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Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Discipline and academic performances are the core of

our today’s education. Researchers appreciate that

discipline is an important component of human behavior and

assert that without it an organization cannot function well

towards the achievement of its goals. Every classroom has

its fair share of unruly and obnoxious students who

oftentimes push teachers to teach them a hard lesson on

discipline. Discipline in the school setting is integral

to successful school functioning. How a school responds

to “good behavior” and “misbehavior” has a large influence

on student’s inclination towards one or the other.

Disciplinary practices shape the overall classroom

atmosphere, discipline affects student populations

differently.

School discipline is the system of rules, punishments

and behavior strategies appropriate to the regulation of

children or adolescents and the maintenance of order in

schools. Its aim is to control the student’s action and

behavior. An obedient student is in compliance with the

school rules and code of conducts.

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Experts’ studies says, incorrect punishment of

children may have a negative impact as he mingles with

friends and associates with other people. It can also

affect a child’s brain development and may result to

hurting other people. In the Philippines, the blurring of

concepts between discipline and punishment (physical) is

very noticeable. In fact, according to the Save the

Children Report (2005) mentioned in Beasley, et al. (2006),

the most important feature of literatures in the

Philippines was the blurring of the two categories -

discipline or physical punishment and child abuse. It could

be noted that the said report used discipline and physical

punishment as if they are interchangeable (discipline or

physical punishment). ‘Discipline’ in the Filipino context

referred to physical punishment usually in the form of

spanking or beating with the sole purpose of teaching the

child to behave and internalize good values.

However, in some cases, discipline is often used as a

justification for the use of physical punishment on

children and even for those physical punitive measures that

could be already considered as child abuse. It is not

surprising, therefore, to find secondary data revealing

that Filipinos’ child-rearing strategies were largely

dependent on physical punitive measures (Protacio-de

Castro, 2005).
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According to Gitome et al., where there is good

discipline, there is improved academic performance. In

other words, discipline is vital for students’ academic

performance (Njoroge & Nyabuto, 2014). Furthermore, it

isnecessary for effective school management and

accomplishment of its goals (Nakpodi, 2010). Lack of

discipline is called indiscipline. Therefore, indiscipline

can be seen as any action considered to be wrong and not

generally accepted as proper in a set up or society (Omote,

Thinguri, & Moenga, 2015). Among students, according to Ali

et al., it is any form of misbehaviour which a student can

display in several ways (e.g., disobedience, destruction

of school property, poor attitude to learning, immoral

behaviour, drug abuse, stealing, lateness, truancy,

dirtiness, being quarrelsome, use of abusive or foul

languages, rudeness, gangsters or cultism). It also adopted

a wider perspective of discipline by considering discipline

generally as a personal attribute characterized by

obedience, politeness, social competence (i.e., ability to

get along with other people), orderliness, and academic

efficiency (i.e., competence in undertaking academic tasks

and obligations).1

1http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?scripttsci_arttext&p

idS0256-0100201400100012
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According to Ajala (1995.4) as cited in Oni, (2010)

“The environment outside the school may have great effect

on the student and may contribute to his behavioral

problems.

Dobson (1984;7) as cited by Oni (2010) also stated

that, “Without being incessantly pessimistic, it is

accurate to say that, the traditional concept of morality

is dead among the majority of high school students today.

Based on the two assertion mentioned above, it is very

clear that there is every need to guide the students into

the right paths because, that is one of the function of the

school. The school served as an agent of socialization,

where people can be taught good morals among other things.

In his reaction to the Nigerian secondary school

challenge, Oni (2010) submitted that “provision of curative

measure with specificity seems in avoidable….” He described

discipline in secondary school as a curative measure ‘Hence

in specific reference to secondary schools in Nigeria, a

cursory view is taken purposely in locating possible ways

of improving the academic standard, discipline and

achievement of our secondary schools “in his book titled

“Education In Perspective” the (author) who expressed great

concern over the falling standard of education and moral

values in our secondary school. Oni (2010), suggested an

overall discipline in the entire education sector. If good

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discipline can be practiced in schools it must start from

the top.

