Structure of Indian Classrooms and the Notion of Discipline

Classroom management is a term used by teachers to describe the process of ensuring that classroom lessons run smoothly despite the descriptive behaviour of students. It is possibly the pay-difficult aspect of teaching for many teachers, indeed experiencing problems in this area causes some to leave teaching altogether. In 1981, the United States National Educational Association reported that 36% of teachers said that they would probably not go into teaching if they had to decide again, a major reason being negative student attitude and discipline. What according to an Indian classroom is discipline is slightly a different notion from any other region. A classroom, where children are quiet and do whatever is told to them, is disciplined. A classroom where children are obedient and always listen to the teacher is considered as a managed classroom. Being disciplined is not doing what is said but to be aware of what should be done and what shouldn't. It should assure creation of a conscience in the person which doesn't mean taming the child. This article would try to analyse the present structure of Indian classrooms and the much prevalent notion of discipline which is imbibed in our classrooms and its colonial roots.