I read this funny, yet interesting, article about the "controversey" over the use of red pens in grading in grade schools. Too bad the article is published in one of our campus papers that I can't share it with you. The article was cynically funny. Anyway, the so-called controversey is based on the arguement that red ink is demoralizing to the child. It makes him feel bad and hurts his confidence. While I don't think it should be called a controversey, it is still interesting to see how deep and sophisticated Americans are down to the finest detail. I mean, you read it and say "god ... it's like the world has no greater problems."
As I was reading it, I remembered back in school when we were disciplined by beating the crap out of our palms, or having us stand against the wall putting our hands up. Sometimes we were disciplined like such because we forgot to do the homework, so not only for trouble making. Talk about demoralizing a child and hurting his confidence when he's being hit or humiliated in front of 30 students. I guess no body gives a crap as long as there's a teacher trying to please his ego by showing a red eye, or an educational system that simply doesn't get it.
I'm absolutely, positively an opponent to such disciplinary methods. What good is it going to do to the kid other than demoralizing him?. I don't care how much of a trouble maker he is. I can't see any good out of hitting or humiliating him, let alone doing so in front of 30 other kids. Even if he's not demoralized, he'll get over it instantaneously and make trouble again and again.
As I was reading it, I remembered back in school when we were disciplined by beating the crap out of our palms, or having us stand against the wall putting our hands up. Sometimes we were disciplined like such because we forgot to do the homework, so not only for trouble making. Talk about demoralizing a child and hurting his confidence when he's being hit or humiliated in front of 30 students. I guess no body gives a crap as long as there's a teacher trying to please his ego by showing a red eye, or an educational system that simply doesn't get it.
I'm absolutely, positively an opponent to such disciplinary methods. What good is it going to do to the kid other than demoralizing him?. I don't care how much of a trouble maker he is. I can't see any good out of hitting or humiliating him, let alone doing so in front of 30 other kids. Even if he's not demoralized, he'll get over it instantaneously and make trouble again and again.
Remember the guy who shot his high school chemistry teacher? I don't mean to justify the shooting, but he was humiliated by his father, unfortunately, in front of the teacher. That resulted in him having a disturbed mind and a faulty judgement which led to pulling the trigger.
There are far more civilized and beneficial methods of school discipline. When I went to school in England, we were disciplined by having us do boring grammar or math. Trust me, as a child I'd rather get hit and get over it than go through boring grammar. So it works. It serves its purpase by having the kid think twice before making trouble with the bonus of actually learning math and grammer on the way.
There are far more civilized and beneficial methods of school discipline. When I went to school in England, we were disciplined by having us do boring grammar or math. Trust me, as a child I'd rather get hit and get over it than go through boring grammar. So it works. It serves its purpase by having the kid think twice before making trouble with the bonus of actually learning math and grammer on the way.
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6 comments:
But I loved the red pen on my papers and homework :)
I think I've read an article about the red-pen thing awhile ago. Anyways, I totally agree with you about the smacking kids' hands with a ruler (which counts as spanking which in turn counts as physical abuse and is against the law in more "civilized" places). Nothing a child may do or say warrants a beating, nothing.
Also, in my day I've had my fair share of detention and can safely say it's quite horrible. As a matter of fact, I'd even go as far as saying detention is almost as bad as solving math problems... but it isn't. Math is waaaaaay worse :P
Shurouq,
You know when I hated the red pen? It was when one of my stupid teachers marked on top of one of my drawings! And what killed me is that she was a substitute. She's a math teacher substituting for our rasim class. "e7tiya6"
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Ziena,
Smart move. Hehe walla nice way to get in power. Do you still get around like that :P
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D&G,
Exactly! It's physical abuse. You know what kills me even more, some parents justify it. They'd be like "if our son was wrong, then he deserves whatever you think he deserves." That's flat out wrong! Yes he deserves a punishment, but if someone touches my child, i'd eat them alive.
ko77 ko77
walla to tell u the truth .. i have always been too goody goody shoes .. never been hit except if the punishment is for the whole class.. anyway .. i agree that this kind of punishment is a bit harsh but to me the verbal abuse is by far more traumatic.. i mean i still can remember some of the name calling and other remarks that the teachers would say.. its horrible and we were not allowed to even report it to our principle cuz she was an evil evil women hehehe
my point is we need some good teachers .. educators who put the students well being physically and emotionally before anything else.. otherwise.. things will always be the same.. oh about the red pen thing .. come on !!
ummm
i also liked the red marker
i was very naughty too
smart but naughty
& loved all the diciplinary measures the teachers would try on me (the more they tried, the more popular i became) hehe
Sloth,
Yea totally forgot about the name calling, which is as bad. Omg your comment rolled a tape of names we were called back then.
- Gattak elbala ibshaklak.
- bs ya 7ayawan inta o huwwa.
- ekhra9 khali9.
- Ya nitin.
- Ya tu7fa.
I don't mean to sound racist or something, but does anybody besides me realize that most of the name calling came from non-Kuwaiti teachers?
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Sheba,
Welcome to here =) Smart and naughty could be a hazardous combination. And yea the popularity thing, that's all teachers' dilemma. They know if they let you go, you'll be popular. If they punish you, you'll be even more popular. Hehe wallah I'd pay anything just to go back to school for a week. Good days.
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