As student, during the lunch hour, I chose to pitch marbles and was late for the
Afternoon Session. As a consequence, UISS finest was administered to me by the
principal. I had to keep quiet about it because if my mother found out, school
discipline would have been reinforced at home. As far as I know, no record was
kept of that punishment. Needless to say, I was not late again.
Years later, my Psychology professor at Andrews University, purported that one
living Phycologist is worth more than a number of dead ones. He suggested that
Corporal Punishment be administered only to persons under 10 years of age. The
person administering the punishment must first apply the punishment to himself
so that he knows its efficacy. I did not ascertain whether 10 years meant
chronological or developmental age. Perhaps this teaching needs to be updated.
The first rule of discipline is to keep students on task. They must be meaningfully
engaged in learning. This means that students are to be taught what they need to
learn. Students need to do what would best prepare them academically for higher
learning and for entry-level jobs. Besides studying, the compulsory subjects of
English A, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, students should learn a
minimum of two skills so that they could be self-employed. While the academic
program is rigid, the skills taught can be fluid and may vary according to the needs
of the community. Where skills and resources among the staff and community are
limited, available materials in libraries, and internet can be utilized in a self-taught
manner. Potential skills may include, computer repair, sewing machine repair,
office machine repair, piano tuning, joinery, reading teacher, small engine repair,
automotive repair, swimming, kitesurfing, tour guiding, farming, diving, life
guarding, landscaping, hairdressing, barbering, fishing, sky surfing, fashion
designing and garment construction.
Besides being on task, students are required to know and observe the two school
rules:
Be respectful
Be responsible
Infraction of these rules may necessitate the assignment of tasks designed to help
the deviant student to be more respectful and responsible. Students choose from
among the tasks to be done.
School rules are supreme and supersede all other rules once they have been
agreed upon by administration, staff, students, parents, and the PTA, and
published. Obedience is the first lesson of learning and the full cooperation of
students with teachers and all school authority is necessary for students to retain
their matriculation.
Sometimes parents found themselves in a situation where their child would not
listen and seem to want to persist in their deviant behaviors. In such cases, their
apparent last resort was to take the child to a Corporal where Corporal
Punishment was administered. That appeared to work and thereafter there
seemed to be a change of behavior.
Many years ago there was a notorious thief in the community. When money was
missing, he was the first suspect that came to mind and many subsequent
investigations confirmed the speculation. The community was so mad with this
behavior that they tied him to a coconut tree and administered Corporal
Punishment to him. The more things change, the more they remain the same. It is
said that another notorious thief is stalking our community stealing without limit.
Because Corporal Punishment either is out of fashion or outlawed, it is the
common view that the Corporal takes this thief and put him away forever.
Nevertheless, there is another way. That is the way of confession and repentance,
allowing God to make a change in his heart and mind. Kindly pray for a
turnaround in this thief.
While Corporal Punishment attempts control from the outside, discipline on the
other hand, seeks to help each individual to be self-controlled and is more
desirable.