(1) _Instinctive factors._ In searching among the instinctive elements
of human nature for the chief inner stimulus to disobedience we are led
to that group which is designated by such terms as self-preservative,
individualistic or egoistic. Both obedience and disobedience seem to be
expressions of the same basal incitements. In the lower stages of
existence the free will of savage and child meets with circumstances in
which it must yield to an external plan of action if life is to be
preserved or self-gratification secured. Obedience is the price paid for
life and for the luxury of being satisfied.
In the case of disobedience the same stimuli operate; the proposed
course of action appears hostile to the interests of the self and the
person rebels. The gratification of the countless desires, tastes,
expectations, choices, hopes, rights, etc., that the human person
constantly carries with him occupy the forefront of attention always.
Disobedience is nothing more nor less than a decision that some one or
more of these egoistic demands is being carelessly or ruthlessly dealt
with and that the person is going to seek gratification in another
direction.
(2) _The element of choice._ We can analyze the disobedient state of
mind, at least to some extent. The first factor that we meet is choice.
Choice enters into disobedience in two forms: first, the choice between
courses of action, between ideals. The teacher proposes one line of
action. This suggests other alternatives; a choice is necessary. Second,
there must be choice between yielding to the teacher and resisting his
command.
The obedient child is hardly aware of this distinction as such. A
disobedient pupil may readily agree that a proposed action is wise and
opportune, but his dislike for the teacher appears in a decision not to
heed the command. Strictly speaking, this is a partial obedience, in
that the child consents to the wisdom and worth of the course of action,
although, for reasons of prejudice, he refuses to heed the command. The
decision not to heed the teacher is the crucial point in disobedience.
If unwilling to obey, the pupil weighs the gains and losses and decides
to disobey the teacher. Usually there is no very great gain to be had
when this sort of action follows. More than likely there is personal
prejudice, false pride, or some similar cause for the refusal to obey.
At times, to be sure, the disobedient pupil believes that he can not in
reality trust his teacher. Confidence in the teacher is impaired or
entirely lacking. Disobedience must follow in many cases where such is
the state of a pupil’s mind.
(3) _Confidence._ Confidence underlies all loyal obedience. Confidence
is faith in the person who proposes the action, a conviction that when
he himself acts, he will satisfy in a large degree, the expectations of
the one who obeys. A pupil always sets up certain standards by which he
measures a teacher. If a teacher gives ground for the anticipation that
his acts will conform to these standards, he has won his pupil’s
confidence.
The chief modes of winning the confidence of pupils may be briefly
stated: first, by the teacher’s loyalty to his own principles of
conduct; second, by revealing an identity between these principles and
those accepted by the school community and the pupil; third, by setting
before pupils courses of action which are seen to be primarily
developments of pupils’ own ideals.
Even kindergartners who do not secure obedience based on confidence,
fail. Some members of the circle of children may have no working ideals
of school behavior. These must be taught dogmatically to the child
before even mere outward conformity to rule can be secured. If properly
taught, if actually trained, in the essentials of good order, the child
accepts as his own these necessary ideals, and thereafter a call to
obedience is a demand for the child to do what he himself naturally
regards as the best thing to do under the given circumstances. His
reasons for deeming this the best thing to do may be few or entirely
wanting so far as fundamental grounds are concerned.
Whether it be suggestion or social impetus, the love of system, or
whatever it is that gives this ideal value in the mind of the child, we
need not try to comprehend. The only point is that the obedience that
belongs to good character is a willingness to do what the pupil regards
as right under the leadership of another person. These ideals in the
child’s mind that are reproduced in the commands of the teacher may be
simple, perhaps mere images of muscular activity; nevertheless, they are
the forecast of an activity which later develops into complex concepts
that cover worlds of thought.