Abstract: This article examines discipline as a pedagogical and social phenomenon in Uzbekistan’s pre-school education system. It explores the impact of legal statutes, teaching practices, and cultural values on children’s behavior and moral development. Emphasis is placed on the interaction between educators, families, and institutional frameworks. The study highlights how consistent routines, positive reinforcement, and respectful communication shape early childhood discipline. It argues that discipline is not punishment, but a means to guide children toward empathy, self-control, and responsible citizenship. The article provides practical insights for educators and policymakers aiming to improve disciplinary approaches in early education settings in Uzbekistan.
Аннотация: В статье дисциплина рассматривается как педагогическое и социальное явление в системе дошкольного образования Узбекистана. Анализируются влияние нормативных актов, педагогической практики и культурных ценностей на поведение и нравственное развитие детей. Подчеркивается взаимодействие между педагогами, семьями и институтами. Исследование показывает, как постоянный режим, позитивное подкрепление и уважительное общение формируют дисциплину в раннем возрасте. Доказывается, что дисциплина — это не наказание, а средство воспитания эмпатии, самоконтроля и ответственности. Статья содержит практические рекомендации для педагогов и разработчиков политики в области раннего детского воспитания.
Annotatsiya: Ushbu maqolada intizom O‘zbekiston maktabgacha ta’lim tizimida pedagogik va ijtimoiy hodisa sifatida tahlil qilinadi. Bolalarning xulqi va axloqiy rivojiga qonunlar, tarbiyaviy amaliyotlar hamda madaniy qadriyatlarning ta’siri o‘rganiladi. O‘qituvchi, oila va muassasalar o‘rtasidagi o‘zaro hamkorlik alohida e’tiborga olinadi. Intizomni shakllantirishda muntazamlik, ijobiy rag‘batlantirish va hurmat asosidagi muloqot muhim rol o‘ynashi ko‘rsatiladi. Maqolada intizom jazolash emas, balki bolalarni empatiya, o‘zini boshqarish va ijtimoiy mas’uliyat sari yo‘naltiruvchi vosita sifatida baholanadi. Amaliy tavsiyalar pedagoglar va siyosat ishlab chiquvchilar uchun keltirilgan.
Discipline is a fundamental component of any educational system and a key mechanism in shaping children’s behavior, values, and attitudes from early childhood. In Uzbekistan, pre-school education serves as a foundational stage in which discipline is introduced not only as a social necessity but also as a pedagogical aim. Pre-schools are often children’s first formal social environment beyond the family, making them vital platforms for social and moral education. Here, discipline evolves beyond mere obedience to become a holistic process that fosters emotional, moral, and cognitive development. This article examines how discipline operates within the legal and educational framework of Uzbekistan’s pre-school system and evaluates how educators and parents collaboratively instill socially responsible behavior in children.
Discipline in educational theory is generally regarded as the structured means by which children learn self-regulation, acceptable behavior, and respect for social norms. Prominent educational thinkers such as Rousseau, Dewey, and Vygotsky offered unique interpretations of discipline. Vygotsky emphasized the social roots of development, arguing that discipline is acquired through interactions with adults and peers. Dewey viewed the school as a miniature society where children learn cooperation and responsibility through experience. These theories support the idea that discipline should not be punitive but should guide children toward internalizing values and developing autonomy.
From a sociological perspective, discipline is a process of integrating the individual into society. Children grow up surrounded by cultural expectations, and discipline helps them navigate these norms. In Uzbekistan, social traditions emphasize respect for elders, humility, and cooperation. These values are reinforced in pre-school environments, where educators model appropriate behavior and social expectations. Through structured routines, peer interactions, and guided play, children learn to internalize the behavioral standards of their community. Teachers thus act not only as educators but also as cultural transmitters.
Pedagogically, discipline aims to create an environment conducive to learning, cooperation, and personal growth. In Uzbek pre-schools, discipline is embedded in the structure of the day—through scheduled activities, routines, and consistent expectations. Teachers employ strategies such as positive reinforcement, storytelling with moral messages, and structured group activities to help children practice patience, empathy, and self-control. Discipline is seen as a proactive process where children are encouraged to understand the consequences of their actions and learn problem-solving skills through guided reflection.
