Offer choices and encourage participation. Giving students the chance to choose within reasonable limits helps them develop a sense of control and responsibility. Promote kindness and acceptance. Programs, assemblies, and activities can foster a kind and empathetic learning environment that is also safe and inclusive. Teach empathy and perspective talking. This action encourages positive social change and cultivates a safer environment. When children feel understood, they feel happier, trusted, and compelled to treat others with kindness. Model kindness yourself. Consistently modeling the behavior you want students to exhibit will provide them with a positive example that will remain with them and encourage them to mimic those actions.

El profesorado debe ofrecer orientación y promover la responsabilidad. Establecer relaciones positivas con los alumnos facilita la creación de un ambiente de confianza que facilita el desarrollo de los estudiantes. Soy totalmente contrario a cualquier medida disciplinaria en el aula, el aprendizaje nunca debe ser coercitivo sino flexible y sobre todo tolerante.

Some innovative strategies: Use Restorative Conversations: Facilitate discussions where students reflect on their actions, understand the impact, and find ways to make amends. Turn Discipline into Learning Moments: When a rule is broken, connect the consequence to a real-world lesson, e.g. if a student disrupts a group project, assign them a leadership role in the next one to reinforce teamwork skills. Incorporate Choice and Autonomy: Give students options for how they can address mistakes. This fosters accountability while allowing them to take ownership of their actions. Create a ‘Cool Down’ Space: A designated area where students can take a moment to reset can help prevent emotional reactions from escalating.

To balance professionalism and empathy when disciplining students, address issues calmly and focus on behavior, not the person. Set clear expectations, listen to their perspective, and show genuine concern for underlying challenges. Use discipline as a tool for growth, fostering accountability and understanding while maintaining fairness and respect.

The current generation is way more aware, than what we actually feel that they are- from the point of view of their rights. Also, the concept of emotional intelligence plays a major role with them. In view of this, over the period of ten years that I've dealt with students, I have maintained a dynamic balance between being an assertive teacher and a good friend. None of my students ever crossed their lines with me. I can clearly attribute that, not to fear, however to the respect and love they had for me. While pointing out any kind of mistake from their side, I begin with pointing out, about how better they could have done it with their capacities. I focus more on positive reinforcement, rather than just mere lambasting.