Corporal Punishment: a Dreadful Way to Learn

Can we still learn while at the same time, suffer from pain? “Making learning ‘agreeable and pleasant’” an article written by Ambeth Ocampo, shows how corporal punishment made in school can be a terror for students. He also shares his experiences of getting maltreated from a teacher, hence you must not do a mistake or any misbehavior that can put you in trouble for the sake of not getting punished. Since the beginning, there are cases of corporal punishments that have been recorded for the past hundred years and still used up to this point in some countries. According to The Committee on the Rights of the Child in the General Comment No. 8, “Corporal Punishment” is the intentional use of physical force to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light, as a punishment for unacceptable behavior. It usually involves hitting children, with the hand or with an object. Regarding to the stand of Ambeth Ocampo’s article, I personally agree with him. Corporal punishment should not be condoned for as it is not an efficacious method of teaching and managing student’s behavior. The fact that it causes more harm to students, physically and mentally. But rather entail a ‘friendly learning environment’ so that students can interact more freely however less curtailment in order to maintain discipline as well.

Corporal punishment can affect the emotional behavior and the students’ academic performance. After delivering the corporal punishment, students may feel humiliated, embarrassed, sense of worthlessness, and indignation, thus they tend to loss focus on their academic performance which can affect their grades inadequately. According to Hyman I. A., from his book entitled School Discipline and School Violence: The Teacher Variance Approach (1996), approximately one half of students who are victims of severe corporal punishment may develop a mental illness called Educationally Induced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (EIPSD). It is aroused by significant stress which is the inflicted punishment. These victimized students can have difficulty with concentration, lowered school achievement, tendency for school avoidance and school drop-out. This does not envisage nor promote academic success in the school milieu. In emotional terms, it can lower one self’s esteem and likelihood to be more violent and aggressive as they grow up. There’s this tendency when an individual may inflict pain in settling discord and may also have an unstable intimate relationship. In a study, victims of corporal punishment are more probable to become angry in their adulthood and may use corporal punishment in disciplining their children.

In contrast with that, there’s still an advantage of it regards to discipline. From the perspective of the school/teachers that had implemented this kind of punishment, it serves as a deterrent as well as it makes students obedient, respectful, polite, and so on. For instance, when a student saw that someone has been physically punished for misconduct, the student will get this kind of mindset where he/she will try not to do possible inappropriate things in order not to get hurt or be punished. In other words, if there’s no punishment, students will likely go rowdy. In addition, it makes their students to take their academic performance sternly and also helps keep the students under control.

Donald E. Greydanus MD, a professor of Pediatrics & Human Development in Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, states that there is no clear and enough evidence that corporal punishment leads to a better learning experience in classroom. It never enhances moral characterization, nor increases the respect for authority figure. Corporal punishment becomes more deteriorate since it defeats its own purpose of teaching students what is right and wrong. Students may become more rebellious and increase aggression. This causes them to be vindictive against the school authorities. In managing discipline, it has only a temporary effect on behavior since students can still do some things that can make them in trouble, consequently enough to say that students on the first place didn’t learn such a thing or didn’t met the expectation of the teachers who implement this punishment to change their behaviors. They are just being physically, emotionally, and mentally abused.

There are other ways to maintain discipline without violating the rights of the students. A crucial technique having a good learning environment is to have effective communication and positive relationships between teachers and students to have an approachable manner of understanding. Today, the Department of Education is already institutionalizing bills or laws in schools nationwide to devise a child-friendly environment at all levels. Furthermore, it guarantees each student a rich environment that can enhances the physical, emotional and psychological growth. Aside from that, teachers can understand, monitor, and sustain their students without violating their rights.