Teachers in Uzbekistan’s pre-school institutions are central to implementing effective disciplinary strategies. Their training includes modules on developmental psychology, behavioral management, and conflict resolution. Teachers are encouraged to use age-appropriate, respectful methods to guide behavior, such as storytelling, songs, role-play, and visual cues. A key component of their role is emotional modeling—children observe how teachers react to stress, resolve disputes, and interact with others, and they often mirror these behaviors. Thus, teachers must demonstrate calm, fairness, and empathy to foster the same in their students.
Discipline is most effective when schools and families work in harmony. In Uzbekistan, there is strong cultural emphasis on family involvement in child upbringing. Parents are regularly engaged through meetings, home-school communication diaries, and parenting workshops. Many families uphold values that align with school expectations, such as obedience and community orientation. However, discrepancies between traditional parenting methods and progressive educational approaches can create tensions. For instance, some parents may expect stricter discipline, while schools promote positive, non-punitive strategies. Effective collaboration and family education programs help bridge these differences.
Modern educational philosophy increasingly supports child-centered approaches that emphasize positive discipline. This method focuses on understanding children’s perspectives and guiding their behavior through dialogue and empathy. In Uzbek pre-schools, positive discipline might involve allowing children to make simple choices, engaging them in rule-making, and encouraging peer-to-peer problem-solving. For example, instead of scolding a child for interrupting, a teacher might explain the importance of taking turns and praise the child for showing patience. This encourages internal motivation and fosters emotional intelligence.
Field observations in various Uzbek pre-schools illustrate the practical application of discipline in everyday learning. In one example, teachers used a “feelings corner” equipped with toys and emotion cards to help children express their moods and resolve conflicts. Another school implemented a peer helper system where older children modeled appropriate behavior for younger ones. Daily routines included storytelling sessions focused on moral lessons, cooperative games, and structured transitions between activities. These practices show that discipline is not treated as a separate activity but is integrated into the overall learning process.
Despite progressive policies and practices, several challenges remain in implementing effective discipline. Large class sizes can make individualized attention difficult. Some teachers, particularly in rural areas, lack access to continuous professional development in child-centered techniques. Furthermore, traditional disciplinary methods such as verbal correction or shaming still persist in some settings. Without strong monitoring and support, it can be difficult to shift from authoritative models to more empathetic, educational approaches. Addressing these issues requires policy enforcement, teacher training, and cultural awareness.
Discipline within Uzbekistan’s pre-school education system serves as both a socializing agent and a pedagogical foundation. It reflects cultural values, legal standards, and educational goals aimed at raising morally responsible, emotionally balanced, and socially aware children. With ongoing reforms and greater collaboration among educators, families, and policymakers, discipline can continue to evolve toward more compassionate, child-centered practices that support holistic development.
References
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As an educator, Nazarova Moxiniso is deeply interested in preschool pedagogy, child development, and innovative teaching practices that support holistic education.
My Poetry Translation and Recording Featured in a “Sound Walk” at the Boston Public Garden
ECHOES APP
Location: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
A collaboration with between Cantabridgian poet Jacques Fleury and Bostonian musician Rachel Devorah Wood Rome, Ph.D.by Jacques Fleury
Boston Public Garden Image C/O Jacques Fleury
I am featured in a “Sound Walk” recording on the Boston Public Garden!
I was commissioned by Berklee College of Music Professor, Dr. Rachel Rome, who discovered me on the Haitian American Artists of Massachusetts Facebook page, to translate and record a poem to her naturalistic electronic musical composition at Berklee recording studios. The recording is divided into three sections, each having its own sound and intent achieved by dividing the poem into three parts. You can listen to it as part of your meditation practice, whether manually or at the Boston Public Garden itself should you be visiting or live in the Boston area.
The poem was originally written in English by Dr. Jason Allen Paissant, a professor of Jamaican descent who speaks seven languages.
It is about the manmade erosion of our natural wonders and entitled TREENESS. Below is the poem, the translation and link to the public garden recording which you can listen to manually or visit the garden to listen automatically on the app.
Check it out!
Link to my Haitian Creole translation of the poem Treeness at the Boston public garden, which will be there indefinitely…
You can visit and listen for years to come on your phone by downloading the ECHOES app!
“All Soundwalks are located at Boston Common and Boston Public Garden. Boston Common and Public Garden are open
from 6:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. each day.
