«Punitive tasks have no positive effect»
Mrs Kammerer, for a long time it was assumed that children had to be taught discipline and obedience at school, including corporal punishment if necessary. Fortunately, that is a thing of the past. What role do rewards and punishments play in the school context today?
Punishment is still omnipresent, albeit in a different form than 100 or 50 years ago. Until the 1980s, corporal punishment was considered excusable and was specifically stated as such in the primary school ordinance. Corporal punishment is now expressly forbidden. This is important because these punishments are extremely damaging to a child's self-esteem. Unfortunately, however, it is still commonplace for pupils to be harshly attacked in front of the class. If children are regularly verbally humiliated or ridiculed, this is fatal for their development. The devaluations caused by these punishments also damage the teacher-pupil relationship.
It's no use at all for a child to have to write a hundred times: «I mustn't disrupt the lesson».
Where is the line between sensible criticism and hurtful rebuke?
If I, as an adult, clearly show that I value the child as a person , I do not violate their integrity when I point out a mistake. I can say: «Your solution is wrong.» But I am not allowed to say something like «If you paid more attention, you wouldn't be looking so stupid» or «How can you be so obtuse?».
Does a teacher perhaps achieve the calm she needs in the classroom through strictness and punishments?
We know from research that this is not the case. If a teacher reprimands a child or young person, for example by giving them punitive tasks or sending a troublemaker out the door, these punishments have no positive effect at all in the long term. There may be a short period of rest as long as the child is not in the classroom. But even this is not guaranteed; many children continue to rage outside the door. This often leads to a ping-pong effect that damages relationships because the teacher's behaviour triggers new aggression in the child.
What are teachers supposed to do when children don't follow the rules and deliberately disrupt lessons? That requires a disciplinary response.
The American child psychologist Ross Greene once said: «Kids do well, if they can.» If children have the appropriate skills, they do well. I find this assumption helpful for our own approach. It encourages us adults to first consider what skills a child may lack in order to behave appropriately.
What do you mean?
For example, there are children who grow up in a socially difficult home and do not experience their parents as reliable carers. They transfer their insecure attachment patterns to the school context and expect the teachers to behave just as destructively towards them as they are used to. If I respond to their provocations with harsh punishments, I confirm them and nothing changes. It would be much more helpful to think about how you can build an alliance with such a child and help them to acquire missing skills.
That sounds like a time-consuming task.
In the current situation, this requires teachers to make an extraordinary pedagogical effort, which is true. And it also requires adults to be able to manage their own feelings of stress well. Teachers and carers are also under pressure, lose patience and then react disproportionately. This can happen to all of us, but it shouldn't be the norm. Adults don't do themselves any favours either. Punishments have no positive effect on school co-operation. A classroom climate in which the control and punishment barometer is always at the limit ultimately costs more energy and time than trying to find a different pedagogical solution.
What can such an educational measure look like?
If we stay with the example of excessive restlessness in the classroom, as a teacher you can discuss this topic with the class and say: «This is too restless for me. How can we solve this differently?» You can consider changing the structure of the lesson and, for example, introducing short breaks for restlessness. You can discuss the seating arrangements with the children and change them. You can explain to a particularly restless child why they should be seated near the teacher's desk. It won't help this child at all if they have to write a hundred times: «I'm not allowed to disturb the lesson.» It will simply annoy them - and rightly so.
Parents should always pay attention to the type of feedback they give their children.
Can it help to reward the right behaviour?
Recognition is a basic psychosocial need for all people, especially children and young people. When a younger child gets a smiley face under their homework, they feel proud. When a teenager is praised, they feel valued. However, there are now a number of critical voices on rewards and praise. Both can change the motivation behind why a child does or learns something. It is then no longer about the thing itself, but only about external confirmation. If this does not materialise, interest in something also wanes. This can have an impact on creativity, discipline and social behaviour. One study has shown, for example, that children's willingness to help decreases after being rewarded materially. Parents should therefore always pay attention to the type of feedback they give their children.
What kind of feedback would be useful? How should a teacher show appreciation?
Children want to be noticed. For example, if a child comes to me with a drawing or an essay, I can talk about their drawing technique or writing style, discuss the idea behind it and ask questions. This kind of positive feedback brings more than a simple «Well done». When I really engage with a child and show my interest, I can show complete appreciation and recognition.
