How do you think schools should punish children?

[MaryMaryVeryContrary]

A lot of ‘school refusal’ and problems in education is associated with poor behaviour from other pupils on here. Yet whenever a poster’s child is reprimanded they seem outraged and feel the teacher is picking on their DC for no reason. They often think the (perfectly reasonable sounding) punishment is too harsh, or their child should’ve had more warnings.

So I’m interested in how you think schools should actually discipline pupils, taking into account this also means your own DC?

What do you mean ‘why didn’t I stay if I had it all worked out’? Sorry not sure what you’re asking me?

If you’re asking why I left teaching, I was done. I was burnt out. I also couldn’t be part of it any longer in the sense that I couldn’t be part of forcing arbitrary, outdated information on children anymore. I could see the damage it was causing to my pupils and although it worked for a very small percentage of my class, it was heartbreaking to see so many children who were switched off to learning as it all became about passing tests (particularly after Gove’s meddling in 2014). True love of learning had been pushed out in favour of constant assessments and tests. I was also fed up with management bullies and the never ending impossible targets and objectives.

I now home educate my own DC.

Showing children that choices have consequences is important. EG if you hit classmates, then you can't be around them until you've calmed down & shown that you can be trusted not to do it again. If you stop everyone else from learning, then you need to go somewhere else so they can concentrate. "Somewhere else" may well be another classroom to do lines and they then need to catch up what they missed at home. Same as when theyre little and learn that if they refuse to wear a coat, theyre going to get cold.

Mine get to choose subjects at 13. English, maths and sport are compulsory, but otherwise they can choose ANY 5 others (Scotland). Given that they've got to learn somethingI think that's a reasonable opportunity to choose (some take all 4 woodwork/manufacturing type subjects, some take art/drama/music/music tech/graphic design) if that's their thing.
It's ridiculous that they almost all stay at school until 18. It's not useful.