In the context of a school system, a disciplined

student is that student whose behaviours, actions and

inactions conform to the predetermined rules and

regulations of the school (Ali, Dada, Isiaka, &

Salmon,2014). However, discipline ideally means more than

adhering to rules and regulations and entails the learner’s

ability to discern what is right or wrong (Gitome, Katola,

& Nyabwari, 2013). Discipline is widely acknowledged to be

essential for creating a positive school climate conducive

to sound academic performance (Masitsa, 2008). It is a

basic requirement for successful teaching and learning in

schools and a subject of concern for teachers (Eshetu,

2014).2

School discipline is the system of rules, punishments

and behavior strategies appropriate to the regulation of

children or adolescents and the maintenance of order in

schools. Its aim is to control the student’s action and

behavior. An obedient student is in compliance with the

school rules and code of conducts.

Objectives of the Study

2
https://www.scribd.com/document/224076211/School-Discipline-in-Philippines-School
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This study aimed to know This study aimed to know the

relationship between disciplinary practices in school and

the academic behavior of Grade 10 students in University

of Eastern Philippines Laboratory High School.

Specifically, this aimed to:

i. This study aims to determine the level of discipline

of Grade 10 students in University of Eastern

Philippines, Laboratory High School.

ii. This study aims to determine the impact of school to

the academic performances of the Grade 10 students in

University of Eastern Philippines, Laboratory High

School.

iii. To analyze the effect of disciplinary measure on

students’ academic performance.

Scope and Limitation

The scope of this study was limited to the impact of

school to the academic performances of the Grade 10

students in University of Eastern Philippines, Laboratory

High School. The researcher focused on Grade 10 students

since their age level are the most sensitive ones when it

comes to the teachers disciplining them.

Significance of the study

This study is very significant to:

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School authorities and parents. With getting into serious

conflict due to these subjects. Parents go as far as

removing their wards from certain schools because they feel

the teachers are too hard on them. They desire a place

where the performance of their children will improve and

with less trouble.

Students. This study will help the students be aware

on how their teachers discipline them. Also, this study can

also help the students to examine themselves and reflect

if there is really a change of behavior when they are

disciplined in school.

Teachers. School discipline and classroom management

problems continue to rank at the top of the teacher’s

headache list. Volumes of books and hundreds of journal

articles have been written discussing components of

discipline in the classroom.

Even well-known authorities on student discipline such

as William Glasser (1969) and Lee Canter (1984) have

proposed plans that were successful in some schools, yet

failed in others. As with any plan in education, the

individual school’s culture and climate must be considered

when implementing a discipline program.3

3file:///C:/Users/Edwin%20Jerome/Desktop/all%20about%20research

%20references/A%20Qualitative%20Study%20of%20Effective%20Schoo
l%20Discipline%20Practices-%20Per.pdf
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Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on L. and M. Canter’s (1997)

assertive behavioural model which states that “An assertive

educator will actively respond to a child’s inappropriate

behaviour by clearly communicating to the child her

disapproval of the behaviour, followed by what she/he wants

the child to do” (Duke and Meckel 1980, 11).4

Key ideas that form the core of assertive discipline

include the fact that students have rights and that they

need a caring educator who will provide warmth attention

and support. Educators also have rights; they must teach

in an environment that is conducive to learning and enjoy

support from both parents and learners. Educators must be

assertive and communicate their needs freely; they should

also provide a model of good behaviour. Learners have the

right to an educator who will be firm, consistent, provide

positive encouragement and motivate good behaviour (Canter

and Canter 1998, 13). Learners have a right to learning

that calmly and consistently enforce rules of conduct, to

learning where an educator makes calm but firm

declarations. Educators should also refrain from asking

file:///C:/Users/Edwin%20Jerome/Desktop/all%20about%20research
%20references/02chapter2.pdf
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rhetorical questions about misbehavior and should develop

a system for rewarding good behaviour (Steere 1988, 48).

