To have a quality education a student must have the discipline to study at an early age.

Various strategies for the prevention and intervention of conflictual circumstances in the
classroom by the teaching staff were promoted over time. Some of the tactics used are
intervention strategies in terms of behaviour, such as reward and punishment (langa n.pag).
There are many ways to discipline the child in his learning one of which here is corporal
punishment. Nowadays this king of punishment was banned here in the Philippines. Corporal
punishment or sometimes called Physical punishment is done to cause pain in response to the
child’s behaviors. Even though there are some schools who already banned corporal punishment
yet there are still nineteen states legally permit corporal punishment because they still believe
that corporal sets clear boundaries and motivates children to have a discipline in school. It is
clearer for the Children to make decisions about their behavior, exercise self-control, and be
accountable for their actions when they understand the penalty they face on the other hand many
teachers believe that giving reward to their students is the best way to develop the discipline to
the students.

Intrinsic motivation is critical for the growth of lifelong learners, but it can be difficult to spot in
many classrooms. In order to manage behavior and learning, many teachers in both general and
special education have come to depend on rewards and incentive programs (Baranek 10).

This research wants to show what are the effects of both system in education and if this
systems can help the child on his self-development and how these systems help the students in
studying and somehow how these systems affect their behavior and personality in education.
“French and Raven (Apud Olsen & Nielsen) indicated that the teacher’s use of punishments and
rewards represents the position power, a source of power which the teacher can adopt in the
relations with its pupils, along with personal power” (qtd. Langa n.pag)

This resarch also wants to show whether the reward-punishment system is applicable to
Maria Montessori’s Montessori Education and Friedrich Froebel’s kindergarten.
Reward as teaching method.

In education there are a lot of struggles that a student can experience and because of that most of
the students sometimes lost their interests or hopes in studying. It can be difficult to get the
students to understand and participate. Some teachers are so preoccupied with classroom
management that they don't even get around to teaching (Renard n.pag.). To help their students
to have interests in their study and to motivate their behavior, teachers use the reward system in
order to help their students. Student motivation can also be influenced by the course's design and
delivery. According to Sass (1989), the most important factor for student motivation is the
teacher's enthusiasm, which is followed by the importance of the content, the degree of
organization and structure of the class, acceptable difficulty level, active participation, variety,
teacher-student rapport, and use of appropriate examples (McClurg and Morris p. 91). According
to Baranek “The timing of reward also affects motivation.” Classroom teachers give incentives to
students in order to promote academic success and appropriate behavior. Entire schools are now
involved in incentive programs. Alfie Kohn claims that the majority of studies reveal that
teachers use rewards as a way of controlling student behaviors (qtd. Hoffman, Huff etal n.pag).

“Rewards have been shown to interfere with the quality of learning taking place (--12). Reward
system in education helps the students to be motivated in their education. There are many
teachers are giving prize to their students in order to motivate them in their study and this a way
of Reward System. This is a mechanism in which students are rewarded or bribed for engaging
in such desirable behaviors while undesirable behaviors are ignored (Citino n.pag). There are
several ways in giving reward to the students, giving candy, junk foods, extra recess time and
most famous way is no homework or extra activities taken in home or either completing
homework on time.

In both general and special institution, Many teachers have come to rely on rewards and
incentive programs in order to manage behavior and learning (Baranek p. 10). Rewards
motivates students to have a positive atmosphere in the classroom. The use of incentives in the
classroom has been aided by the field of behaviorism (Baranek p. 11). According to Black and
Allen, “Common sense suggests that rewarding good performance enhances learning” (n.pag).
When giving out stickers, rewards, and affirmation, past and present teachers use operant
conditioning concepts. The important concept of operant conditioning is accompanied by
warnings (Baranek p.11). Those only students who has the interests in studying or the students
who always got the correct answer, most of the time they are the students who receives the
rewards. The subjects, nursery school children, were given pieces of candy for correct answers in
learning exercises involving building blocks, while the control group received nothing(--12).

Corporal Punishment

Gershoff defines corporal punishment as physical punishment which uses physical force
intending to cause bodily pain for the purpose of correcting or punishing a child for their
behavior (qtd. . Corporal punishment may include physical pain created by a variety of methods
including paddles, excessive exercise drills, or requiring students to assume painful body
positions (Northington, 2007). According to the UN Committee on the Rights of the child,
corporal punishment is “any punishment that involves the use of physical force and is intended to
cause some level of pain or discomfort, no matter how minor”.

