The Power of Discipline: Lessons from a Simple Parade Drill

 Normally, the average human being tends to dislike hard work and easily gets used to a soft life. When people see any opportunity to avoid responsibilities, many are quick to take it.

This is why, at times, being firm and strict is necessary. When too much privilege is given, people may begin to abuse it. Even in workplaces, some staff members tend to take advantage of privileges, especially when the boss is very soft or overly considerate. If such privileges are repeatedly abused, they can gradually weaken an organization. This is why some managers and leaders choose to maintain a strict approach.

The same applies in schools and classrooms. Being overly relaxed with students can create problems. Once students become used to too much freedom, they may start abusing it.

I happen to work in an environment I would describe as a semi-military base, where we often interact and manage certain tasks with military personnel. One thing I appreciate about the military system is the discipline and respect it promotes.

A few weeks ago, I decided to introduce a little parade drill to some of my students. At some point, they became tired and started struggling to follow a particular instruction. I wasn’t ready to shout or punish anyone, so I simply handed them over to a military personnel and stepped aside.

About 30 minutes later, I returned to check on them. As I approached, most of them were saying, “Sir, please come and take over.” I smiled and told them no, that the military personnel would continue with them for the rest of the session. I could clearly see the frustration on their faces.

But to me, that was exactly what they needed at that moment. Interestingly, the next day, even without the military personnel present, they were far more coordinated and responsive.

The lesson is simple: human beings easily get used to comfort, and when given too much privilege, it may be abused. That is why, once in a while, people should be exposed to the tougher side of discipline. It helps create balance and encourages responsibility.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Allowances That Can Motivate Teachers and Strengthen Our Schools — Numbers 3 and 4 Will Amaze You.

Image
Teacher in the class Teachers play a vital role in shaping the future of society . Every day, they invest their time, knowledge, and energy in educating and guiding learners. However, many teachers work under challenging conditions with limited support. To improve their welfare and motivate them to perform at their best, certain allowances are very important. Below are some key allowances that teachers should receive. 1. Teaching/Instructional Materials Allowance Teaching requires the use of various instructional materials such as textbooks, markers, chalk, charts, and other learning aids. In many cases, teachers personally spend their own money to provide these materials so that students can better understand lessons, especially in schools where such resources are lacking. A teaching or instructional materials allowance would support teachers in acquiring the tools needed to deliver effective lessons in the classroom. While it is commendable that many teachers go the extra mile to pur...
Read more

FG DEPLOYS NATIONAL EDUCATION DATA REPOSITORY TO END CERTIFICATE FRAUD, STRENGTHEN ACADEMIC RECORDS INTEGRITY

Image
  The Federal Government has intensified efforts to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s education system with the deployment of the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD), a national digital platform designed to secure, digitise, and authenticate academic records across tertiary institutions. The Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, announced the initiative during the National Capacity Building Programme for institutional representatives, describing NERD as critical national infrastructure for safeguarding academic credentials and strengthening education data governance. According to the Minister, the platform supports the Federal Government’s reform agenda under the leadership of Bola Ahmed Tinubu by ensuring reliable digital preservation and verification of academic records. Within four months of implementation, the system has preserved nearly 100,000 digital student submissions, integrated over 250 tertiary institutions, and enrolled more than 1...
Read more