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My first year of teaching I taught seventh graders. Things wentreasonably well, except for David who drove me to distraction. He did itby echoing me. I tried a variety of tactics to get him to stop, but to noavail. In fact, when I said, "David, please stop repeating me" hetypically would respond with "repeating me" and an enigmatic grin. Iinterpreted this as mockery.David’s behavior persitsted and soon became a very disruptiveinfluence on the class. Finally, having exhausted everything I knewabout classroom management, I felt I had no choice. I would have touse the final solution that the principal had prescribed. The school, district which was in the heart of the Bible Belt, stillsubscribed to the "Spare the rod and spoil the child" principle. In fact,on the first day of school I found a paddle sitting in the chalk tray of myclassroom. It was red with "El Diablo” inscribed on it. When I asked theprincipal about the paddle he told me that kids made them in theschool woodshop as projects; and that I should feel free to use it if necessary.He did the same. A giant of a man with a misleading hayseed manner,he wielded a mean paddle himself. School legend had it that no oneever returned for a second “treatment” from him. There was no doubt why. When he administered punishment the crackof his two-handed paddle resounded throughout the halls. The biggestand toughest behavior problems typically left his office in tears. By theway, it was a very orderly school.Anyway, after weeks of trying everything I could think of Iunenthusiastically said to David, "If you don't quit repeating me I'mgoing to have to paddle you." "Paddle you" David said quietly. Theother kids laughed. With that I ordered him out into the hall forpunishment.As required, I asked a neighboring teacher to witness the event,. Thatis when David realized I was serious and dissolved into hysteria. "Ohmy God, he screeched, "don't hit me!" I tried to quiet him by saying,"Come on David take your punishment like a man." But David squalled,"I'm not a man, I'm a little boy!" By the way, he was uncommonly smallfor his age. The commotion attracted a crowd — chiefly the kitchen staff from thenearby cafeteria but the janitor and some passing students assembledas well. As my colleague struggled to put David over his knee, theyoungster continued screeching for the Almighty to intervene. “Please
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