Vygotsky Theory in Practice

Were you ever a victim of corporal punishment at school? Have you ever wondered what effect corporal punishment may have had on the person that you turned out to be today? The majority of us have experienced corporal punishment at school or at home, perhaps in the form of pinching, smacking, slapping, being made to kneel in the classroom or in the sun or generally being humiliated. According to Bitensky, (2006) corporal punishment of students is the intentional infliction of pain or discomfort and/or the use of physical force upon a student with the intention of causing the student to experience bodily pain so as to correct or punish the student’s behaviour. Robinson et al (2005) question the effectiveness of corporal punishment and underline the side effects of corporal punishment such as running away, fear of teacher, feelings of helplessness, humiliation, aggression and destruction at home and at school, abuse and criminal activities. Many of us have grown up witnessing the regular use of corporal punishment in our homes and schools. As a result, we have perceived corporal punishment as being normal and necessary since it was done by people who loved and cared about us. However, this is not the case as administering Corporal Punishment in schools is detrimental to students because it causes psychological, behavioural, developmental and physical problems, however, to help reduce on the negative effects, alternatives such as providing positive behaviour support through positive discipline and classroom management skills training may be implemented.
One of the most devastating effects of Corporal punishment is the lifelong psychological and emotional damage it has on its victims. The use of corporal punishment may result in its victims suffering from low self-esteem or self-confidence. For instance, when children are beaten, they often feel anger and shame at the same time, which leads to a feeling of humiliation. Furthermore, when we force children to tolerate...