. The principle of expectancy is the teacher’s beacon light; he should never take his eye from it.