Discipline among university students

It is agreeable that unless we are really patient and level-headed, teaching children at the kindergarten level can be unbearable. Although there sure are lovely moments when they listen, interestedly pay attention, and behave themselves, they can get out of control. It is fairly imaginable to think of controlling their behavior as trying to get tens of moving crabs onto a single tray. No wonder this is the case; they are young and such concepts as discipline is still rather abstract to them, to which some force and constant repetition may be needed for them to conform. For adult students, on the other hand, especially at university level, discipline is automatically expected. But, from my point of view as an adult student myself, sometimes we tend to be disobedient and not very disciplined.

In classes we talk when others, including teachers, are talking. We come late. We sometimes break the uniform rule, coming to class in casual clothes or, for girls, wearing mini-skirts. We don’t read books before classes, despite being asked many times to. These behaviors are rather common among IFL students, to say the least. Why is that? Aren’t we supposed to be obedient, considerate, and more disciplined?

There are rules and we all know and understand that those rules are imposed for all the right reasons, but I guess, sometimes we just like to rebel and go against them, especially when such breach will not bring up any grave consequences. To be honest, I can feel how comfortable and friendly the classroom atmosphere becomes when students are a little disobedience, for no bad intention. Some frowns can’t be shunned, though. In my opinion, at this age, our defiance is one of the ways we are seeking to express ourselves and to claim our freedom. At particular points, it is so difficult to keep our mouth shut once having anything in mind that we just blurt it out to our friends without putting it off until break time, in spite of the fact that our voice will go against our teacher’s or other classmate’s. For sure it is disrespectful, but sometimes we just can’t help it. To remain considerate, though, I think we need to tone it down or whisper if needed, and make sure to shut up when our teachers are obviously annoyed.

This aspect is something worth understanding for teachers, especially. Now that I have put some thought into this, hopefully things will become less tense once I get to teach adults in the future, and I as a teacher can design techniques for classroom management accordingly. I guess to keep this under control is not a piece of cake, but for such cases, a combination between tolerance, understanding, and open mind should be the best remedy.