As a member of the teaching fraternity, this is a word that features a lot in our lives. There is a growing confusion about the meaning of this word, discipline, what it means and what it entails, and I've been thinking a lot about it. In fact, my husband and I have major discussions on this issue. We've been in schools where discipline is woven into the fabric of the school in such a way that it is an intrinsic part of our lives - the lives of all of us students, staff, helpers and everyone associated with our lives in the school. It is like breathing. One doesn't realize it, but when something happens to disrupt the smooth flow of our lives, then one realizes the value and the necessity of this intangible thing called discipline. So what is discipline? I've been searching for a good explanation and today I came across this wonderful meaning of discipline.
~ Gary Ryan Blair
Discipline, therefore would include a healthy self respect for one's values, personal integrity, and respect for others - human beings, animals and the environment. The unwritten stress is that this respect is without arrogance, vanity or selfishness. There is a deep feeling of gratitude, instead, for what we have been able to achieve and what we can do for others. Discipline means that we respect all people regardless of wealth or their position in life, and are ever ready to help those less fortunate, to put all our achievements and thoughts at the disposal of others. Thus, discipline helps in building strength of character, which would be cause for pride. However, we would need to be self- disciplined to prevent this pride from making us selfish, from thinking too much of ourselves, and thus creating an imbalance in our behaviour and our thinking, eventually causing our happiness to be eroded. An ingrained sense of discipline is the only thing that would help steer us through the choppy waters of life, as well as keep us anchored and grounded when the going is smooth.
Discipline is therefore, not the bad word that it is made out to be in the new-age schools. Freedom is good. But, freedom without responsibility is license. That would then be impacting on the freedom of others. After all, my freedom ends where your nose begins. Children have to learn what freedom means and how it can be used. This would begin by their learning how to be responsible in every area of their lives – how to take responsibility for themselves and all that they do and say, for freedom cannot be separated from responsibility and responsibility cannot just happen, unless there is discipline. It is when we are disciplined about every spoken and unspoken thought and about every action of ours that we can learn to be responsible beings. Then, and only then, would we understand, appreciate and enjoy freedom. Of course, the ideal happens when external discipline transforms into self-discipline. All this requires huge amounts of time and patience on the part of the older, responsible people toward the younger ones. Most importantly, in order to inculcate the value of discipline, the first and most important and absolutely imperative requirement is that there has to be a relationship of trust between the older and the younger. It is only in such an environment of total trust and respect that the merits of being disciplined in action and thought can be achieved. It is a journey with much investment on the part of the adults towards those they are responsible for, but the journey is worth every minute when we see our kids grow into responsible, caring, and productive members of the world.