- One of the big challenges for both educators and parents is dealing with issues of discipline. Before we look at the reasons why children misbehave and what needs to be done to ensure self - disciplined children ,let us look at the differences between discipline and punishment. Sh Abdalla Idris from Canada reminded us that whilst discipline changes behaviour, punishment suppresses behaviour. Discipline is defined as the ability to train oneself to do those things that should be done and resist those things that should be avoided. What are the differences between discipline and punishment: 1. Purpose: Discipline teaches and guides, while punishment penalizes and inflicts pain. 2. Approach: Discipline is proactive, while punishment is reactive. 3. Focus: Discipline focuses on the behaviour, while punishment focuses on the child. 4. Tone: Discipline is often calm and gentle, while punishment is often harsh and angry. 5. Outcome: Discipline leads to self-regulation, whil...
- In Russia’s education system, the highest possible score in an exam is 5. And here’s the surprising part—even if a student submits a completely blank answer sheet, they are still awarded 2 marks. The first day I learned this at Moscow University, I was genuinely stunned. To me, it felt illogical. If someone writes nothing at all, shouldn’t they receive a zero? Driven by curiosity, I asked Dr. Theodor Medrayev, “Sir, how does it make sense that a student who writes nothing still gets 2 marks?” Dr. Medrayev smiled. Then, in a calm and thoughtful voice, he said, “Zero means non-existence. As long as a person is trying, how can they be zero? Think about it—how much effort does a student put in just to show up to class? Maybe they woke up before dawn in freezing cold, traveled a long distance standing on a bus, tram, or train. Even if they submit a blank paper, the fact that they came means they tried. So tell me—how can I give them zero?” He continued, “Maybe the student couldn’t wr...