Disipline in Class

[John Bishop]

I have two questions for the instructors on the forum.

1. How do you handle disipline in class?

2. Is your policy the same for adults and children?  

Myself, in the childrens classes I use 4 steps of escalating disipline.  
First offense is ussually handled by a verbal reprimand.
Second offense is handled by push ups.
Third time adds 2-3 weeks to time before next promotion.
Fourth time usually means serious problem, so student could be expelled from school.  
Normally this applies to the same type of repeated behavior, in a short period of time.  
And of course a very serious disipline problem may progress straight to step 3 or 4.

Now adults are a differant area.  I don't give adult students push ups.  I consider it demeaning to treat adults like children.  We may have students that are white belts in our classes, but in real life they may be doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other professionals.  But, no matter what they roles in life are, they should be treated as adults.  
Also, as adults, they should be better able to control their behavior, and understand the the penalties for bad behavior.  So with a problem adult student, you may go straight to step 4.  

[D-Man]

I definately understand what probably goes on in your kid's class (and I'm sorry), do you have an example of a problems with adult behavior?  I'm sure there are different levels of the serious nature of the offense too.

[John Bishop]

In the youth classes the violations are very minor and seldem get past step 2.  Typical kid things like talking and not paying attention.  

In the adult classes disipline is very rarely needed.  Adults are there because they want to learn; unlike some kids who are there because they want to be ninja turtles, or because their parents make them.

The reason I brought this subject up is because I was reading some threads on another forum where they were talking about making adult students do pushups.
I find it very demeaning to treat a adult the same as you do kids.  I think serious hard workouts can be conducted without running class like a boot camp.  

[Karazenpo]

Sigung, I pretty much do the same thing up to step three as you do, after that I have two options. I take their belts away or actually reduce them in rank. The reduction in rank never happens because taking the belts away solves the problem. I also tell them when I take the belt it will be my discretion whether they have to be tested again or just get it back because of improved behavior.  Again, never had to test them so far, just taking the belt seemed to work. Then of course if that didn't work, I'm back on track with your program. Also, like you stated, there is really no problems with the adults unless I hear about one getting into serious trouble with the law. Then, according to what they have done, I either suspend indefinitely or terminate.  I will also suspend  a student indefinietly or terminate for abusing another student. I have done that and I have also released students for criminal behavior outside the school. However, I do check out what they did first and if its not too bad and I feel they understand they screwed up then I'm not that hard on them at all. Sometimes the committment to the art can also aid in giving them direction and they straighten out. Everyone makes mistakes.