The educator should be able to communicate to the

learner what is wrong and provide a model of good behaviour.

Assertive discipline is premised on the notion that the

educator’s attitude influences his/her behaviour that in

turn influences learners’ behaviour. In illustrating the

effectiveness of their model, the Canters distinguish three

types of educators: non-assertive, hostile and assertive

educators. Non-assertive educators are those who allow

themselves to be pushed around and manipulated by learners;

hostile educators err by imposing control in an arbitrary

manner. Assertive educators, on the other hand, believe in

their abilities and their right to use them to foster

learning (Duke and Meckel 1980, 13).

Assertive educators also know when and how to instil

good behaviour. Being assertive is different from being

aggressive – the goal of assertive discipline is to foster

in educators a feeling that they are in control in the

classroom. An educator taking calm but firm control shows

assertiveness by calmly enforcing agreed-upon rules of

conduct. Assertive educators do not express an intention

to hurt, but want to help.

The emphasis in assertive discipline is on classroom

control strategy that places educators in charge in the

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classroom in a humane and yet firm manner. It is a system

that allows educators to invoke positive and negative

consequences calmly and fairly and is a technique for

dealing with difficult learners and teaching the class as

a whole how to behave. The educator should always remain

in charge in the classroom, but not in a hostile or

authoritarian manner. He/she must take specific steps to

teach students how to behave acceptably in the classroom,

identify students’ personal needs and show understanding

and willingness to help, continually striving to build an

atmosphere of trust between educator and learners.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework of this study work on the

relationship between the disciplinary practices and the

academic performances of Grade 10 students of University

of Eastern Philippines Laboratory High School, explain that

disciplinary actions is related to the behavior of the

students in the class which specifically results to his or

her academic performance. Age also played an important role

on how the students will react on the disciplinary actions

emotionally, physically, and mentally on the academic

performances in school. Gender was also a factor, because

either male of female students may be more affected in a

positive or negative way. Parents’ also react on the result

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of the disciplinary actions depending on the behavior of

their child.

DISCIPLINARY
ACTIONS ACADEMIC
PERFOMANCE

Figure 1

Schematic Diagram showing the

Relationship between the

Variable

Hypothesis
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There is no significant relationship between the

disciplinary actions and the academic performance of the

Grade 10 students in University of Eastern Philippines

Laboratory High School.

Definition of Terms

Age. It is the length of an existence extending from

the beginning to any given time.

Operationally, it refers to the number of years the

respondents had lived from the time of their birth up to

their last birth when this study will be conducted.

Assertive. It is showing a confident and forceful

personality.

Behavior. It is the way in which one acts or conducts

oneself, especially towards others.

Discipline. A training that corrects, molds, or

perfects the mental faculties or moral character.

Gender. Is either the two sexes (male or female),

especially when considered with reference to social and

cultural differences rather than biological ones.

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The term is also use more broadly to denote a range

of identities that do not correspond to established ideas

of male and female.5

5 Merriam dictionary.
www.google.com:http/MerriamDictionary
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Chapter II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Related Literature

This chapter contains gathered researches from

different sources to support this study. This chapter aims

to set the foundation for the current research which sets

out to identify the relationship between the disciplinary

practices and academic behavior, and goes on with the

importance of ensuring emotional well-being in schools and

its relationship to disciplinary practices

Relationship between disciplinary practices on Academic

performances

The word discipline has its origin in Latin “disco”

meaning to learn, instruction, knowledge and learning

communicated to the disciples or learners respectively

(Bart, 2008). Discipline refers to the communication of

knowledge to the learner. Discipline means that educators

must exercise their authority in the best interest of the

learner with emphasis on the development of self-

discipline, independence and maturity (South African

Council of Educators, 2010). Furthermore, discipline can

be defined as the practice of training people to obey rules

and orders and punishing them if they refuse to obey the

rules. Yahaya (2009) states that discipline is to provide

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a learner with the skill required, and to help a child to

be prepared to act as a responsible, effective follower.

