Education is not pouring some stuff inside the brain of a student. It is the opportunity given to the student to bring out (educe) his or her innovative ideas. Yet, we need to inculcate some discipline to student community rather than indoctrination since the later leads to agitation and repetitions.
Inculcate some discipline for better education!
Never indoctrinate as it leads to agitation!!
Imposition has been a good practice of teachers to make their students to realize their mistakes and correct them in future. It is one of the best ways to punish the children and give them an opportunity to realize their mistakes or indisciplinary acts. It is the best remedy to forgetting. In those days teachers gave punishments like “thoppukaranam”, “pirambadi” and “kottu”. Nowadays, parents do not allow such corporal punishments at schools. Yet, most of the parents agree with the imposition with some reasonable number of times. The objective of giving imposition is to correct the child’s behaviour and it should not be out of anger.
Various Instances for Imposition
There are various instances a teacher can give imposition to his or her students. Parents too can give imposition at home when their wards disobey or are lazy to write.
- to recollect the formulae
- to correct spelling mistakes
- to memorize terms and definitions
- to draw neatly
- to write neatly
- disciplinary actions
- late coming
- absence without notice
- classroom misbehaviours
While writing imposition, it should be done only with fountain ink pen and that too in the presence of a mentor. Because, there are some smart students who can do the imposition with mutiple pens or pencils tied together and can write as shown in this video.
Promises and Commands
Promises are better than commands. One can be made committed to a missed task or correcting one’s mistake by giving imposition.
Command: You should not come late hereafter.
Promise: I promise that I will not come late hereafter.
Command: Don’t talk inside the classroom.
Promise: I promise that I will not talk inside the classroom hereafter.
Errors and Terrors!
Errors and corrections can be given as imposition in order to make the students what not to do and what to do correctly. Some teachers become terrors on noticing errors of their students. They need not shoot up their B.P. by scolding at them for their silly mistakes. They can simply highlight the error and correct the same. They can insist on imposition of both error and its corrected version for better understanding and self realisation.
Afterall, learning is an experience. Some students understand a concept in the first instance and many correct their mistakes after repeated attempts.
Understanding and Memory Retention
Many students mistake that their understanding of a concept is enough for writing an examination. Anyone can understand the concept or theory, but the retention of key points and technical terms in one’s memory are important. That is why our schooling system have 4 important learning aspects in education.
- Knowledge – related to memory of terms, definitions, symbols, formulae, theorems etc.
- Understanding – the concepts, procedures etc.
- Application – presenting the learned stuff like solving problems, describing in own words, etc.
- Skill – how fast and effetive the learned stuff is applied like doing a project, presenting in seminar, handling equipments, doing practicals, handling the real life situations, designing new ideas, drawings, practicals, etc.
Is imposition suitable for any age?
Yes, imposition is suitable for any age to correct one’s mistake as it helps one to realize the errors, streamline the perverted thoughts and to focus on one thought i.e. contemplation. Many of our elders have the habit of writing “likitha japam” (writing one’s favourite God’s name) and they claim that it helps them in meditation and to calm their storming mind. Even a cop or traffice police man can give punishment in the form of imposition for erraneous drivers. The ultimate idea of giving imposition is that the same mistake should not happen again!!
Samples of imposition for non-compliance with the Institution standards and disciplines
- First time – 6 times
- Second time – 12 times
- Third time – 24 times
| S.No. | Non-compliance | Imposition |
| 1 | Absence without prior intimation | I promise that hereafter, I will apply leave in advance with parents’ approval. |
| 2 | Late coming | I promise that hereafter, I will not come late to classes. |
| 3 | Classroom mishaviour | I promise that hereafter, I will not misbehave in classroom. |
| 4 | Notebooks, stationery items not brought | I promise that hereafter, I will not forget to bring all necessary stationery items to classroom. |
| 5 | Bringing banned items inside the classroom | I promise that hereafter, I will not bring any banned item inside the classroom. |
| 6 | Bullying | I promise that hereafter, I will not bully anybody and behave friendly with everybody. |
| 7 | Assignment not done | I promise that hereafter, I will complete the assignments before the submission time and date. |
| 8 | Missing the class tests | I promise that hereafter, I will not miss the class tests. |
| 9 | Not keeping the books in order | I promise that hereafter, I will keep the notebooks and library books inside the classroom in order. |