Discussion Board

In our discussion board, one student wrote that she will force her students to write papers as a punishment in her English class. The following is the question I posed to her...

It sounds like you have a good idea of what you want to do in your classroom. I do have one question for you though. Aren't you afraid that forcing the students to write a paper for punishment will alter their feelings towards "writing" in the future? My younger brother for instance, was always in trouble for talking in class. His teacher made him write 200 sentences a night if he was in trouble. Did that stop him from talking? Nope. He would have a jolly time at school yapping away and then spend the evening hiding his sentences from mom so he wouldn't get in trouble there.

Today? Well today he HATES to write anything. He is in
pre-Med and has to do a lot of research. He still can not stand to write a paper. In college it is acceptable to type of course, but as far as taking notes or writing a rough draft- forget it!

I on the other hand, never had to write sentences. I also never had to write a paper as punishment. For each of my classes, even online classes, I write notes by hand. (Granted, I learn
better that way.) I love to write and once I get my teaching
degree, I hope to become a children's book author.

Now, maybe we are just completely different, but I can't help but to think back to him having to write all of those sentences in school. Could that be the reason he hates to write today?

She still has not replied to me, but I want to keep this as a reflection for myself - so that I know where I once stood on writing papers. Maybe she has information to tell me that could change my outlook?