Myth #2: Punishments Are Necessary
Imposed Punishments Are Necessary To Change Young People’s Behavior
Imposed Punishments Are Counterproductive
Imposed punishments satisfy the punisher but have little lasting effect on the punished. If punishments worked, why are they so often repeated? Once the punishment is over, the person has “served the time” and has relinquished responsibility. Punishments engender enmity, not responsibility. When was the last time you felt bad and did good? Imposed punishments prompt negative feelings and negate good relationships.
Punishments Deprive Young People Of The Opportunity
To Take Responsibility For Their Own Actions
Imposed punishment moves ownership of the problem from the student to the adult.
Imposed punishments are too often used for those who don’t need it. Many youngsters will respond positively without punitive action.
Imposed punishments are adult-dependent, rather than youth-dependent. The threat of punishment may coerce a person to act appropriately in one situation but have no effect on the way the person interacts with others in a different situation.
By the time some young people have reached the secondary level, some have been lectured to, yelled at, sent out of the classroom, kept after school, referred to the office, suspended in school, suspended from school, referred to Saturday school—and these students simply no longer care.
Behavior may temporarily change at the threat of punishment—but not the way the student WANTS to behave.
Punishment is temporary and transitory. Once the punishment is over, the student has “served his time” and is “free and clear” from further responsibility.
Punishment is based on avoidance—a negative response. It stirs feelings of fear, anger, resistance, and/or defiance.
Punishment in a classroom arouses resentment and invariably diminishes student motivation to learn what the teacher desires.
Punishment, by its very nature, is counterproductive to good teaching because it fails to foster cooperation and positive feelings.
The use of punishment in the classroom automatically creates an adversarial relationship between the teacher and the student.
This adversarial relationship oftentimes results in the student’s testing the teacher to see how much the student can get away with.
Some young people test the limits of acceptability. Sometimes the use of authority is necessary. However, authority can be used without being punitive.
If you believe an 8 year-old is an 18 year-old, then you will use the same approach with the former as with the latter. However, if you believe that an 8 year-old is not yet an 18 year-old then you will help the youngster help himself. The coercive approach of imposing punishments is the least effective approach to promote long-lasting behavioral change.
The most effective approach is to teach procedures, such as impulse management.