“There is no easy way. There is only hard work, late nights, early mornings, practice, rehearsal, repetition, study, sweat, blood, toil, frustration, and discipline” (Jocko Willink). In my last post, I stated that very little has changed in the public school system since its establishment 100+ years ago. When it comes to how a classroom functions – rows of desks, a teacher telling students what to know, very little real world learning, etc. – that statement holds true. However, the focus of education has changed significantly. Education has gotten off the path of teaching skills that will help students be successful in the real world. Instead, we cater to every emotional feeling and hardship students are going through, in turn diminishing the importance and value of real learning. Instead of giving students tools on how to deal with their emotions and hardships, we allow them to be excuses for why they can’t or won’t learn. This needs to change, and Jocko stated exactly what needs to be expressed, taught, and expected in every classroom – Discipline!
Most people hear the word “Discipline” and think of punishment. This is not at all what I believe discipline means in the classroom. Discipline is having a mindset that says, “I will do what needs to be done no matter how I feel about it.” Discipline is the key to success and ultimately freedom. However, we do not teach this quality in the classroom. We are impeding students’ growth and potential when we do not teach the importance and value of being disciplined. Discipline is key when dealing with hardship, emotional issues, lack of motivation, and so much more. Imagine the changes that would occur, not only in the classroom, but in each student as they learned the power and value of being disciplined in their life.
Discipline seems to be a foreign ideology in today’s world. Most people speak to the importance of motivation. Motivation is fickle and is never guaranteed. You can see that by just being in the classroom with students. Some days, students are motivated to work and do well, other days, they lack all forms of motivation and waste time and energy. This usually leads to battles between students and teachers about not doing work in class or not getting any work completed. All of that could change if we taught students the importance of self-discipline.
As a teacher, I like giving personal examples on how discipline is essential in my life. I try to relate the real world to my students. I use examples of exercise, work, chores, and many others as reasons to have discipline. I explain to my students that just because I don’t feel like doing those things, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do them. I then explain the consequences that I have to deal with when I choose not to have discipline. I get overweight and unhealthy. I fall behind in my work and have to play catchup. My house gets filthy and cluttered, or I don’t have any clean clothes. I explain to my students the value of having discipline when motivation is nowhere to be found. I then discuss the benefits of choosing to be disciplined. I’m healthy. I have less to do at work and home due to focusing and getting my work and chores completed. I get freedom to do what I want when I want when I choose to be disciplined in the tedious things in life. It also means I have less worry and anxiety.
Discipline comes in the form of actions and choices. As teachers, we like to relate students’ actions and choices to work and assignments, but it’s so much more than that. Discipline needs to be not only about work and assignments, but how they treat others and how they treat themselves. Discipline is the inward reflection of becoming a better human being. It’s important to teach students that how they feel about doing something matters little to the importance of doing what needs to be done. I like to put it, “It doesn’t matter what you want to do. What matters is what needs to be done.” Discipline is about finding freedom in doing the things we know need to be done despite how we feel about them.
If discipline was the foundation of education, our students and our society would be better off. Students would find value in their efforts and work. They would see the personal benefits that would come from being disciplined. They would be more mindful of their actions and choices. They would find more success in their dreams and life goals. An education system where discipline is at the core of everything it does would build students who become responsible, focused, and determined citizens in society. Let discipline be the foundation in which we build education.
Welcome To The Classroom 