In this fast-paced world, discipline is certainly a key to success. We all need a disciplined approach to shape the roadmap of our lives. And for students in this post-pandemic world, it has even more value.
Discipline values help students to make good decisions without any confusion. In fact, the importance of discipline in student’s life impacts them even in adulthood.
In the words of a school topper, discipline, and hard work translates into one’s luck!
This article on discipline will help you understand some crucial points and the general importance of discipline in life. Let’s get started right away!
Read on.
WHAT IS DISCIPLINE?
As per the dictionary, discipline is when we gain the control gained to ensure adherence to rules. Hence, we can say that discipline is the exercise or act of making others obey rules. For all of us across the varied stages of life, is an important virtue that determines our chances of being happy and successful. But in order to be disciplined, one needs to make some essential changes in lifestyle, working patterns, planning processes, and strategies, etc. And clearly, it is not a cakewalk for all of us to be disciplined at all times. Despite the fact that it is a hard task, it is still not impossible to develop this approach. Let’s explore more dimensions of this topic. And see how we can help our students to develop a disciplined approach to life. Let’s begin with the general importance of discipline in our lives.
WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCIPLINE IN LIFE?
Interestingly, studies have proved that discipline makes an individual happier. Because by being disciplined we can achieve the goals that really matter to us. Virtues like discipline, hard work, and integrity bridge the gap between our goals and their accomplishment. And once we realize it, the roadmap to success is almost set for us.
Having the right approach in life also gives us the power to improve our productivity. And once we learn how to resist temptations and stay disciplined, we can always achieve better results in less time.
In recent times, India’s youth is battling with the issues of ‘employability’ despite a number of initiatives and improvements in the education system.
Here’s a look at some harsh ground realities:
- 50% of our Indian population is under the age of 25 years.
- 13 million of our people join the workforce every year.
- Only 1 in 10 of our graduates, 1 in 5 engineers, and 1 in 4 of the management professionals are employable.
In this fast-paced, skill-driven world, discipline values are the stepping stones of professional success. And our youth needs the support of these virtues to climb up the ladder of professional success.
WHY IS DISCIPLINE IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS?
For students, the importance of punctuality and discipline are paramount. A disciplined student avoids varied distractions. As a result, he/she gets more focused towards short and long-term goals in life. This virtue does not just determine academic success. In fact, it also helps a student to enjoy life to the fullest, by sparing time for hobbies or extra-curricular activities. In the words of senior IPS officer Ingit Pratap Singh, discipline, perseverance, hard work, and focus determine one’s success.
Recently, the importance of discipline in student’s life is also acknowledged by our policymakers in the National Education Policy 2020. This policy proposes sports integration to develop skills like teamwork, self-discipline, and responsibility in students. (Source- Part 4 Restructuring school curriculum, point number 4.8).
Let’s jump to the importance and role of discipline in school now.
THE ROLE OF DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOL
A school has a heterogeneous mix of students. And teachers need a mix of varied approaches to understand and engage all these types of students within the classrooms. School discipline is a robust process. It requires an analytical framework to promote discipline and maintain its patterns. Discipline values need to be cascaded well to ensure that the teaching and learning process is seamless across the classrooms.
If a school fails to maintain the required level of discipline, there are a higher number of suspensions and expulsions over and above the struggle to manage students in a classroom. This grave issue brings down the quality of a school’s education. And the school ambiance becomes unpleasant for diligent students (to study) and teachers (to teach).
In a school, discipline issues have long-term academic implications for students. And the post-pandemic era has further aggravated these challenges in traditional schools.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC AFFECTED DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS?
From the very beginning, schools have emphasized the importance of punctuality and discipline. And post the pandemic, discipline has become a grave issue in Indian schools. Owing to an unplanned change in lifestyle. And a sudden dependence on online learning, students faced a lot of problems staying focused in their offline classes. As a result, many institutions found it difficult to get students back on the right track. And battled with the challenge of indiscipline in offline classes (after school resumed after the pandemic shutdowns).
Other than the accredited online schools, most of the other institutions took a lot of time to learn the pedagogies of engaging students virtually. Here’s a look at the top challenges that teachers faced while handling students virtually.
