Teacher bhi kabhi student  tha

You are not the only ones who deal with the wrath of punishments. Your teachers have been at the relieving end too. It’s time to know the lessons they learnt...

Bhawna & Pratiti, GT Network

Punishments…the most hated word in the school vicinity. But, this word is not a newbie in the school premise. It has been there forever, even when your teachers took to the other side of the table, seated as prim and proper students. If their punishments seem too much, maybe an insight into what they have been through would make you feel a little better.

The punishment that I still remember was given by my accounts teacher, who made me write the entire chapter for not answering a question. For the next two years, I never gave him a chance to reprimand me and excelled in the subject.

Richa Chandana, Teacher, AIS PV

FOOTNOTE: Hardwork benefits
Nobody could dare to sneak in the corridor where the Principal’s office was. As a latecomer to school, I was directed by the guard at the gate to enter the building from the same corridor. Confronting the students and teachers staring at me with questioning eyes was embarrassing.
Vandana Seth, Teacher, AIS MV
FOOTNOTE: Why invite the stares?

I belonged to one of the naughtiest classes in school. Someone in the class burst a cracker and a desk exploded. The entire class was suspended for a day. Since that day, everyone in school, would address us as the class that was suspended. It was embarrassing, but we had our lessons in place.
Shweta Ahluwalia, Teacher, AIS G-46
FOOTNOTE: You know the
consequences for this one.
I was perhaps in class VI  or VII when I went up to my English teacher. While talking, I put both my hands on the teacher’s table and in a moment she slapped me really hard. I was zapped and didn’t know what happened. Then, she explained to me how ill mannered it is to keep both hands on any teacher, or any senior’s table. I still remember her words.
Sumedh Kapoor, Teacher, AIS Saket
FOOTNOTE: Thank your stars,
physical punishment is banned now.

 As a punishment for littering the ground, we had to pick up everything from the ground and collect at least 50 toffee wrappers per person. Not realizing that the idea was just to clean the ground, we got into a competition. I even remember some students eating the toffees they had in their pockets so they could increase the number of wrappers. Now, I can’t stop laughing every time I think of it. It was indeed a nice way of teaching us.
Shalini Aggarwal, Teacher, AIS Gur-43
FOOTNOTE: Punishments can be clean too!

We all had to prepare a poem – The Daffodils, which I didn’t. My teacher, asked me to conduct the next class on the same poem, as a punishment. A little worried, I practiced the poem as many times as I could. When I took the class, it went off brilliantly. It was then that my teacher realised that I was a good orator. And for the next few years, I won the best orator award in my school.
Sudhi Bhatia, Teacher, AIS Vas-6
FOOTNOTE: Saza me bhi maza hai!

To be or not to be

Should punishments be given? If yes, then to what extent should it be implemented? Do the punishments really help achieve their purpose ie rectify faulty behavior? Or do they only leave the recipient with sour memories? GT seeks an answer to such questions as do many other students.

Treat children with dignity

No school, under the guise of enforcing discipline, should mistreat any student or parent. This must be strictly observed and enforced, not withstanding any eternal pressure. Schools are ideological institutions, not factories. They must treat children as sensitive individuals who need to be protected at any cost. The schools need to be aware of the sensitive and impressionable nature of the minds of school children, and must ensure that all students, irrespective of differences in physical, social and economic status or being differently-abled, are dealt with in a dignified manner.

The word punishment itself should be abolished because it has a negative connotation. Punishment should never be the first choice. Instead, it should be the last resort. The child should be given sufficient warnings, which should be accompanied with counseling so that the child has a fair chance of rectifying himself.
Punishments should not be given to teach the child a lesson, but work as corrective measures. A child must know why he is being punished in the first place. The punishment should, under no circumstance, humiliate the child and affect his/her EQ. Instead, the child could be denied something s/he loves, as a punishment. For instance, if a child has not been finishing his assignment and loves music, he could be detained during the music class to finish the pending assignment. Or, the child could be given community service that would not just make him realize his mistake but also make him more compassionate.
If a child has been making a mistake repeatedly, one must try to ascertain the cause of such behaviour. Sometimes, there are factors beyond school that could be responsible for the child’s misconduct.
Besides, if we are giving punishments, we must also give rewards. If a child has been punished on grounds of misconduct, he must also be rewarded for good behaviour. Sometimes, a pat on the back is all a child needs.

Punishments are important as they help rectify wrong behavior and keep a child on the disciplined track. The concept of ‘No Punishment’ just does not work, especially in cases of high risk behaviour such as bullying, violence, damage to school property, substance abuse and the like.  The severity of the punishment should be based on the magnitude of the mistake.Punishments help set limits, which not just inculcates a sense of responsibility in the child, but also helps develop a balanced personality.
However, before meeting out a punishment, one must try to know the exact cause of misbehavior. Sometimes, a child may be troubled with a disturbing atmosphere at home or maybe dealing with psychological issues. Also, one must remember that the same punishment may not work for every child. A punishment should be given in accordance with the  behavioural pattern of the child.
Being too lenient or too strict, with a child could put him/her into severe difficulties in his later years. It is for this reason that a balanced approach on part of the authorities as well as parents is a must.
While punishments can be used as a limit defining tool, one must remember that children learn more from observation than anything else. The authorities must practice what they preach in order to rule out any possibilities of error or misconduct.

Let us remember

Let us remember if a child lives with     CRITICISM,
He learns to CONDEMN.

If a child lives with HOSTILITY,
He learns to FIGHT.

If a child lives with RIDICULE,
He learns to be SHY.

If a child lives with SHAME,
He learns to feel GUILTY.

If a child lives with TOLERANCE,
He learns to be PATIENT.

If a child lives with ENCOURAGEMENT,
He learns to be CONFIDENT.

If a child lives with PRAISE,
He learns to APPRECIATE.

If a child lives with FAIRNESS,
He learns JUSTICE.

If a child lives with SECURITY,
He learns to have FAITH.

If a child lives with ACCEPTANCE,
He learns to find LOVE in the world.

Shall I stand before thee face to face,
Where the mind is without fear.