Philosophy of Classroom Discipline Essay -- essays research papers

Philosophy of Classroom DisciplinePower is exercised completely over free subjects, and only inso farther as they are free. By this we mean individual or collective subjects who are faced with a field of possibilities in which several ways of behaving, several reactions and diverse compartments may be realized. (Foucault) Foucault and Heidegger, modern philosophers, both describe power in these terms, as the facility to manipulate an object without force. Understanding this point of view is important, not only for state institutions who attempt to uphold power over citizens and deviants, simply also for teachers as they try to exercise disciplinary power to conceal the events in their classroom. Unfortunately, the majority of status quo disciplinary systems are entrenched in the mindset that power can be exerted over individuals through the use of coercive punishments and threats, actions which usually have the complete opposite result, less tick over the students. A system t hat more closely mirrors Thomas Gordons view of discipline as self-control would be a far superior disciplinary model because it recognizes the true nature of power. Thomas Gordons disciplinary model specifically critiques the use of coercion and intimidation to exert power and control over students. Coercion to Gordon only reinforces a spirit that violence is an acceptable form of control. Additionally, coerced and intimidated students will often penalize against authority figures who attempt to exert coerciv...