I have an 8-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter. They both attend Maplewood Elementary school where I am having some problems with their discipline policy. My son would not obey the no-talking rule in the cafeteria when the lights went out. I'm sure he has done other acts to warrant punishment in the cafeteria also. His teacher sent me a note explaining that he had to stand in the "Square of Shame" in the cafeteria for his misconduct. He was also sent home with a detention. I gladly took him to his early morning detention; however, I was shocked that an elementary school would allow a punishment called the "Square of Shame". I could not imagine making any of my students feel ashamed of what he/she has done. I once observed a teacher tell a high school student not to leave her class for a college presentation. The student was told that her grades weren't good enough to even be accepted and the college was one of the most expensive around. I then watched this student fight back tears the rest of the class period. I want to educate students, not embarrass or criticize them. In college, I don't recall being taught the best ways to humiliate your students or make them feel like less of a person.
I know this has nothing to do with multi-modal literature, but it is still a worthy topic to think about for future teachers.
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Wow. Thatis shocking to hear about the "Square of Shame." That has got to be humiliating for the student and it seems like that type of public punishment would just open up the floor for peers to ridicule and make-fun of the student. It seems like a very negative way to discipline students.
ReplyDeleteSquare of Shame?! Wow, way to make a kid really love coming to school everyday. Teachers want their kids to pass tests and look good for the state, but they also beat them down and tell them they are worthless! I know that not all teachers are like this, and it makes me wonder, is there not ONE teacher at the school that realizes that the Square of Shame is doing more damage than preventing it? I'm glad you blogged about this, and while I have lost a little faith it only makes me realize more the kind of teacher that I know I am going to be (an encouraging one).
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