Discipline - Improving Classroom Management through Action Research: A Professional Development Plan

Abstract

Action research is an effective plan for the professional development of teachers. It helps practitioners’ to improve their teaching practices. This research paper examines the strategies used by me to maintain discipline in classroom through action research. The paper determines whether punishment and de-motivation are better reinforcing tool to maintain discipline and whether there is a correlation between learners’ behavior and the discipline practices. The teacher identified the areas of improvement in maintaining discipline in classroom. For this particular research, Individual Action Research type is adopted. A professional development plan was made and implemented using Skinnerian model of discipline (1930-1955) to maintain discipline in classroom through positive reinforcement instead of punishment. The sampling consists of 30 students (15 males and 15 females) of grade 9-10. The data was collected through personal observations, reflective diary and audio recordings. The study concludes that there was a definite correlation between punishment and de-motivation with learners’ behavior. The students were more relaxed when the positive reinforcement was adopted and when the routine plan was made keeping in mind the interest of the students. They were more engaged in class when the punishment and de-motivation were reduced, and when their opinions were given maximum attention to make them feel important. Positive reinforcement, substituting punishment and implementing students’ opinion helped a lot in maintaining discipline. The professional development opportunities helped me to become a reflective teacher.

Keywords: discipline, area, improvement, classroom teaching, professional development plan