corporal punishment
Over the past two years, most of the teachers I have worked with have kept the corporal punishment to a minimum, at least while I'm around. While there are still things that happen pretty regularly, (like kids duck-walking down the hall or kneeling with the hands over their heads) at least I am usually sheltered from seeing teachers actually hit children.
It has been explained to me a "cultural difference" situation, and in the scale of punishment, I thought the teacher who took away the socks from girls who were talking to much (in the unheated classroom, in winter, leaving them in sandals for the day) was more cruel than the times I've seen a teacher hit a kid in any of the schools I've been in.
This year, my classroom is right next-door to a room where a teacher deals out corporal punishment almost constantly. I don't think I have ever walked past his room where there isn't at least one student standing, and almost always there are at least three kids kneeling at the back of his classroom. Today, I walked past the room while he was hitting the hands of one of the girls who has never been anything other than wonderful in my class. And it wasn't the token "tap" that I have seen before - it was hitting her with a stick hard enough that I could hear it while I passed.
I am still so angry about this. I told my co-teacher how bad horrible I thought he was, and she did the token "cultural differences" routine. I pointed out that I understand that, but he does something EVERY DAY, and she admitted that it is common knowledge in the school that he punishes kids too harshly, but no one has made him stop.
I don't even know what to do. I may take a picture of his class the next time I see an army of kids kneeling, and when he asks why, tell him that no one in the States can believe that teachers would really treat students that way without being arrested.
4 comments:
We have a teacher like that at my school too... all the Grade 2 kids flinch when he raises his hand.
And this is in a school where we hug more than anything else.
I would totally take a picture, and when he asks why, give him the same answer you have been given, "Korean culture."
...then smile.
It's actually illegal here now too.
My friend in Guyre confronted the teacher about it one time and the teacher started screaming at him to mind his own business... It's the Korean Culture... blah blah...
He finally couldn't take it anymore and resigned over it. They were all very shocked and when Lana and Bryce arrived, this teacher had mysteriously dissapeared.
I figure the reason the teacher blew up was that he knew it was illegal and he was in the wrong... and when Mr Yun in Gwnagju found out one of the native teachers had resigned over it, they decided to do something about it.
But who knows... maybe he just moved to your school to terrorize the kids there?
As I've written before, I'm not against some forms of it, and I'm fairly tolerant of the "Korean culture" answer. A rap on the palm or calf, or a stint in the hall on your knees seems just as effective as whatever they do back home. I can't say I'd offer any Western society as models.
In most cases I don't recommend getting involved. Provided the teacher isn't legitimately trying to injure a student, or being aggressive, or bullying, it's not really your place, and you won't win any friends or influence anybody. However, there are some outbursts that are quite disgusting, including the video I posted on waygook.org showing the teacher beating the student with a kendo stick. The teacher was given a warning from the principal. I was debating mentioning this in a teachers' workshop, but ultimately decided on another topic. Anyway, watch the video if you already haven't.
http://blog.naver.com/bjb8828?Redirect=Log&logNo=60043753750
Goulash said...
I thought that it was, but it happens with such frequency I wasn't sure.
I don't think it was the same teacher - honestly, while it is common, it isn't at a "resignation" level of violence (I've heard of much, much worse happening in other schools).
Brian said...
There is a wide range of what can be considered "corporal" punishment in schools. While I still disagree with it, I've seen times when it wasn't done with malice. However, if it was effective, I wouldn't see the same kids being punished so often. There are far more effective methods of behavior intervention.
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