'we have to accept that some teachers are just always going to be more popular than others, discipline or no discipline'

Of course.  Just like some people are born lucky.  But does that mean they get to write the script for life?  Everybody--- popular or not--- is entitled to civilised treatment, otherwise known as 'rules'.  If it's left up to the kids -- and increasingly, this seems to be the case--- then  only those who pass their test of acceptability can become successful teachers.  There are always  teachers in a school who are more popular than others--- but the popularity test can't exactly be taken as an accurate measure of worth. 

I never forgot a lesson I learned when I was doing my first teaching practice in a Sec Mod school in London.  I was very keen to be a good teacher, so I did a little survey among the kids I was teaching, asking them to say who their 'best' teacher was, and why.  I thought, bless my innocent little heart, that I could copy their strategies and be the next Pestalozzi.  Imagine my chagrin to find that the 'best' teacher in the school was the PE teacher? And why?  The boys: because, duh, they liked PE; and the girls because 'she wears lovely clothes'.  Me, I can't see the ball, let alone hit it; and clothes are things I cover myself with.  So much for pedagogical ambition.

Many of the posters have not really go the point I was making...despite making good points. 

It is so easy to be liked ("cool" in my original title) as a teacher at my school...you just do most of the following:

Let pupils keep their coats on and never challenge uniform extras

Let pupil use their phones when they want

Ignore homework policy and let pupils do hardly any work

Ignore lateness and truancy

Let pupils shout out during lessons and do nothing about it.

Let pupils eat in classrooms during lessons

Make sure work is easy and you have low expectations

Let pupils listen to Mp3s and play games in ICT room.

Put DVDs on for last 2 weeks of each half term!

Give them sweets

Turn a bline eye to swearing and mild bullying.

Slag strict teachers off or tell pupils that the school rules are stupid and you agree with them.

Never report pupils that you find smoking or out of bounds

etc. etc.

 We had many teacher that did all of the above!  They are the "cool" ones that I am talking about.  The kids love 'em!!   The main problems were caused by two teachers that have since been "moved on".

 I was not talking about subtle behaviour managment strategies in the classroom.  I was talking about totally ignoring all school rules to be popular with kids...it is sad really.

"It is so easy to be liked ("cool" in my original title) as a teacher at my school...you just do most of the following:

Let pupils keep their coats on and never challenge uniform extras

Let pupil use their phones when they want

Ignore homework policy and let pupils do hardly any work

Ignore lateness and truancy

Let pupils shout out during lessons and do nothing about it.

Let pupils eat in classrooms during lessons

Make sure work is easy and you have low expectations

Let pupils listen to Mp3s and play games in ICT room.

Put DVDs on for last 2 weeks of each half term!

Give them sweets

Turn a bline eye to swearing and mild bullying.

Slag strict teachers off or tell pupils that the school rules are stupid and you agree with them.

Never report pupils that you find smoking or out of bounds

etc. etc.

 We had many teacher that did all of the above!  They are the "cool" ones that I am talking about.  The kids love 'em!!"

I find that strange.

In my experience, teachers like that may be popular in the short term, but not in the long term.

Suzybloo:

He actually said to me, 'I'm not going to stand there like a fascist telling children how to dress when they've given up their time to come to the concert.

As if it is impossible to "ask" the students to spiff up a bit without being a fascist. I do believe that you can tell (some) students something they don't want to hear with a bit of humor or energy and be more effective then if you screamed at them.

As for consistency, it does need to be done across the school. At our "international school" in Egypt we all started out with great attitudes towards discipline and when students broke the rules we followed the plan and gave out detentions. As the year went on it became clear that there was no meaningful consequence for not turning up for detention or for misbehaving while in detention. Even our little geniuses soon figured out that we could assign all of the detentions or additional detentions we wanted but they could duck and run and avoid and were never held to an accounting.

Before the year was over we had mostly given up. Although I did still ask, if they were going to wrestle or give another student an atomic wedgie, that they take it up the hall a bit. A few of us did try to bring this up to the Head and at staff meetings but there was never any will on his part or a majority of staff to try and stem the tide of misbehavior.

Being popular / well liked and how you achieve it varies from school to school. At my current school, my form like me more than their previous tutor partly because I am strict with them (and interestingly because I am always on time!) The pupils also are keen to do well in their exams and prefer strict teachers who make them work than laid back teachers who let them get away with murder. If, on top of being on their case etc. you are able to build good relationships with them i.e. talk and listen to them, and try and make your lessons interesting then you will be a popular teacher.

I have to add that these things would not have worked in all my schools, in particular the special measures school I was in, but I am glad that I have found a job in a school where it does work.