Suzan Waizani

EDCO 604: Classroom Management

Spring 2015: February 18, 2015
Reflective Memo # 2
Chenoweth, K. (2015) Fresh Thinking on Student Discipline. Writer-in-residence at The Education Trust (www.edtrust.org),
Updated: January 22, 2015

Its traditionally believed that schools are the best places to learn when all troublemakers are out.
This is supported by high suspension & expulsion rates. In this article, Karin Chenoweth summarizes a
research done by Brea L. Perry of the University of Indiana and Edward W. Morris of the University of
Kentucky. Their findings complicate our thinking. They discussed the effect of suspension on both the
suspended and the non-suspended students. They looked at data from almost 17,000 students in 17 high
schools in Kentucky. They concluded that high rates of suspension dont seem to allow non-suspended
students to learn more. Moreover, they found a correlation between lower academic growth in both
reading and math for non-suspended students in schools and high rates of suspension or expulsion.
These findings are still under question. Why do non-suspended students get lower marks? The main
reason may be due to the spread of the news of students suspension among students and parents. This
may lead to cynicism and distrust of the adults in their school especially if the suspension is unfair.
Therefore, the environment at school will be inappropriate for learning.
This article was addressed by our professor to enlighten our mind with wise measures regarding
students discipline. I agree that high rates of expulsion affect indirectly other non-suspended students.
This is due to the harsh environment created. Therefore, all students may feel disappointed and
uninterested especially if there is no valid reason for the suspension. The researchers in this study
focused on the effect of suspension on the non-suspended students regardless of the causes. On the other
hand, keeping misbehaved students in class will interrupt or hinder the teaching process. Therefore, the
teacher may not be able to continue the lesson if there are many disruptive students. As a result, a
significant decrease in the academic growth of students in all subjects will be noticed.
I believe that suspension is very important in certain cases, but we have to keep it restricted
according to the case that night arise. As an educator, I learned to solve minor problems that I face with
my students in class, and the uncontrolled disciplinary problems are transferred to higher administration
level to be dealt with seriously.
Finally, more researches should be done to investigate the reasons behind each students
suspension or expulsion. This is very important in the education field especially in classroom
management. Researchers should come up with different solutions depending on teachers experiences
and disciplinary theories in education. For example, to manage a classroom, I would rather apply
Marzanos classification about discipline intervention. He classified them into 5 categories- based on the
findings of Scott Stage and David Quiroz- into: teacher reaction, tangible recognition, direct cost, group
contingency, and home contingency. I believe that these methods and strategies are very realistic and
applicable in handling disciplinary issues.