Perceptions of teachers about punishment at lower secondary level
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Date
2001
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Publisher
UMT, Lahore
Abstract
This study is about the teachers" perceptions of punishment and their effect on classroom culture intended to answer among other questions, the notion and rationale for using or not using punishment in the class. It was further proposed that how teachers can understand the effects of punishment and explore the possible alternatives to it. The study was conducted in a school of Lahore, where four teachers were involved as participants. fhe study revealed that, in the technical sense of what punishment would mean, it is not real to deny completely the use of punishment in schools as a strategy or technique to adjust pupil's, misbehavior. The terms misbehavior, discipline and punishment have been a common language in schools such that they can be explained together as if one influences the other. Some teachers looked into punishment as these actions involving physical situations. They were not able to assess psychological punishment, which sometimes could be more damaging than physical punishment. But also, their perceptions suggested that there are some vivid examples that teachers can organize classes without tension of punishment, and though punishment may work, it should not be suggested to be used. In addition, although most teachers from the sample admitted how they remained skeptical about the use of punishment in the classroom, yet they could not do without it. At the same point, some teachers suggested the word punishment to be replaced, although meaning same practices. Some teacheis also expressed their concein about the negative effects of punishment in schools. However, they accepted the continuance of some practices, and felt that particular modes of punishment might help in behavior management. The effects of punishments however covered social, academic and moral aspects where, when a student tends to avoid one kind of punishment, one of these aspects was affected. For this reason also, some of the suggested alternatives to punishments were more or less other forms of punishments. For the shaping of pupil's behavior, teacher's efforts are required. Where teachers need to organize classes, which are conducive enough for learning, and guidance and counseling sessions in schools, were suggested as alternatives, which can help avoid punishment