Chennai

A group of students from Kaligi Ranganathan Montford Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Perambur have come up with an innovative way to do away with corporal punishment in schools. The students employ a set of tools that include an Affirmative Discipline (AD) wheel, smileys and cards to bring about positive changes in the student, and dispensing off corporal punishment for good. 

Interestingly, the school is one of the institutions from the state that was adjudged to have one of the best projects in a recent competition conducted by an NGO called Design for Change. Explaining how the AD wheel functions, B Keertana, a Class 11 student and a team member, says, “The AD wheel (designed on the lines of a game show prop) has eight learning outcomes, including solving mathematical problems on a blackboard, helping friends do their homework, reciting multiplication tables in class and even taking on additional responsibilities.” 

“If a student does anything wrong, he or she is asked to spin the wheel and act on the task that emerges,” says S Aarthi, another team member. M Arvindraj, another team member added that the team had created smileys for elementary school kids, which the teacher would show to the child when he/she does something wrong. Pointing out that the AD wheel was not meant to punish students, Anitha Daniel, the school headmistress said it would help students realise their mistakes, through positive reinforcement. 

“If a student has not completed his homework for a week we will ask him to spin the wheel and do the activity which the wheel reveals. This is to help inculcate discipline. 

Teachers can certainly be a good friend to students and help them understand what is needed of them,” she explains. Anitha adds that by doing so, teachers can ensure a conducive atmosphere for students to learn.

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