Letter of the Day | Intervention or criminalisation
Published:Thursday | December 26, 2019 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
While I do not condone the teacher’s outburst at Pembroke Hall High School recently, I would like to caution the critics who are sitting in their cozy corners condemning the teacher’s behaviour.
There is no classroom-management theory that can prepare teachers for what is currently happening in the classroom. William Glasser’s Model of Rational Choice; B.F. Skinner’s Behaviour Modification Theory; Rudolf Dreikurs’ Theory of Logical Consequences; Lee and Marlene Canter’s Assertive Discipline Model – it is going to take several intervention plans and strategies to remedy the indiscipline in our schools.
We must remember that some of these students have emotional and social challenges, learning challenges, varied learning styles, and cognitive challenges. Teaching and learning are the responsibilities of both teacher and student and should not be left to the teacher alone.
Instead of criminalising the matter, let us attempt to address structured and workable interventions to alleviate this type of behaviour in our schools. The parents are also an important component of the intervention and should be involved at all stages.
Olga M. Morgan