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June 27th, 2007 issue

Spare the rod

 Corporal punishment may be one of the worst ways to manage a child’s behavior. (“Poll: Kids need stricter discipline,” News, June 20–26) It is an awful form of negative reinforcement.
Czech pedagogical schools are supposed to be renowned for their teacher instruction. From the article, it seems that proper behavior management skills are not taught to teachers. I can’t believe this.
I am a former teacher at both the secondary and elementary levels. My elementary classroom had the potential to be a very unruly class where some might think “corporal punishment” would be a good idea. Instead, I put together a very specific and clear behavior plan for my class where every student knew exactly what was expected of them at all times.
I was by no means the best teacher around. And there are many teachers who know how to manage a class’s behavior.
Any discussion of corporal punishment is a sign of Draconian measures that are only being discussed because nobody has a clue  how to actually manage an unruly class with solid positive reinforcement and other “research-based” teaching practices.
Well-designed lessons, coupled with clear and specific behavior goals, are recipes for success in any classroom.
Daniel Pereyo
Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
Delivering babies
I believe young Václav Krpec and Ms. Štromerová are both missing the point. (“The battle over birthing,” June 20–26)
Some hospitals are not nice places to give birth, agreed, but I don’t think anyone would want to take a gamble with the health of a child or mother if there are complications.
“Eighty percent to 85 percent of pregnant women could safely give birth outside of a hospital setting” is setting the wrong example, Ms. Štromerová, especially the wrong example to her industry.
She needs to apologize for making statements like this without giving due care and attention.
Let’s face it; this whole thing is about money. If midwives go private or set up a company, they can earn more money, which is not right. It’s not about bad conditions or the fact that hospitals are not nice places. Trainee midwives signed up to be midwives and they know the working conditions, just like doctors do.
I know I would not be happy to have my wife in some “semi-professional,” “try to be hospital.” Hospitals are used to deliver children because they provide effective turnaround in case of an incident and ensure that midwives don’t make mistakes and don’t become complacent or lose their professional etiquette. The United Kingdom has this very problem; midwives are sloppy and think giving birth the lovely, smiley natural way has a higher priority than birth safety.
I strongly believe the Czech healthcare system is completely correct in the way it manages births, and I would like to see it continue. It’s a good system.
Steven Winstone
Prague


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