Iam in shock!!!

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : June : 26

Iam in shock!!!
By Mary

I can't believe that there are still districts that not only permit, but seem to actively encourage, this practice as a form of discipline. How do the kids respond to paddling for wrong-doing? Aren't there laws restricting
this? Sheeesh, around here you can get hauled into court for giving a kid a pat on the head or back as a sign of encouragement. As a matter of fact, virtually every district I have worked in, either as a sub or a classroom teacher, has issued strong warnings about any kind of physical contact between teacher and student to the point of threatening automatic dismissal if it takes

place.

As for how you respond to this kind of question in an interview I would continue to stress your classroom management techniques, outlining your expectations for behavior, how you work on these daily with the children right from the beginning of the year, and detailing consequences for failing to follow the rules. Am I understanding you correctly that paddling is considered to be the Gold Standard for behavior management in your school and that teachers are expected to use this early and often for infractions or is this a last resort punishment? Whichever it is,I am 100% in agreement that this is an appallingly barbaric custom that should have been abandoned as ineffective and just plain wrong a very long time ago.

By the way, are you teaching in the U.S.? I'm pretty sure that the American Civil Liberties Union would have something to say about this cusom.