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Dear Mr Dacre, I am writing to you because I would like to give you a short reply to your article of 3/7/1990 "Tamed by tough talk" regarding David Lane's views on how to react on classroom troublemakers. It is said that "tough talking and hard bargaining, rather than wishy-washy couselling, offer the only real chance of keeping classroom troublemakers on the straight and narrow". From my point of view Mr Lane's way of how to deal with the problem kids seem to be effective. John, who used to be a violent, emotionally disturbed boy, and who was on the way to becoming another juvenile delinquent, now works as a garage mechanic and leads a proper life. He became what he is now only because Mr Lane set limits to him and told him what is right or wrong. The bargain that John, his mother and his teachers signed helped him to follow the rules and to only step out of the line twice in that time, as it was clear, what the consequences would be if he would misbehave.
I do absolutely agree with Mr Lane that children need limits and certain rules, so that they learn what they are allowed to do and what they aren't and they also need to know the consequences on their behaviour. In my view it goes without saying that children first have to learn how to behave correctly. He argues that they also need to be watched intensely to make sure that they stick to the bargain which was made. I think, that this is also important, as children need to learn, that they always have to behave correctly and not only when an adult is around. However I think it is also important that young children have a certain area of freedom. You cannot expect that children always behave correctly and you should not always punish them too hard for what they did, as then I am sure they will not live a happy life.
David Lane's argument that teachers must learn that you sometimes have to be cruel to be kind should not be missunderstood. Teachers should also be nice and friendly to their students and shouldn't always punish them for misbehaviour - I think it just depends on the case. It should be clear, what is allowed and what isn't, but teachers could also act as a friend who wants to help the student to learn important things for life. All in all I think Mr Lane has some good ideas about how to deal with troublemakers but his advice should not be missunderstood. Teachers and adults should also be kind and friendly to problem students and should try to treat them like any other student. A bargain between the student and his teachers seems to me useful as the student himself has to sign it and it will be clearer for him, what he is allowed and what he isn't.
I hope that more teachers are going to be as engaged as the teachers in this example. I'm sure it takes a lot of time to constantly monitor the kids and to talk with them about their misbehaviour, but as you can see the results of investing time lead to kids who can perfectly intergrate into society. Yours sincerely, xy
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