09 VII. ATTENTION AND DISCIPLINE

VII. ATTENTION AND DISCIPLINE

Chapter VII ATTENTION AND DISCIPLINE

Attention

Proper attention is necessary in the learning process. Attention is an expression of interest. This interest is either natural or normal, without any particular effort on the part of the individual giving the attention, or it is stimulated interest which is shown as a result of stimulae from without the individual. Attention which is manifest because of natural interest in the thing being done is called involuntary attention because it requires no effort. Forced attention is called voluntary attention and requires an effort on the part of the individual giving such attention. Small children are incapable of voluntary attention. Furthermore, small children are incapable of long-sustained periods of involuntary attention. Since involuntary attention is a normal process, it is easy to understand that this will be the most satisfactory form of attention- Involuntary Attention

Several things may be mentioned as contributory to involuntary attention and are therefore to be encouraged. First, the child should be comfortable. Uncomfortable chairs and tables, lack of heat and light, or too much light and heat should not be tolerated if they can be helped. Second, the teacher, the room, and, most of all, the lesson materials should be attractive. Most of you adults have had the experience of trying to interest yourself in something when you were uncomfortable or when your surroundings were unpleasant. Just remember that the child has the same difficulties. Lesson subjects and materials should be such as are in harmony with the psychology of childhood. Many of our lessons prepared for children have in them nothing that appeals to children naturally. The problem of attention is multiplied when we attempt to teach a lesson in which the child has no natural interest. Third, the way in which the lesson is presented to the child has much to do with the interest that is naturally given, Many times children are rebuked for the lack of attention when the teacher, because of lack of preparation, is really to be blamed. Lack of preparation leads to poor presentation of the lesson, and a poorly-presented lesson discourages natural or involuntary attention.

If the lesson materials are interesting and are pre-sented in an interesting manner with comfortable and pleasant surroundings, there is likely to be very little lack of attention.

Voluntary Attention

Voluntary attention is given by effort and therefore is difficult to obtain from a child. When attention is forced, it is likely to be a forced physical quietness with little mental alertness, which is the thing desired. In directing the attention of children, it must be remembered that children are not capable of long-sustained periods of attention. Hence, any considerable showing of inattention may be a suggestion to the teacher that it is time to make a change in the program. Change from one thing to another occasionally, depending upon the age of the children, tends to keep the interest at its peak. Try changing your program sometime when you feel like scolding the children and see the results, There are various ways of controlling children physically, but controlling their minds is a different thing. From about the sixth grade up, the children have developed the power to concentrate, and hence it may be only necessary to make a suggestion to them in order to obtain increased attention. Be careful that the means used to create interest do not become so harsh that they react in the wrong way. 

Discipline

Discipline is an effort on the part of teachers to maintain decorum in the classroom. The lack of order is an expression of disinterest in the recitation which is in progress. Discipline is necessary only where there is little or no interest. If the teacher can maintain the interest of the class at the high point, she is apt to have very little need for discipline.

I think there is less likelihood of disorder in a vacation Bible school than in the Sunday Bible school, for the simple fact that it is possible to require a little more of pupils in such a school than you can in the Sunday school. Pupils feel1 a little more the hand of authority and are less inclined to take advantage of the teacher. However, cases of disorder are apt to present themselves everywhere and must be dealt with that the classwork may proceed efficiently.

It is usually better to prevent than to remedy a bad situation, and a good many cases of disorder begin as the children come into the classroom. It is suggested, therefore, as a prevention of rowdiness, that the teacher be in the classroom before the first pupil enters. Have the children come in orderly and start the program with a short period of devotion, thereby preventing the be-ginning of disorder which may be hard to curb if it is once begun. Handle the children firmly but kindly. Do not become angry, harsh, or unkind in dealing with children. A great many cases of misconduct on the part of smaller children is an effort to get attention. Therefore, it is usually not a very good policy to give them much public attention lest we make them worse. Usually such cases can be better managed by private attention than public rebuke. When a teacher allows herself to become angered, she is likely to do more harm in a few seconds than she can undo in a good many weeks. To become angered is to admit that you do not know what to do and that the child has outwitted you. Do not drive the child from the class. If you know of nothing else to do, you had better call in some counsel. Think of the eternal influence if you drive the child out of the class.

Study your whole class situation. There may be something about the class situation that is responsible for this disorder. If you cannot find anything about the class situation that is causing the trouble, then study the child and its background to see if you can discover the cause of the difficulty. I suggest that you study your preparation and presentation of the lesson and your general attitude toward the class. There might be something in your attitude which is causing the bad reaction. After making a thorough investigation to find the cause of the misbehavior, you are in a position to do something to correct the cause of the disorder. A child cannot be expected to sit as still as a grown man. Do not think that the child is not listening because he is moving. If the child is annoying some other child, he probably is not listening to what you are saying. If the child is asked a question, or is called upon to read a passage, or to make a report, or to do some work on the blackboard, or to point out something on the map, which is in line with what you are studying, you break up the disorder without any confusion or embarrassment. A teacher should always have plenty of equipment and plenty of suggestions to keep all of her pupils busy. A child who is kept busy will not give trouble. Arrange your program to keep all of your children busy all of the time. Do not abuse, humiliate, or expose the pupil to public ridicule. Do not become nervous and angered. Remember you cannot make the child come back for the next session of the school. The Bible class is a time of persuasion and not compulsion. Do not spend all of your time trying to correct one pupil instead of teaching the rest of your pupils. Do not become overexcited about a little act of misconduct. You may make it worse by your attitude If you pass it up with little notice and as inconsequential, the condition may be righted with little vexation.

Start with an orderly entrance into the room, continue with a period of devotion. Keep your recitation interesting for the children. Keep the children busy. Have ample opportunity for each pupil to participate in the program. Arrange the seating of the children so there is least likelihood of annoying each other. If you must administer discipline, study the case thoroughly, ask for skilled advice, and then be very mild in whatever discipline is administered. Do not reward misconduct. One teacher decided to place a chart on the wall and give each child who was rude a black star. The children decided to see how many black stars they could get within a month’s time. Do not threaten the pupils with the presence of the principal of the school; the principal may have to intervene in the interest of the class, and he will need the good will of the class. Do not give any pupil, however rude, the idea that you dislike him. Too much discipline may be worse than too little. Think more in terms of creating interest and you will have to think less of discipline.