Korean Job Discussion Forums

mithridates · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:06 pm Post subject:

I happened to go to the only drug-free high school in Calgary (possibly Canada) which coincidentally had almost no punishment. We called the teachers by their first names, had a meeting in Friday instead of classes, and could work as slow or as fast as we wanted. It was a public school so we still took the same provincial tests as everybody else but the courses could be done in three months if you were quick or over twelve months if you needed it.
Everybody had an interview to get into that school done by one teacher and three students, and we all signed a drug contract to not be under the influence of any drugs or alcohol while at school.
If punishment needed to be done we had a system to do it to ourselves; if our homework was lagging behind us or another student would recommend we be put on a 'step' system where the homework is monitored and if it continually isn't done you go to step 2, then 3, then get kicked out. So there was a system of punishment but the teachers didn't take care of it.

The school was based on Summerhill in England started by A.S. Neill.

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:09 pm Post subject:

mithridates · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:11 pm Post subject:

How was the discipline in your household when you grew up, Daechidong super waygookin teacher?
Just curious because I know you're under 30.

Swiss James · Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: Shanghai

Daechidong Waygookin · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:13 pm Post subject:

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

crazylemongirl · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Location: almost there...

If lack of physical punishment causes violent socities, then western europeans would be afraid to venture out of their houses. Most of these countries outlawed beating their kids 20 years ago and they seem to be going about life as usual sans beating their children.

There are otherways to enforce discpline with kids than hitting them. In more cases than not the kid is not being hit because they aren't control but rather that their parents aren't.

We don't allow people to hit their wives nor husbands in order to discpline them. Nor can we hit grandma once her mental age regresses to that of a child. For christ sakes in New Zealand dogs are slightly higher up the food chain from protection from physical punishment than children where you can beat them with belts, metal poles, and jug cords then use the justification of 'reasonable force' to get off if police happen to lay charges (which doesn't happen with much frequency).

I don't think that any place can claim to be civilized when it gives older people legal rights to inflict harm on the most vunlerable people in society.

kermo · Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 11:15 pm Post subject:

Grotto · Joined: 21 Mar 2004

Okay it may be that the fault lies with the parents. But why the hell should I have to put up with your snot nosed kids bullcrap because you didnt do your job?

You didnt teach him respect for others so he lips off to his teachers. So I have to put up with his crap because you are a lousy parent?

Talk to someone who has taught in England and the rudeness of the students there. Favorite quote"you cant fxxxing touch me you fxxxing fxxxer"

Yep cant discipline the little SOB and they know it. There is no reason for anyone(especially teachers) to put up with snot nosed foul mouthed little shytes because 'their parents failed'. Oh you cant kick them out because they have a 'right' to an education. You just have to put up with their rudeness day after day? No thanks! Bring back the rod, it might not be the best thing to do but it sure as hell will teach them that their are consequences to their actions!

Manner of Speaking · Joined: 09 Jan 2003

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

A pertinent example of physical punishment not working.

Car thieves in the west and north of my hometown are first beaten by the IRA with baseball bats if they are caught stealing cars. This will repeat 2 or 3 times.

If they continue thieving they will be beaten with iron bars and maybe even nailed through the hands to a fence (rare, but it has happened).

Then, if they will continue they will be threatened with knee-capping (ie. a bullet through the back of each knee which shatters the kneecap and leaves the victim on crutches for 6 months and likely to limp forever).

If the youth continues thieving after the knee-capping he will be kneecapped again. Often the IRA have shot 17-18 year-olds through the barely healed wound of their last knee-capping.

My point is you can carry out the most awful punishments on a kid and it might not work. So all that's left is a problem child and a parent who has committed abuse on their kid for nothing.

There are more imaginative ways to punish young children. Food/toy/money rewards and deprivations can work very well and also teach a child that good behavior has rewards.

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

canadian_in_korea · Joined: 20 Jun 2004 Location: South Korea

There is no reason why you can't discipline your children without using physical discipline. So you hit them....after a few minutes/days/weeks whatever the case may be.....they will most likely do the same thing....I think this Korean teenager proved that. If you hurt them where it counts....they learn a lesson very quickly. My daughter is almost 15 now....I've never once hit her....and when I tell her something...she listens...why? Do I have "super mother powers"..? Of course not....I threaten her...."if you keep it up...no school dance"...now that hurts....not be able to socialize???.. Shocked

....if for some bizarre reason that fails to deter whatever she is doing at that moment.....then it changes..." you are really not wanting to go to school dances for the rest of the year...are you?....that usually does the trick. The thing with being a parent....you know your children...what works for one....won't work for the other. This case of the Korean father.....as far as I know when you travel to another country whether you live there or visit.....you have to abide by their laws. There is a big flashy sign at the passport office in Halifax...."Some countries have very strict laws against drug use, Canada can not help you if you are convicted"....so what is the deal...? He should be able to break Canadian laws but if someone here gets caught doing something that isn't that serious by Canadian laws....they are convicted according to Korean laws. There do have to be lines drawn when it comes to allowing "traditions" to be carried out in other countries....if it conflicts with the laws of that country, then tradition or not it isn't acceptable....the next thing you will have will be people claiming female circumcision is "tradition" therefore they should be able to do it in any country they want to..... Rolling Eyes

anae · Joined: 13 May 2003 Location: cowtown

Obviously beating this kid really had no effect on his behavior. The father hadn't even been back in Korea a week after the last beating before he went back to his truant, disrespectful ways. As soon as the punisher's back is turned, back to the behavior. There is no internalization. This father didn't want to have to actually discpline (to teach) his child- that would take too much effort. He might actually have to live in the same country and be on his son's case every day. Heaven forbid he take away his son's material things and make him get a job to pay back some of the money he has wasted, or accompany his son to school everyday to make sure he goes and stays there.

The "Korean community" in Canada annoys me most of the time. They are always defending the bad behavior of Koreans. When Koreans were caught trying to sneak across the border in southern Alberta, the "Korean community" complained because they were handcuffed like common criminals. Rolling Eyes

Sofa_King · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Location: South Korea

I think that this article is exposing a very huge problem in Korean society....the poor treatment of children. Let's face it, these kids really are not allowed to be kids. They go to school from 8 am until 3 pm, then go to academies until late hours of the evening. Then when they get home at 10 pm, they have to do massive amounts of school work and academy work. Sometimes they are unable to finish their homework, and when this happens, they get beat so bad, they walk with a limp the next day. Once joining middle school, the girls are assimilated and their hair is cut off. I've seen an 8 year old girl unable to stay awake in class because her mother felt it was necessary to make her run on a treadmill until 1 am because she is slightly over-weight.

These kids are JUST KIDS. Have you ever skipped a class in high school or university? Did you get beat for it?