Nakpodia (2010) defines discipline as a method of modelling

character and of teaching self-control and acceptable

behaviour. It implies self-control, restraint and respect

for

Disciplinary practices can be understood to be the

practice of teaching children improvement in behaviour.

These practices should enable children to learn self-

respect and self-control while receiving both love and

skills of discipline from their adults. It is practiced

because parents and caregivers love the children and want

them to become responsible and competent adults (Clark,

2005).6

The aim of discipline is to enable one to take

ownership and to be accountable for one’s behaviour

(Chepkilot and Kiprop, 2011). According to Rahul (2011),

discipline is the ability to continue on a course of action

despite distractions and confusion; a method of training

your body or mind or of controlling your behaviour or the

way you live, or work, or to make yourself believe you are

doing the right thing which is commonly accepted by the

society at a large. To support the stated definition

Egwonwu (2008) sees discipline as a set of rules and

6
http:///www.google.com /research/09_chapter_2.pdf
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punishment applied in order to keep learners on task, with

the ultimate aim of discipline as management and control.

Azizi (2009) points out that discipline is a fact of

life; a normal part of process of growing and developing

and therefore, a normal part of the classroom experience.

They argue that all children begin life not knowing any of

the life skills of self-control, yet they need to learn

them to become independent, responsible, happy and well-

adjusted members of society. Discipline is a crucial aspect

of educators and learners in classroom lives.7

These authors all have similar ideas and yet write

from broad context of differing perspective. For the

purposes of this study, discipline will be referred to as

the training of learners, by means of appropriate teaching

rules and procedures, in such a way as to promote orderly

participation in education which does not violate the right

of others.

Discipline is a very broad concept, however, in this

study the researcher considered the kind of discipline

being practiced in schools to check the excesses of

students in order to prevent them from going out of the

track and achieving good success in their academic pursuit.

7
THE IMPACT OF ILL-DISCIPLINE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GRADE NINE LEARNERS: A CASE OF
NGHONYAMA HIGH SCHOOL, LIMPOPO PROVINCE. 2017
 17

Ballantine and Hammack (2009) argue that there are

various forms of punishment which teachers might use to

maintain discipline and enforce school and classroom

discipline rules. These vary from mild verbal warning to

general verbal disciplinary steps or general non-verbal

disciplinary steps. The form of punishment used by the

teacher is a matter of personal choice, provided it is

carried out within the legal framework.

It is one of the most important requirements in the

management of schools that schools need to be saved and

disciplined need to be maintained. For successful teaching

and learning to take place, it is essential that good

discipline exist in every classroom, in particular and in

the school as a whole in general. Numerous studies show

that good behaviour and academic success go hand in hand.

When schools are characterized by proper conduct, regular

attendance and respect for teachers, learners are more

likely to learn effectively and get better grades (Nyathi,

2010).

According to Squelch (2000:3) these are the following

forms of discipline namely:

General verbal disciplinary steps

Verbal disciplinary steps comprise the following steps:

Using a changing tone or voice, voice inflection and

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tempo of speech; The use of interjections such as “hush”

and “keep quiet”; The use of humor and sarcasm; General

verbal admonishments, threats and reprimand; Reporting a

learner to the principal; A telephone conservation with

the parent of the learner; Verbal warning; and Written

warning.

General non-verbal disciplinary steps.

Under non-verbal disciplinary steps the following

steps can be taken against the offenders: Isolating the by

separating him /her from the rest of the class; Forfeiting

certain privileges; Detention after school hours; Temporary

suspension from particular school activity; Additional

work; and Making direct eye contact with the offender.8

Lyamba goes on to argue that there are external and

internal issues relating to school discipline, that is

demographic composition of the school; class size, teaching

material and class boundaries within the school. However,

Young (2008) contends that even though teachers can often

be blamed for the disciplinary problems confronting them

in school, problems emanating from administrative

procedures, home and society cannot be overlooked.9

8
Squelch, JM.2000. Discipline, Centre of Education Law and Education Policy. Pretoria: Juta.
9
Lyamba, B.2013. The Relationship Between Home Environment And Discipline Among Pupils in
Selected Primary Schools in Mongu District, Unpublished Med dissertation, University of Zambia,
Lusaka.
 19

The relevancy of the curriculum to learners’ needs might

influence discipline in schools. The curriculum which is

taught in schools should be meaningful to the life world

of the learners and at the same time be fair and unbiased

(South African Council for Educators, 2013). The Council

further states that learners resort to taking matters into

their hands if they believe that the curriculum is boring.

