A Personal Philosophy of Discipline I am a nutri

I am a nutrition educator and extension agent with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, and in this capacity I teach basic nutrition to informal groups of youth in schools, agencies, and other settings. In order for this work to be effective, it has been necessary for me to develop a workable philosophy of discipline that serves me and my students well as we accomplish the learning tasks. It is the purpose of this paper to present a philosophy statement, discuss discipline practices and supporting information according to this philosophy, and conclude with a brief summary of my personal discipline philosophy.

Although many of my own ideas and beliefs have become incorporated into a philosophy that is uniquely my own, two pieces of writing have greatly influenced my thinking in this area--Discipline: Toward Positive Student Behavior by Kevin Swick and The Quality School: Managing Students Without Coercion by William Glasser, M.D. These two works have greatly assisted me in the process of forging a personal strategy of discipline that works well in carrying out my basic nutrition curriculum.

My philosophy regarding discipline in the classroom is based upon guiding my own behavior and that of the students without coercion in an emotional atmosphere of warmth and concern. It is an educational experience involving quality work and self-responsibility that enables the students to discover that education is the most powerful tool av

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nd dysfunctional living patterns greatly increases the probability of antisocial behavior (Swick, p. 10). In order for an instructor to be aware of the distinction between a discipline problem and an environmental problem, certain signs are important to observe. The following attributes are signals of possible future difficulty: inability to give and receive attention, destruction directed toward self or others, problems with food, cruelty, control difficulties, speech problems, hostile parents, constant lying, and preoccupation with fire and blood (Swick, p. 12). A teacher can exert a strong positive influence, even with severely problematic ecologies, by working to establish sincere, positive relationships with the students. The teacher can maintain a well-organized, consistent classroom which can serve as a welcome anchor in the child's chaotic life. If the teacher provides clear direction to the student and responds positively to the student's interests and attempts to improve, the student learns to become involved in satisfying problem-solving (Swick, p. 18). Constant interaction with all the students greatly decreases the likelihood of discipline difficulties. Research shows that teachers tend to talk more with stude
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