The Importance of Discipline in School: Literature Review

The aim of the literature review is to discuss knowledge about the topic of teacher perception on factors affecting academic performance such as the importance of discipline in school. In this essay the literature review also contributes towards developing a well-informed researched topic. The following authors will be critically reviewed: Newton and Ndamani, Njoroge, Stanely, Modisatsile, rossouw and Albert bandura.

Discipline is the practice of training people so that they obey rules. It can also be vividly described as a code of behaviour using punishment in order to correct disobedience. According to Newton discipline is described as the manner how educator and learners interact. Newton is of the opinion that if discipline in school is informal the relationship among teachers and learners can be often casual and this will approach conflicts assumptions of how learners grow and what way should the rules should be introduced and implemented.  When learners are ill-disciplined their disturbance is negative affecting the academic performance which will results to poor results. Any academic scholarly institution where discipline is positive will produce great results Njoroge is in support that ‘discipline is the source for the success of student academic performance’

'The core root of South African education system and academic performance of learners is rooted on disciplines', Ehlane. He further argues that “The efficient use of time among students and school administrator can be directly associated with positive academic performance” The punctuality must be crystal observed by both educators and learners, both stakeholders need to adhere to their timetables.

The Academic Theories Used

Modisaotsile argue that education is the foremost vehicle through which education system needed to reproduce responsible citizens but ill-discipline makes it impossible to achieve this desired outcome. It is crystal clear that if the learner’s education is dysfunctional their academic performance and results will be poor and this will result in future of learners being compromised.

Ndamani believes that ‘this ill-discipline behaviour has a negative impact on educators as they feel helpless and disempowered, when educators are feeling helpless this result to unsuccessful teaching and learning in schools. Lack of discipline is a global crisis, it has been a challenge to foreign countries both developed and developing.

Njoroge believes that the ill-discipline in schools is caused by learners who is in need of recognition status and attention. Even though the lack of learner discipline is an alarming crisis in our schools, this mater need to be tackled and curbed in a serious manner.

Farooq argue that ‘low socioeconomic status of learners also affects the quality of their education performance’. Learners with socio economic issues also contributes towards the way how learners behave. Furthermore, Farooq elaborates that the environment and features of leaners play an important role in their academic success. The school academic workers as well as the society is of great support towards the positive academic performance of learners.

Theoretical Framework

Albert Bandura believes that children are influenced by their role models as they mimic their way of doing things, such are parents at home, celebrities on television, friend and peers as well as their academic teachers. Learners mimic and observe behaviour from these models with regard to gender this is regardless being pro and anti-social, this is argued by Bandura.

Maria in addition, further quotes Erikson 1963 (the psychosocial theory) four stages of human development are mainly explained: infant stage, childhood stage, youth and adolescent stage, he further argues that the in adolescent stage the child is thinking in an instinctively manner. Maria is of opinion that such behaviour by learners will cause the learning performance of learners to be harmfully affected, learners are no longer taking instructions given to them by their educators.

Johnson adduce Pavlov classical condition saying, “The learning behavioural learning theories mainly focus and seek to describe the effect and organism and because it respond with particular behaviours by the learners” Johnson is further elaborating in his perspective that the classical conditions works with the state of mind of an individual. He vividly explains classical condition examined by the behaviours that produce a particular emotional reaction of each person.

In this report on discipline problems in school essay the researcher has firmly presented the literature review and the theory employed by the study. The researcher has further stipulated many views of academic scholars about the escalating and increasing problem of ill-disciplined learners.