The current discipline practice at Ashton International College, is using the merit and demerit system. According to Dr. Edwards (2016), This type of system will provide rewards for positive behaviors and consequences for negative behaviors. This system is intended to assist learners in making good choices thus producing well-behaved learners. The ultimate goal is to develop learners who are self- disciplined and good citizens.
The merit and demerit system that is being implemented at Ashton International College is based on the Operant Conditioning theory presented by BF Skinner. Which states that Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an individual makes an association between a particular behavior and a consequence (Saul, 2018).
In order to have my own discipline tool, I aligned it with the school’s current discipline practice. Learners in my class would often like to talk and sometimes disrupt lessons. To avoid this, I implemented a voice- chart. This chart has four levels of where and how their voices should be projected and used. At each part of the lesson the arrow would point to the level of projection.
This method worked really well as it trained learners to self-control and improve listening skills as well. Learners took time at the beginning to adjust to this new method but were soon on board with this idea.
I used an instructional strategy of using verbal communication to remind learners of what they meant to do. This method of discipling learners had a positive rippling effect that lasts a very long time. Some of the benefits are; (1) good discipline creates life-long learners – this means that Discipline makes for more intelligent and motivated learners and that learners who are highly self-disciplined may be able to better focus on long-term goals and make better choices related to academic engagement. (2) Discipline allows kids to be able to set, and achieve, goals better- this means that even when problems and obstacles arise, a disciplined person can get through it and reach their goals — with higher rates of fulfillment after. , (3) Discipline helps you avoid temptations – this means that self-control helps people to achieve the things they find important in their lives by not being distracted by immediate pleasures and temptations. And lastly, (4) discipline gives you a more positive outlook – means that people with high levels of self-control are more promotion-focused on acquiring positive gains — thereby facilitating more approach-oriented behaviors, instead of avoiding things (Steele, 2018).