Say Yes, Summer 2006: Violence in Schools (3)

Participants in a creative drama session at the First Symposium on Violence and Schools explored the dynamics of violence during childhood.
Photograph by Oğuz Sağdıç © UNICEF Turkey 2006

Professor Helen Cowie: Whole School Approach” based on the principles of democracy, participation and citizenship.
Photograph Oğuz Sağdıç
© UNICEF Turkey 2006

Appropriate Methods of Discipline

The response of the teacher to a disruptive or violent incident within the school environment is critically important to the issue of prevention since children naturally look to the nearest adult for direction on how to behave. The question of how to instill discipline and prevent further violence is contingent on the teacher’s capacity to make an appropriate response that reflects school policy agreed between students, parents and staff.

Beating is never an appropriate or productive means of maintaining discipline in any environment. Besides the immediately humiliating and harmful effects on children, it can easily be argued that physical punishment sets a poor example by endorsing violence as a legitimate means of maintaining order. The second part of Article 28 of the CRC gives clear guidance on this issue when it specifies that:

school discipline is administered in a manner consistent with the child’s human dignity.

It has been argued that teachers can manage disruptive behaviour both within and without the classroom by making extra efforts to include difficult students in activities and exercises -- even in crowded classrooms.

A positive atmosphere in the classroom with good relationships between teacher and students encourages good behaviour. Educationalists suggest that when teaching staff are well-acquainted with the range of abilities, interests and learning styles of students the natural learning processes of the children all but take care of themselves. In this context, effective teaching for students with the most difficult behaviour should not require very much more effort on the part of the teacher.

Professor Susan Bitensky pointed out that violence against children is a contravention of their fundamental human rights.
Photograph Oğuz Sağdıç
© UNICEF Turkey 2006

Solutions

One of the most significant findings of the First Symposium on Violence in Schools was the need for a comprehensive national database on violence in the school environment in Turkey that would provide a strong basis for policy changes and strategies in favour of child-friendly schools.

With a view to meeting MONE’s objective of making all schools in Turkey safer, it was also generally agreed that:

student safety and general confidence would be greatly improved by stronger relations between school, parents and the community;
an appropriate curriculum with effective teaching methods would engage students and help encourage good behaviour;
training in managing and improving the behaviour of difficult pupils is necessary for school staff.

Read the full text of the Declaration by participants at the First Symposium on Violence and Schools.

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SAY YES, SUMMER 2006

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