The district I substitute in is one of the few left in the United States that allows Corporal Punishment. The first few times I was out I was astonished to see how wonderfully behaved the elementary students were. All of the classrooms I have been in (except for 6th graders, there in there own league) listen and do there work. They are respectful and obedient. I just love hearing "yes ma'am." It's the best with these sweet southern kids. I enjoy high school the most! Strange huh?!
It wasn't until I got in the middle school when I realized the kids behave well because they are terrified of getting paddled. The men in the schools carry their paddles around in their back pocket. I guess it is there sign of authority and power. It is a hot topic because most young new teachers refuse to let paddling be their consequence. They won't even be a witness for other teachers. The kids behave well because they don't want to get paddled. Is the key to classroom management a paddle?
The teachers who do this the most are the men, the older women, and the gym teachers. During a subbing post in P.E. I talked to one of the teachers about corporal punishment and learned a little more about her views. She is very Pro-paddle. Next time at the same assignment we were waiting for the sixth graders and some of the kids were acting up. She called out 6 of the kids and they were going to get paddled for their bad behavior. Three of the kids said they couldn't be paddled. However, two of them didn't have their mom's sign the note and they were paddled anyways. She told me that I would be the witness for the punishment. The moment I heard this I started to tear up. I thought I would be okay with this but I was really heart broken. I could have refused but I was kind of curious.
The time came and one by one the terrified kids came into the locker room where we waited. The coach explained to me that you never paddle a child angry. They need to know that you are doing this only because of their bad actions but you still care about them. You could tell the ones who were really nervous! The came in terrified, she talked to them and if they understood why they were being paddled. She has them bend over the back of the chair and put there hands in the seat which was up against the wall. She pulled up there pants so their belt wasn't in the way and she flicked her wrist. The paddle made a very loud crack! It is mostly the sound that is terrifying because she barely hit them. Especially, the ones who got paddled rarely. She'd look back and say you better not go out there laughing because I went easy on you.. and they replied with a very mellow "yes ma'am". There was one boy who gets paddled often and he got two licks this day. You could tell the different because his has a different sound and defiant sting. It was all over so quickly and the kids straightened up there act. They are so afraid, but after being a witness I didn't feel as bad.
In the schools I think I'm torn: It's awful to hit someone else's kid, that's just wrong! BUT they are SO well behaved, it's unlike all the schools I've been in.
I just can't imagine using it as a punishment. Except, I do at home sometimes, even with my near 1 year old I find myself tapping his hands when he is playing with something naughty or when he hits me, it makes no sense I know!! That's what Part 2 is about, related and unrelated consequence in the home with our own kids. Maybe after I write about this I'll understand a little more about the punishment of hitting and paddling. Then I'll change my ways and views. I don't think it helps but I not sure I know why because in many cases it solves the problem. What a weird unrelated consequence.