Installation Title: Jaden Piblik/public garden
A diverse collection of plants from around the world live together in the Boston Public Garden, embodying the ideals and contradictions of the United States. Heralded as the “first public botanical garden in the United States,” this historic site reflects a uniquely American paradox: the aspiration for multicultural democratic inclusivity juxtaposed with the tenants of colonialism. Nature is not left to thrive on its own terms but meticulously curated, shaped to conform to Victorian notions of beauty and order. jaden piblik is an electroacoustic soundwalk setting of the Haitian-Cantabrigian poet Jacques Fleury’s Haitian-Creole translation of the English-language poem “Treeness” by Jason Allen-Paisant. The work bridges languages and traditions, resonating with the complex, layered histories embodied in the Public Garden itself.”-qtd. from the Echoes website.
Jacques Fleury is a Boston Globe featured Haitian American Poet, Educator, Author of four books and literary arts student at Harvard University online. His latest publication “You Are Enough: The Journey to Accepting Your Authentic Self” & other titles are available at all Boston Public Libraries, the University of Massachusetts Healey Library, University of Wyoming, Askews and Holts Library Services in the United Kingdom, The Harvard Book Store, The Grolier Poetry Bookshop, amazon etc… He has been published in prestigious publications such as Spirit of Change Magazine, Wilderness House Literary Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Litterateur Redefining World anthologies out of India, Poets Reading the News, the Cornell University Press anthology Class Lives: Stories from Our Economic Divide, Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene among others…Visit him at: http://www.authorsden.com/jacquesfleury.–
Jacques Fleury’s book You Are Enough: The Journey Towards Understanding Your Authentic Self
Rachel Devorah Wood Rome Rachel Devorah Wood Rome is a Boston-based electronic musician, educator, and labor organizer. She values machines for their patience and capacity to remember. She is interested in superhuman prolongation, opaque complexity, the re-signification of archaic tools and materials, and parallels between the physical properties and social meanings of spaces. Her work has received support from the Adrian Piper Foundation (Berlin), EMS (Stockholm), INA/GRM (Paris), the Goethe Institut [DE], MassMoCA [US], the New Museum [US], New Music USA, STEIM (Amsterdam), Swissnex [CH], and Villa Albertine [FR]. It has been released on pan y rosas discos (Chicago); Infrequent Seams (NYC); and Full Spectrum Records (Oakland), published by parallax; Feminist Media Histories; and Ugly Duckling Presse, and has been heard in fourteen countries on four continents performed by/with artists such as Nava Dunkelman, Fred Frith, Forbes Graham, Brad Henkel, Seiyoung Jang, Ava Mendoza, Roscoe Mitchell, Robbie Lee, Lydia Moyer, Ryan Muncy, Liew Niyomkarn, Erin Rogers, and the William Winant Ensemble. She is employed as an Assistant Professor of Electronic Production and Design | Creative Coding at the Berklee College of Music, and Vice President of Full-Time Faculty with MS1140 AFT Massachusetts.
Gwil James Thomas is a poet, novelist and inept musician. He lives in his home town of Bristol, England, but has also lived in London, Brighton and Spain. His second poetry collection The P45 Power Ballad is available from Yellow King Press and his nineteenth chapbook of poetry Until The Autumnal Sundown is forthcoming from Two Key Customs. Some of his poetry has been archived by The National Poetry Library in the UK. He is part English, part Welsh and part wolf. IG: @gwiljamesthomas.
They are all my brothers and sisters— and yet I am desperate and exhausted, facing my fate, left alone.
They are billions — a few raise their voices in protest, while the majority stands by, passive, silent, and complicit as I am ethnically cleansed, deliberately slaughtered, and systematically starved to death.
All the while, the powerful remain almost completely silent, suppressing justice and truth beneath the weight of weaponized lies and propaganda.
My brothers and sisters are everywhere —like distant stars with fading light, as if long extinguished in the course of history.
My brothers and sisters in humanity: Be like a tremendous tornado — shake the hearts of those in power and eradicate injustice and inhumanity.
Do not be like a gentle river, that never floods the occupied land with justice, so that equality and peace may finally grow on that long, violently parched soil.
Be like an erupting volcano — make the powerful hear your thunderous voice, and make your impact on this earth be felt.
My dear fellow humans, if you don’t act now — then when?
