In a recent article entitled Tacit Approval: Don’t you dare give it! Rosa wrote the following (I have taken the liberty to edit into a classroom setting):
Tacit approval happens when:
a) a student does something wrong
b) you become aware of it
c) that student and/or others within your classroom are aware of both a) and b)
d) you do nothing about it and let it slideAs a result, you have given tacit approval for that wrong which was committed. Your silent message to everyone else can be interpreted in several different ways, and none of them are good.
Ouch, that hurt! Why? Because every teacher has faced this situation. Consistency and fairness is critical in any classroom. Review Rosa’s article carefully and see what tacit approval communicates.
With that said, there are individual differences that should be considered when discipline is needed. I was a shy child in school and very compliant. The greatest motivation was the fears of embarrassment and punishment. All I needed was a look or gentle reminder; correction was immediate. However, there were others who seemed to need more severe intervention. As a student I was not concerned with how others were treated, just me. But, I quickly noticed if a teacher let something slide.
So the challenge for the teacher is to be consistent and fair with the rules of the classroom (they apply to all) while understanding how to guide and correct each student (which applies to individuals). Being consistent with the punishment is not always the best way to approach a problem. The goal of all correction is a disciple. The words disciple and discipline come from the same root word.
Some encouragements:
- look for the best in each student
- establish rules that are easy to remember and easy to apply. Build them around “do” not “don’t”. For example, instead of “Don’t talk when your neighbor is talking” use “Carefully listen to your neighbor when s/he is speaking.”
- be wise and fair with your consequences; applying the same discipline might not be enough for some and crushing for others. To guard against this, build into your system a blend of strategies. A warning might be all that is needed for some students but not nearly enough for others. Start with a warning and then move to a more serious consequence.
- know each student well enough to know how to effectively discipline him/her
- reassure each disciplined student that s/he is loved and appreciated
Above all, in Rosa’s words, don’t you dare give tacit approval.
