An investigation into the discipline approaches of school administrators

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the discipline approaches of school managers. The study employed qualitative research methods and techniques. The sample of the study consists of the school managers employed in the secondary schools in the district of Başakşehir, Istanbul, in the 2014-2015 educational year. The study unveiled the opinions of 56 school managers on the definition and aims of the concept of discipline, and, at the same time, revealed their discipline approaches that they have adopted. Data were collected from school managers through a semi-structured interview. Interviews were videotaped. The study took approximately two months. According to the findings, school managers defined discipline as a way of yielding desired behaviors, of complying with rules and regulations, rewarding and motivating the employees, and maintaining order in the institution. However, it was also found that some school managers defined discipline as a punishment for undesired behaviors. It was found that school managers think that discipline aims to secure productive functioning of the institutions, to get things done neatly, to help the personnel to be successful, to prevent all possible problems, to make the personnel abide by the rules and regulations and to organize the things to be done. The study also found that among the attitudes that the school managers take on when they implement discipline are encouragement and rewarding instead of prohibition, and identifying the reasons for, and preventing, indiscipline. Based on these findings, it was concluded that the majority of school administrators have preventive approaches towards indiscipline. Some school managers have such attitudes as forcing the employees to act properly, developing an attitude towards the undisciplined personnel, and threatening which shows that they have corrective approach towards indiscipline. School managers that punish the undisciplined personnel in line with the requirements of laws and regulations by giving justifications have the punitive-prohibitive discipline approach which is based on punishment and prohibitions. A small amount of school managers that participated in the study was found to have a revenge-based discipline approach towards the undisciplined employees. It was concluded that managers in this group develop such approaches as waiting for the undisciplined behaviors that require heavy punishment; not helping the personnel in their difficult times, and depriving them of their rights. Based on the findings, it can be said that school managers are knowledgeable with the definition and aims of discipline; that they usually have the preventive approaches towards indiscipline; and that there are very few school managers that have revenge-based approaches towards indiscipline.