1 Classroom Discipline in Australia Ramon Lewis In Handbook of Classroom Management. (2006). Evertson, M. C. & Weinstein, C. S. (Eds). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. New Jersey:1193‐ 1213. Introduction In addressing classroom management this chapter will focus primarily on what teachers do in response to student misbehaviour, rather than what they do to avoid it. The term used for such behaviour will be Classroom discipline. The discussion will first establish the significance of teachers’ disciplinary behaviour in classrooms. Secondly, the gap that exists between Australian students’ and teachers’ perceptions of good disciplinary practice and that which is practised in Australian classrooms will be examined. Finally, the impact of various discipline strategies on students will be considered. In conducting this analysis, all patterns within the data will be established prior to interpreting their significance and any implications for practice. Importance of classroom discipline Classroom discipline serves a number of functions. One of the most important is to facilitate students’ subject learning (Bagley, 1914; Lewis, 1997a; Wolfgang, 1995). Without adequate responses to students’ inappropriate behaviour, teachers will be unable to present even their best planned lessons (Barton, Coley & Wenglinsky, 1998; Charles, 2001). A second recognised function of classroom discipline is to facilitate good citizenship (Anderson, Avery, Pederson, Smith & Sullivan, 1997; Barber, 1998; Bennet, 1998; Cunat, 1996; McDonnell, 1998; Osborne, 1995; Osler & Starkey, 2001; Pearl & Knight, 1998; Print, 1996/7). Within Australia, there is a great deal of concern about the need for schools to provide students with a curriculum capable of preparing them for democratic citizenship and social competence (Ainley, Batten, Collins & Withers, 1998; 1998; Civics Expert Group, 1994; Curriculum Corporation, 1998; Kemp, 1997; Kennedy, 1996,1998; Lewis, 2001; Mellor, Kennedy & Greenwood, 2001). In the words of the Federal Minister for Education, Civics and citizenship education is an important national priority. Our democracy depends on informed participation. Schools play a crucial role in helping to foster such participation. (Hon. Dr. Brendon Nelson, 2002) The significant role that schools play in developing appropriate values in their students is also recognised by teachers. For example, Mellor et al (2001) report that 98% of 352 Australian teachers surveyed believed that civic education matters a great deal for Australia.