My view - corporal punishment...

My View – Corporal Punishment

I understand that this can be quite a taboo topic, but it really doesn’t have to be.

Firstly, we need to remember the individuality of each learner, and with this in mind, recognize that learners respond differently to various means of punishment. I, for instance, am a very sensitive and fragile soul, so a meaningful reprimanding will bring me to tears and have myself promising to never disappoint my punisher again. However, you also get the strong, dismissive type who silently guffaw in the face of a reprimand as it falls on deaf ears. It is these types that make perfect candidates for corporal punishment, in my opinion.

The reason I feel strongly about this is owing to the definite decline in respect for educators among students worldwide. Due to the relatively recent strict laws prohibiting educators from virtually going near a child, students develop a sense of invincibility and act as they please, threatening legal action upon educators when they attempt to correct their inappropriate behavior.

“What are you going to do about it” has become a popular response among these dismissive types who, knowing teachers don’t have the authority to punish them in a way they’ll respond to, fear nothing.

Now I agree that not all learners should be reprimanded by physical measures, but for some it may be necessary, for some it is the only method of punishment that they will respond to. It is those children who have developed this air of arrogance and blatantly disregard the authority of their elders.

Look at the older generation; the generation where corporal punishment was the chief mode of punishment. Are they scarred by this? Are they any worse off? No. In fact, we’re better off, we have developed a humbleness and an almost unconditional respect for authority, within the lines of justice of course.

With so many vastly different children, and corporal punishment banned, what happens when YOU encounter a child who will not respond any of your discipline techniques? “What are you going to do about it?”