Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site psuvax1.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!rochester!cmu-cs-pt!cadre!psuvax1!berman From: berman@psuvax1.UUCP (Piotr Berman) Newsgroups: net.kids,net.legal,net.politics Subject: Re: corporal punishment in schools Message-ID: <1792@psuvax1.UUCP> Date: Sat, 14-Sep-85 17:07:23 EDT Article-I.D.: psuvax1.1792 Posted: Sat Sep 14 17:07:23 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 17-Sep-85 04:26:19 EDT References: <1183@ihlpg.UUCP> <924@vax2.fluke.UUCP> <273@cylixd.UUCP> Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ. Lines: 39 Xref: watmath net.kids:2004 net.legal:2346 net.politics:11008 > >I prefer solutions that are directly > >related to problems as possible. > > . . . . > >I'm not sure what to do about > >things like hitting neighborhood kids. Our 2.75 year old has a little > >problem with this. We keep talking to her about it. ("People are not for > >hitting.") > > > > -- David Jacobson > > There is one solution, directly related to the problem. If it hasn't > happened yet, it will. One of the kids she hits is going to hit her > back. She'll then learn *why* people are not for hitting :-). > > charli Corporal punishment (like spanking) has the following setback: it seems to be effective. In fact, is not more effective than a regular admonition, or yelling or other more subtle negative reinforcement. What is more important is to react promptly to situations which require correction. Another important principle is not to expect that you may correct some behavior "once for all". The biggest setback in using excessive penalties is lowering the level of sensitivity of a child. I got my share of spanking and I speak with some experience. Pain and humilation is relative. A minor bicycle accident is more painful than spanking. However do you want to enter a path of escalating punishments toward children? Or you would prefer to get their attention even when you merely express your displeasure (an ideal situation). The original question concerned teachers. As I remember, my highschool class behaved best with an older teacher who would merely raised her eyebrows at the first little noise made by a student (in a very rare situations, she would ask somebody to leave the room). Besides, we new that she was teaching well. The art of mantaining authority with minimal the means is not some magic, but it requires competience. Piotr Berman Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com