Name: Nguyen Hoang Anh Phuong

Teachers should be allowed to use corporal punishment as a means of

discipline. Do you agree or disagree?
Discipline has been considered to be of utmost importance in schools, which
includes corporal punishment. Some people regard this as an appropriate
instrument to maintain order in class, while others subscribe to the notion that this
kind of punishment will exert adverse effects on students. From my viewpoint,
teachers should inflict corporal punishment on grounds of an effective learning
environment and the generation of respect for authority.
Admittedly, physical punishment contributes to achieving greater efficiency in
teaching and studying in class. The substantial majority of students are often
desirous to learn and acquire knowledge. However, such enthusiasm can be
interrupted by disruptive behaviours of unruly individuals, thereby preventing the
whole class from making academic progress. In this case, there is a need for
corporal punishment to be enforced by teachers in order to preserve order and
maintain class productivity. If uncooperative students are not disciplined by dint of
such punitive measure, they stand a high chance of repeating their disorderly
conduct, which lowers the effectiveness of teaching and learning activities.
A further reason for imposing physical punishment in class is that this practice will
foster students awareness of the power of government. It is a major priority of any
administration to educate young people to become responsible and law-abiding
citizens. Corporal punishment at an early stage in schools, irrefutably, plays an
essential role in engendering a healthy fear for authority and regulations. As a

result, children will grow up bearing in mind that they will receive severe
punishment for any wrongdoing they commit. This can prepare them for future as
adult members of the society and also lead to decreased crime rates.
Some people claim that the application of force in class may give rise to child
abuse and deterioration in teacher-student relationship. This argument may have
several merits on the surface; nonetheless, corporal punishment is far different
from physical abuse or violent bullying. Teachers are committed and throroughly
trained professionals, who can employ physical discipline in a structured and
organized way. Moreover, students have developed enough intellectual ability to
distinguish between justified punishment and outright abuse. Thus, it is unlikely
that students will be discouraged from relying on their teachers for advice and
guidance.
Taking everything into consideration, corporal punishment is a fundamental
disciplinary tool to faciliate learning process in class and help students adopt
proper attitudes towards governing powers. It is strongly recommended that
schools should exercise this form of discipline in order to maintain order and deter
similar misbehaviours in the future.