In the private high school which I attended, one could be sent to the headmaster to be paddled. The threat of physical pain worked for me.
I also had an algebra teacher who often taught with chalk in one hand and a wooden paddle in the other. That paddle was quite a bit more effective than one of those laser pointer things. The level of order in her class was like being in the military.
I was in school during the corporal punishment years. It was my impression that only boys got swats and they were given in class rather arbitrarily. There was no 'criteria' of what a 'swatting offence' was and each teacher kind of made it up as they went along.
I started my teaching career in 1980 just as the corporal punishment years were ending (at least in my state and area) I can't say that that I've missed it. I've been plenty angry with kids but never have I had the chance to take out that anger on kids through corporal punishment. I know I wouldn't but I know many who would if they could.
The problem has to be nipped in the bud; I agree with a few that the problem is parents, although there are "genetic anomalies" in kids who do have good parents and are still bad kids.
When I am elected world dictator, there will be forced sterlization of anyone who already has a kid they can't support or can't control. BOTH parents.
I subbed in the Atlanta Community Symphony Sunday for their "Winner's Concert". I played with four kids who won the annual scholarship contest. They were wonderful. Chaminaide Concertino for Flute, Mozart Violin Concerto, Saint-Saens Violin Concerto, Massenet Aria Mason something about the table. Excellent repretiore! Excellent performances! Excellent kids! Three were out of the Fulton County instrumental music program which starts kids in the 4th grade. Great vibes about the whole experience, until I read on the front page of the paper this morning that the entire program is being cut. No more elementary instrumental music in Fulton County. 59 instrumental music teachers on the street to save 4 million a year, a mere blip on the radar of their massive budget. The county hopes to convert the program into a fee based after school program. Good luck with that. Allthough I have no knowledge of their financial situation, all three of the intrumentalists were minorities. A fee based program might work in the affluent suburbs but I can't see it happening in the inner city. A lot of people are going to be musically blessed by these three talents during their respective musical lives. They might well be shutting this opportunity off at the tap. That's ok I guess, as music is just the desert course of life after all. I hate salad!
I am fortunate to have a great job that feeds my family well, but music feeds my soul.
