Intermediate English Course Programme 18 Text One

Problem Children

Letters to the Editor

Sir:

Teachers in some secondary schools in Britain are worried that their jobs may become impossible shortly unless something can be done to restore discipline in the classrooms. In the problem schools, mostly in large cities, a small minority of teenage pupils deliberately disrupt lessons to such an extent that the teachers can no longer teach their classes effectively, Some within the teachers' unions consider that the permissive nature of modern society is responsible. Small children who are continually encouraged to express their individuality without restriction are naturally reluctant to accept school discipline when they grow older Furthermore, modern teaching techniques, which appear to stress personal enjoyment at the expense of serious

academic work, might be teaching the child to put his own selfish interests before his duties to the community in which he lives. Perhaps the problem can be solved by improving facilities for the psychological guidance of these difficult children or by better cooperation between the schools and the parents - for the parents may be mainly responsible for the aggressive behaviour of their offspring. But some of us believe that there ought to be a return to more "old-fashioned" methods At present in some schools teachers may not even slap a child who misbehaves, but I personally feel that caning should be re-introduced and that this might produce the desired results. Ex-teacher, Beckenham

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