Indiscipline in school has been one of the major concerns of educators, especially among secondary school students. And to provide lasting remedies, one must be able to understand the causes. It is generally known that discipline is at the root of every great achievement. And lack of it can spell doom for students.
Every misbehavior (vandalism, examination malpractice, lateness, violence, sexual misconduct, improper dressing, and poor academic performance among students) whether within or outside the school has its cause(s). For this reason, I have decided to write an article to the best of my knowledge on some causes and solutions to indiscipline in school.
That said, there is a need to know the meaning of indiscipline. Ali et al. define it as
Behavior exhibited by the learners or students within the school premises and outside the school, which attract condemnation (instead of praise) by the public and the school staff.
Causes
- Over permissiveness
Parents must understand that not everything permissible is lawful. When you give too much freedom to a child without setting a boundary, then you are offering such a child access to misbehaving. Someone said freedom without discipline is captivity without knowing. This anomaly could make parents lose control over their children.
- Poor teaching or Inadequate class control
One of the ways of knowing an effective teacher is by the way he controls or manages his class whenever a lecture is going on. It is not uncommon to see students misbehaving when a teacher with a poor teaching style is around. Some students see it as a time to chew gum, gist, laugh, sleep, etc. while a lecture is ongoing.
- Bad Associates
The kind of students your child moves with will determine their behavior. Some children learn to smoke, drinking of alcohol, cheat in exams, etc. through their friends. There is an adage that says, “Bad company corrupts good manners.”
- Unsatisfactory home condition
Some children are faced with a broken home, persistent quarrels or fights between their parents, etc. And these poor home conditions affect how they behave outside. Children from this home are prone to social vices.
- Lawlessness
When rules are not enforced students tend to misbehave. And where there is no law, there is no sin. Enforcement of law and order in schools instills discipline in students.
- Lack of parents-children relationship or teacher-student relationship
One thing I have observed is that a student who enjoys a good relationship with his/her parents and teachers tends to be disciplined.
Some other causes are poor school organization and poor Work ethic.
Solutions
The remedy to indiscipline is a collective effort by all stakeholders. Parents, teachers, school owners, and students must be involved in putting an end to this act.
I will be discussing below some of the solutions that can bring an end to indiscipline.
- Awarding well-behaved students: This is a way of influencing students to do what is right within and outside the school. Everyone loves praise and reward.
- Teachers should be friendly
- Cooperation between parents and teachers:
- Regulations to be clearly stated: When rules are set, they send a signal to every student that every form of disobedience will be punished.
- Involving students in decision-making
- Counseling for difficult students
