ABSTRACT
This study was designed to find
out the influence of school disciplinary styles on students’ self-esteem and
interest in learning in Nsukka Education zone of Enugu state. The study adopted
ex-post facto research design. The population for the study was all the senior
secondary (SS2) students in public Secondary Schools in Nsukka Education Zone numbering
5,488 out of which 540 students were randomly sampled for the study. The
sampled students were 227 in Nsukka Local Government Area; 240 in Igbo Etiti
Local Government Area, and 73 in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area. Four research
questions and four null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance guided
the study. The instrument used for data collection was school disciplinary
styles questionnaire (SDSQ) students’ self-esteem questionnaire (SSSQ) and
interest in learning questionnaire (IILQ). The instruments SDSQ, SSSQ and IILQ
were given to experts who validated the items to ensure face validity. The
instruments were trial-tested to determine the internal consistencies using
Cronbach Alpha Statistic, the Alpha Coefficient values of the instruments
yielded the following: ADS = 0.73, DDS = 0-74, LDS = 0.65, IDS = 0.78, SSE =
0.78 and IIL = 0.81. The data collected were analyzed using mean, standard
deviation and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. Major findings of the study
include: Students who adopted authoritarian and demonstrative disciplinary
styles have a high self-esteem while students that adopted laissez-faire and
indifferent disciplinary styles have a low self-esteem. The students who
adopted authoritarian and demonstrative disciplinary styles had higher mean
score in their interest in learning than students who adopted laissez-faire and
indifferent disciplinary styles. The difference in mean response is seemly
negligible, indicating that gender does not have some influence on students’ self-esteem.
The difference in mean response is seemly negligible, indicating that gender
does not have some influence on students interest in learning. There is no
significant influence of gender on students’ self-esteem. There is no
significant influence of male and female students’ in their disciplinary
styles.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
School
is an investment as well as an instrument that can be used to achieve rapid
development in economic, social, political, technological, and scientific
breakthrough in the country. Chauhan (2007) defined school as an institution
designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Igbokwe
and Eze (2009) noted that any school that is properly equipped with the right
kind of classroom, adequate teaching resources and highly qualified teachers is
more likely to achieve the curriculum plan more than a school with poor
economic environment where basic amenities are in very short supply. School
helps in developing and cultivating good and higher values like truth,
sympathy, love, co-operation and encouragement in individual through different
social interactions and moral teachings. Chauhan (2007) stated that schools
impart knowledge, intellectual and reasoning skills which enable children
(students) to make adjustment in the society they live. The school is always
concerned with appropriate behaviour that will protect the rights of the child.
Conroy and William (2006) noted that large proportion of misbehaviour in school
results from teachers’ inability to maintain discipline.
Discipline
guides students behaviour and helps them to learn. Charles and Senter (2004)
opined that discipline is the required action by a teacher towards a student or
group of students after the students’ behaviour breaks a pre-established rule
created by the teacher. Nkomo (2010) established that discipline involves the
process of education, guidance and learning to help children develop self
control that is characterized by mutual respect, trust and aims at development
of internal control that helps the child relate to others in a positive and
responsible way. School discipline is a form of discipline found in schools.
The term refers to students complying
with code of conduct that is appropriate to the regulation of students and
maintaining of order in schools. Sugai and Horner (2001) noted that school
discipline refers to instruction, rules, policies or practices that are
intended to promote students’ behaviour at the classroom and school levels.
School discipline emphasizes the importance of learning and conditions that
inhibit learning. Rules, sanctions and procedures are clearly specified and
made known to the students in the school. Dissemination of clearly stated rules
and procedures, assures that students’ understand what acceptable behaviour is.
Straford (2013) opined that students participation in the School discipline
programmas create a sense of ownership and belongingness. The school discipline
seems to teach students to differentiate between acceptable and unacceptable
behaviour. Example, the breaking of school rules, examination malpractice,
insubordination, aggression and truancy are negative action towards the school
and interfere with learning activities in the classroom. Bear (2005)
established that students need to be taught what constitutes appropriate
behaviour, what the school discipline and classroom rules are and how to follow
them.
In
order to improve school discipline, school needs to develop clear behavioural
rules, procedures and make these known to all students in the school. School
needs to consider students interest when planning any activities. Straford
(2013) noted that school needs to create opportunities for students at
classroom level particularly those with behavioural problems to experience
success in their learning. Through school, disciplined students learn to behave
in a way that leads to being praised; students interpret it as indications of
love and acceptance which is essential for successful adjustment and happiness.
Conroy and William (2006) maintained that with a well disciplined class,
teaching could be among the most wonderful jobs in the world. Skinner in
Charles and Senter (2004) noted that theories on discipline in the classroom
have helped
to mould the way teachers instill discipline in the students for decades. These
theories led teachers to use constant reinforcement as a form of discipline in
the classroom. This type of discipline can be used each time a student does
something correct. In this study, school discipline is defined as the
externally imposed and self-generated conducts that produce efficiency in
learning and enhance the attainment of educational goals. For the purpose of
this study, four disciplinary styles - authoritarian, demonstrative,
laissez-faire and indifferent disciplinary styles as used by Shankar (2006) are
discussed.
Authoritarian
disciplinary style is characterized as teacher-centered classroom. Elrol and
Orth (2011) noted that students have little or no evolvement in problem-solving
challenges. Teachers expect students to follow the rules all the time. Students
are not usually given the reasons for the rules and there is little room for
any negotiation. Stratford (2013) stated that the atmosphere is fearful and
punitive as teacher exercises vigorous control but shows little interest in
involvement. Yilmaz (2007) maintained that the teacher prefers vigorous
discipline and expects swift obedience. Failure to obey the teacher usually
results in detention or goes to the principal’s office. For the purpose of this
study, authoritarian disciplinary style is a disciplinary style in which
students are forced to follow instructions given by the teacher, with no
freedom to express themselves freely.
The
demonstrative disciplinary style is concerned about the worth of every student
and allows some freedom of expression. Elrol and Orth (2011) opined that
teacher always tries to explore the views and ideas of students and makes
allowance for divergent thinking. Benassi and Buskist (2012) noted that
democratic teachers care about their teaching and their students but reward
academic success with praise and high grades. Teachers think carefully about
their rules and standards, announce them in advance, explain why they are
necessary and enforce them....
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