“In the effort to give students wings to fly, have we forgotten to give them roots to grow?”
It’s a question we need to ask — urgently and honestly.
Step into a modern-day classroom, and you’ll see a teacher who’s no longer just teaching — they’re treading carefully. Every word is measured. Every correction comes with hesitation. Because the fear is real: What if I’m called out for being “too strict”? What if a parent complains?
Discipline, once seen as a gift for life, is now treated like a flaw in the system. We’ve glamorized flexibility and freedom so much that structure feels oppressive, and responsibility feels optional. “Fun learning” has become a euphemism for letting go of all boundaries — and the consequences are beginning to show.
We admire global education systems like Japan, where students clean their classrooms and learn accountability. But try suggesting that in an Indian school, and you’re accused of traumatizing the child. Ironically, we want the outcomes without adopting the values that produce them.
What we forget is that true freedom comes with inner discipline — not the absence of rules, but the presence of self-regulation. Students don’t just need wings to fly; they need roots to help them navigate storms.
So here’s a call to action for schools:
Let’s rebuild the bridge between parents and teachers. Let’s make discipline a shared responsibility, not a solo burden. Encourage open dialogue where teachers feel supported, not scrutinized. Involve parents not just in performances and report cards, but in reinforcing values at home.
Because classrooms can’t function as islands — they need ecosystems. And if we want to raise confident, resilient, and respectful individuals, then structure isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Let’s teach our children how to fly. But let’s also make sure they know where they come from, and how to land with grace.