Page 27 - KPSA EXCELLENCE MARCH -MAY ONLINE

punishments to their students.
A great teacher is warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring.
This person is approachable, not only to students, but to
everyone in the school. This is the teacher to whom students
know they can go with any problems or concerns or even to
share a funny story. Great teachers possess good listening
skills and take time out of their way-too-busy schedules for
any student who needs them. If this teacher is having a bad
day, no one ever knows—the teacher leaves personal baggage
outside the school doors. Teachers, form strong relationships
with their students and show them you care about them as
people and you will never have ‘Corporal punishment’ as an
option.

The writer is a teacher at Good Testimony Junior School,
Nairobi.

responsibilities. He advised parents and teachers to
take their responsibilities to accompany their children
in decision making and in taking responsibilities to
realize their rights.
He concluded by saying that Torture is human rights
abuse and must not be employed for the child. We
should collectively make sure children obey not
because they fear torture but because it is beneficial to
themselves and their neighbour. Discipline shouldn’t
be about controlling kids. Instead, it should be about
teaching them to control themselves. As a result, it
is best to use strategies that will help your children
learn from their mistakes while also cultivating better
decision-making skills. These skills will help them
make better choices in the future.
Damages the Relationship
The a few students I interviewed whether the corporal
punishment should be reintroduced in schools were
bitter about it objected the idea on the mention. Some
went to an extent of narrating how they suffered in the
hands of their teachers and their house helps back at
home.
From what they said, it is evident that Corporal
punishment damages the relationship between
kids and their parents, teachers or caregivers. Trust,
stability, safety, and security are the keys to helping
children develop the skills they need to manage
their behavior. Corporal punishment erodes that
relationship and makes behavior management more
difficult. A great teacher will handle these students
with ease and may not necessarily employ corporal

March - May 2021 KPSA Excellence 27