Comments on: Classroom Crime & Punishment

By: Melia

Melia — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:45:42 +0000

Wow, Katie, you had some intense teachers. I know what you mean about certain teachers just hating kids and their job — do something else, for godssakes! The whole concept of “control” should never be applied to people (to pests, maybe). I can’t stand that word. There’s no need for it in respect-based, rather than fear-based, teaching and parenting. I agree that so many of the “good” kids, with their folded hands and zipped lips, are scared into acting like robots. As my friend Adam likes to say, “Democracy is noisy.”

Stephen, yep, I was conscious when choosing to use a boy in my example. As a grammar nerd, I could never refer to a child as “they,” so I just had to choose “he” or “she.” In my experience, it’s the boys who often “act out” in a rowdy way.

About your punishment, I wish that adults would just treat kids with the same respect they give other adults, and follow the same rules. How would your teacher react if one of the other teachers swore in the classroom? Raise the eyebrows or give a joking reprimand? The “How would I treat a peer in this situation?” test is one that parents and teachers should use more often when interacting with kids. (And come on, “damn” is really just not worth raising a stink about.)

By: Mr. Hsu

Mr. Hsu — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:18:53 +0000

I like how you refer to the child being punished in school as a boy. I wonder if that was conscious.

There was an incident that also made me realize the whole “schooling” concept was just a manifestation of bureaucracy too. Middle school, 7th grade. It was during the 10 minute period in between classes, and I had showed up to Spanish class early, which at that time meant more than 15 seconds before the bell rang. I was chatting with a buddy of mine and I said the word “Damn”. Teacher then proceeds to give me two detentions without warning. Completely marred my perfect record, and from there it continued on a downward spiral to the point where detentions meant absolutely nothing to me, almost like a swift slap of the wrist. Mind you, I was never suspended, but I decided from that point forward that any teacher who decided to give me such obscure punishments would lose my respect and their authority.

Some teachers must have hated me, but the ones who were able to reach me were my idols. As a matter of fact, they still are.

By: Ide

Ide — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:43:58 +0000

I made it through 13 years of school without ever being singled out. I don’t think that’s necessarily an accomplishment. I came from a relatively rule-free, “let’s talk calmly about why you’re doing that” household, so I was terrified of getting in trouble. I remember crying almost every day in the first grade because I had a screamer for a teacher and, even if she was yelling at the whole class, I felt like it was addressed at me. In my six years, I had never been spoken to in that manner, and there’s something about an angry, red-faced, towering adult that is really terrifying. She would also employ other awesome fear tactics, such as canceling fun activities for the whole class if one kid spoke out of turn.

I remember being praised for being so quiet and well-behaved, but really I was just scared to move or talk. This woman obviously hated kids, and teaching was not her passion. I wish I could say that was the only time I ever felt that way but apart from one fabulous fourth-grade teacher, terror was pretty much a continuous theme up through middle school. It was like that was the only way these tired, worn-out teachers knew to keep their classes under control. Except that it only created more chaos and misbehavior.