Abstract

SUS, María Claudia. Interaction or discipline. What is Happening at School?. RMIE [online]. 2005, vol.10, n.27, pp.983-1004. ISSN 1405-6666.

This article, a product of the results of a research project carried out in Argentina from 1999 to 2003, addresses the topic of interaction in secondary school, in light of new legislation that attempts to replace the traditional model of school discipline with a model of democratic interaction. The study is based on the observation of individuals’ daily actions in the classroom; its purpose is to describe and interpret forms of normative regulation and their relationship with the position of the school’s actors, especially students and teachers. The analysis indicates that in spite of recent efforts, the old model based on discipline has not been totally replaced. It coexists with the model of interaction and may reemerge in the event of conflict or situations of violence.

Keywords : educational policy; secondary education; educational democratization; teaching styles; Argentina.