This is a key ingredient and need that is often overlooked. It is an element of need that can be quite frightening for teachers and school administrators.
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The control and discipline methods once available to teachers and educators were overbearing and harsh. Chastisement of both a verbal and physical nature was often cutting. Teachers were often very overbearing and students were used to being put down. The anticipation of ‘being corrected’ by punishment often sent shivers through children.
Things needed to change. Correction needed to be based on empathy and understanding. Matters requiring disciplinary treatment needed to be fleshed out, ion order that students were not dealt with incorrectly or unfairly.
Wrongs have largely been righted. However, teachers ion our modern times can be left in positions of vulnerability because they have so few corrective tools available to counteract poor behaviours. About the only thing teachers and school staff can do is talk to children about behaviour. This does not work with all students. They quickly sense that teachers have a limited repertoire of responses they can apply. That being the case, children can feel that they can continue with poor behaviour. They even ramp it up, which adds to the hurt and discomfit inflicted upon others.
Teachers have to have management tools they can use to control and counter negative behaviours. If these are not available, the qualities of teaching and learning can be ruined.
A happy medium is necessary. I believe in many cases we are still searching for the idealism that goes with happy, contented, harmonious and productive classrooms.