The phrase, “Do that one more time, and I’m sending you to the principal,” should elicit from students shudders, not visions of Pop-Tarts and peppermints.
I appreciate the plain scientific explanation for the reason we teachers want consequences. And I can also echo as a teacher myself that the phrase, "do that one more time and you're going to the principals office," doesn't really elicit any fear anymore. I suppose I wish we had a more effective punishment than a school suspension for the representing the highest form of consequence. On the occasion when a student does get suspended from my class, it certainly makes me feel better, but when they return to the classroom they're behavior often hasn't changed and I then I have to deal with a student even less motivated to perform in my class.
I appreciate the plain scientific explanation for the reason we teachers want consequences. And I can also echo as a teacher myself that the phrase, "do that one more time and you're going to the principals office," doesn't really elicit any fear anymore. I suppose I wish we had a more effective punishment than a school suspension for the representing the highest form of consequence. On the occasion when a student does get suspended from my class, it certainly makes me feel better, but when they return to the classroom they're behavior often hasn't changed and I then I have to deal with a student even less motivated to perform in my class.