Accordingly, Matsitsa (2008) indicates that deviant

behaviour is always experienced if the curriculum that is

offered to learners is irrelevant to their interest and the

needs of their communities. He emphasizes the importance

of linking the curriculum to the philosophy and customs of

a particular society.

Ballantine and Hammack (2009) state that children who

fail to acquire basic academic skills in the early grades

are at risk of being mocked by peers, losing their sense

of personal worth and dignity, and demonstrating a variety

of behavioural problems. Such learners may see themselves

as failures and may disrupt the schooling of other

learners. The situation creates the opportunity for

negative peer association, suspension, expulsion and

dropping out of school. 10

10
Ballantine,J.H. &Hammarck, F.M.2009.The Sociology of Education: A Systemic Analysis. New Jersey:
Parson Prentice.
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McIntyre (2011) found that there is a strong

association between academic failure and delinquent

behaviour. The study conducted by Azizi (2009) also found

that low education levels are associated with high crime

levels, particularly crime of violence that is prevalent

in industrialized countries.

Research by Rammala (2009) point out that the use of

substances impairs the learner’s ability to learn and

respond to questions asked relating to the learned

information. According to Nene (2013) the lack of

discipline among learners makes it impossible to teach

effectively. She further states that it is an undeniable

fact that poor discipline or lack therefore can be a major

influence to ineffective teaching and learning.

This research gives more focus on how the students

react depending on how the disciplinary practice occurs in

school, which depends on their performances in school. This

research will serve as reflection and awareness to students

to their behavior and emotional well-being in their

generation. The various research that I gathered in this

study from different sources are composed of numerous ideas

that led to the formulation of different assumptions about

the application of discipline in class and how the students

react to it. The only difference of my research is that my

study had also focused on the Relationship Between

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Disciplinary Practices and Academic Performance of Grade

10 students in the University of Eastern Philippines

Laboratory High School.

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Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Locale of the Study

This study was conducted at the University of Eastern

Philippines Laboratory High School University Town Northern

Samar. The University of Eastern Philippines Laboratory

High School has 8 classrooms, 1 Home Economics room, 1

Guidance Office, 1 Faculty Room, 2 Computer rooms, and 1

Management Office a total of 14 rooms. It has 23 teachers

and 345 students.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents were the 82 students of University of

Eastern Philippines Laboratory High School Grade 10 Dahlia

and Grade 10 Gold.

Variable of the Study

The variables of this study were the relationship

between the disciplinary practices as the independent

variable and the academic performance of Grade 10 students

in University of Eastern Philippines Laboratory High

School.

Research Design

This study employed correlational research design

because the purpose of this study is to determine the

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relationship between the variables. I also employed

descriptive research to delineate the respondents’ profile

accurately.

Research Instrument

The questionnaire was used to collect data on the

perceptions and awareness of grade 10 students in the

disciplinary practices occurring in their classrooms. There

were twenty-three (25) items in the questionnaire and

divided into three (3) parts: (1) Respondents profile; (2)

Discipline perception questionnaire and (3) perception on

disciplinary practices affecting academic performances of

the students.

Validation of the Instruments

To strengthen the validity and reliability of this

study, preliminary test was conducted to validate the

questionnaire. Some parts of the questionnaire were adapted

in the study of Survey of Students’ Perceptions of

Assertive Discipline and Restorative Discipline American

Christian Academy, Ibadan, Nigeria. The questionnaire also

underwent a critiquing and validity testing. Content

validation was constituted with the help of the research

experts of the University.

All the suggestions were incorporated to make the

questionnaire more valid and reliable.

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