Editor,
I am a teacher, and I often use a system of rewards and punishment in my classroom. However, I do not believe in physical or mental punishment. Instead, I use what I call constructive or emotional consequences that encourage students to improve themselves.
As a teacher, I regularly organize co-curricular activities. This year, I organized a Story and Poetry Writing Competition in which students had to write their own original stories and poems on the spot.
Before the competition, I conducted a three-day workshop after the examinations to help students develop their creative writing skills. On the final day of the workshop, I told them that everyone would receive a small universal gift for participating. However, I also announced that special prizes would be awarded only to the students who secured the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th positions.
After evaluating their work, I distributed the prizes to the winners as a reward for their creativity and effort.
Some people may ask, “Where is the punishment?” My answer is that there is no physical or verbal punishment. Instead, students naturally observe that their classmates received awards because they performed better. This creates a healthy sense of competition and encourages them to improve their own skills. In my view, this is a constructive and progressive consequence, not a harmful punishment. It does not hurt their body or mind; rather, it inspires them to work harder and perform better in the future.
After the competition, I gave all the students a summer vacation assignment to write five original stories and five original poems. I also promised them that we would compile their handwritten works into a book to be kept in our school library. Furthermore, I assured them that I would help submit their best writings to local newspapers and magazines for publication.
I believe that meaningful rewards, combined with constructive consequences and continuous encouragement, can motivate students to become creative, confident, and lifelong learners.
Banjit Sarmah
Assistant Teacher
