Discipline And Management: Different Yet Related

In this essay I will compare and contrast discipline and management, and behavior and misbehavior. I will also briefly discuss the similarities and differences between the terms. The relations of the terms will be shown and a short word picture will be described to correlate how the terms can be used in a classroom setting; as today’s classrooms are faced with numerous components and struggles on how to create balance among the teacher’s goals and the student’s comprehension of those goals.

The word management means to “direct or control” (Dictionary.com, n.d., p. 1). However, when you place this term in the classroom it takes on a whole new meaning, which is to have a pre-written plan, idea, course of action, or direction. Discipline on the other hand is commonly misunderstood as classroom management. Discipline is not to be misconstrued as punishment. I personally feel this is a pathway to guide people towards self-control in the future and the outcome of discipline should not be used as the fear of authority (Charles, 2008, p. 7). The term management should be seen as the prevention and discipline is the action taken when the prevention failed. These two terms are however, similar in the fact that they work with each other towards the same goals which is harmony and balance. Create a short word picture that describes each.

The word behavior, as stated in the Webster’s dictionary is the “observable activity in a human or animal.” C.M. Charles described this word to refer to “everything we do whether good or bad, right or wrong, helpful or useless, productive or wasteful” (Charles, 2008, p. 8). This word is often used to describe the action of productive behavior which normally involves “the corporation” of others. When the prefix word “mis” is added, the meaning of the word takes on a whole new action and reaction. The prefix word “mis” comes from the Greek word miso which means to hate (Dictionary.com, n.d., p. 1). Together the word Misbehavior is another way of saying inappropriate or disruptive behavior (Charles, 2008, p. 8). Or as my mother used to say the term is to “miss the mark of proper behavior”.

In order to miss the mark of proper behavior one needs to understand what they are aiming for. The two terms are similar in the fact that they both produce a response of either positive energy or negative energy. The difference between the terms is not just in the reaction of the how the person is handling themselves but in how the actual behavior is affecting the person personally. Positive behavior has positive consequences and misbehavior can at times have negative consequences. However, misbehavior is a deeper issue and not a quick fix. These two terms are directly related to one another and should be used to better understand each other. Meaning, without the yin you would not have the yang and vice versa. Misbehavior is not always the root of something negative just as proper behavior, is not always the root the positive behavior. However, proper communication, or lack of, is always the root of the both.

Create a short word picture that describes each

References

1. Charles, C. (2008). Classroom Discipline (9th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
2. Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Management. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Management?o=100074
3. Dictionary.com. (n.d.). mis. Retrieved January 7, 2010, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mis-?db=luna