Positive discipline | Bangkok Post: learning

It will be a full-moon night again on Nov 21, and Thais around the country will be out in full force to celebrate the traditional festival to express appreciation for rivers. For some teachers, this occasion could be used to help their children to learn about positive discipline in very effective ways. Although many teachers provide positive discipline activities for their students, incidents still occur in schools that reveal that students are beaten, abused and violated.

Rights of the child

Students learn kratong-making with a dash of positive discipline. RANGSUN WIBOONUPPATUM

Under the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which Thailand ratified in 1992, Article 19 explicitly requires the Government to ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence. Article 28 specifically says that the disciplinary actions administered in school must be consistent with human dignity, while Article 37 stipulates that the state shall ensure that children are not subjected to cruel or inhuman treatment. In other words, the CRC mandates a complete prohibition of corporal punishment.

It took about 24 years for our country to realise the above message and to enact the Child Protection Act of 2003. This clearly states that any treatment of a child must be for the best interests of the child, and the child's right to protection is among the other rights that are very clearly spelled out. In 2005, the Act led the Ministry of Education to establish a rule on banning any form of corporal punishment in schools. By the same token, the Teachers Council declared the code of conduct of teachers, which came into effect in 2007, and under which teachers are required to commit themselves to child protection laws as well as from not using corporal punishment. These child protection laws and regulations need to be conveyed throughout the education system and all teachers, educators and administrators must be made to adhere to them.

Everybody gains

The policy preventing corporal punishment in schools as well as in families is praiseworthy. It is essential, but sadly, it is not sufficient. Teachers need to be equipped with different pedagogical approaches, such as positive disciplinary techniques, that enable them to guide students by paying attention to their emotional and psychological needs.

Learning activities should enable children to make wise decisions, and to act according to reason and logic. Also, these activities should provide students with clear guidelines on what social behaviour is acceptable, and support should be given to them as they learn to abide by those guidelines.

The process may move slowly and may require patience and persistence on the part of teachers, students and parents.

Positive discipline classes should incorporate activities that are relevant to the reduction of misbehaviour, responsive to the particular students involved, promote corrective behaviour without humiliating the students, and rehabilitate students by encouraging them to learn from past experience or mistakes.

Towards the light

During the upcoming popular floating of the kratongs celebration, teachers should take the occasion to highlight its relevance to correct behaviour, its responsiveness to social relationships, its ability to rehabilitate wayward members of society, and its emphasis on mutual respect. Teaching should not be distracted from being more supportive, positive and creative during this time of the year. Instead, they can extend the spirit of the festive tradition to the spirit of teaching our children. By doing so, our teachers will be equipped with supportive, positive and creative pedagogy that helps to ensure that our students develop self-discipline.

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