There are three types of corporal punishments (Langa n.pag). First, A judicial sanction is a
sanction imposed by a court of law, Second, Corporal punishment by parents or in the home.
Except for Delaware, all states in the United States allow parental corporal punishment
(Clabough, 2012). The use of parental corporal punishment is prohibited in 34 countries around
the world (Global Initiative, 2012) and lastly When teachers or administrators use corporal
punishment on pupils, it is known as school corporal punishment and which is the focus of this
study.

Due to different views about the parent-child relationship and acceptable types of discipline
across countries and cultures, defining definitions to differentiate corporal punishment from
other forms of violence can be challenging (Freer n.pag). But this kind of punishment doesn’t
just happen at home. Many young people also experience this type of punishment in their school
which is said to be a form of disciplining students. So this type of punishment in the Philippines
is banned because it does not help children and it adds trauma to them to be a reason not to go to
school. The Department of Education imposed child protection policy and one the section
includes corporal punishment.
The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed copy of the Policy and Guidelines on
Protecting Children in School from Abuse, Violence, Exploitation, Discrimination, Bullying and
other forms of abuse” (DepEd order No.40)

Corporal punishment is part of discrimination against students. The child protection policy
presents to us several types of corporal punishment and this includes pulling hair, shaking,
twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging, pushing or throwing of a child, striking of a
child’s face or head, deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper,
alcohol, or forcing the child to swallow substances and other analogous act (DepEd order
No.40). And this Policy against corporal is not only applicable in school.

According to the study of End corporal punishment, in approving the recommendation made
during the Philippines' Universal Periodic Review in 2012, the Philippines expressed its
commitment to banning corporal punishment in the home and other environments. They banned
the corporal punishment in the Philippines because children's rights to human dignity and
physical integrity, as well as their rights to health, progress, education, and freedom from torture
and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, are all violated when they are
subjected to corporal punishment. Unlike other types of interpersonal abuse, its legality in the
majority of states violates their right to equal protection under the law.

Psychological effect of Corporal punishment in the students.

A regular punishment, according to Graziano (1992), has more to do with a teacher's anger level
than with the child's misbehavior. Many forms of child violence are the product of "low-level"
hitting or spanking that escalates. The majority of child protection agencies have policies
prohibiting the use of physical punishment on children (Shabaz and Shaban n.pag).

According to Straus, the long-term use of corporal punishment continues to increase the risk of
deviant and antisocial actions, such as aggression; juvenile delinquency and violent acts inside
and outside the school. One theory is that after dealing with violence that is considered
‘legitimate’, people extend this to tolerate violence that is not considered legitimate.
According to Myers, Mcneil and Rubins, punishment instills fear in students, especially during
teaching and learning. Children learn primarily to please their teachers, rather than to gain skills
and knowledge that will benefit their own growth. Fear-based physical discipline distorts a
student's ability to learn. Students who have been physically and emotionally abused experience
anxiety, which leads to a lack of focus and poor academic performance (qtd. Laurent n.pag).

According to Coon, the teacher who enforces corporal punishment enables the student to loose
interests to the subject and come to have negative feelings against the teacher as well as the
classes that the teacher handles; hence the student ends up getting low grades (qtd. Laurent). The
student can avoid the teacher who uses corporal punishment, potentially disrupting the child's
educational growth. In certain situations, the student will decide to stop going to school
altogether in order to avoid the teacher. According to studies, corporal punishment is a major
factor in children dropping out of school (ibid).

This research shows that corporal punishment has a detrimental effect on young people. This can
potentially be a way for children to lose interest and lead to the decision that they no longer want
to go to school.

A. Montessori Education and Kindergarten

Having study discipline is one of the behaviors that a student should have. it should be developed
at an early age by a student with the help of their parents and teachers. Parents and teachers have
a great obligation to help the child have discipline in his life and in his learning. it is good to
teach this at their young age so that as he gets older he does not forget it and he sees its value
even more. Many types of education implement ways for children to get to know themselves at
an early age, to have discipline in their learning and to be prepared for the next steps in their
learning. I want to give focus in this research are the two educational systems that pay attention
to the way of education of young children and the reward-punishment system. The two
philosophies are Monterssori Education and Kindergarten.

A.1 Kindergarten
Staff stated that one of these early childhood educational reform leaders was Friedrich Froebel.
As an idealist, he believed that every child possessed his full educational potential at birth, and
that an adequate educational environment was needed to help the child grow and develop to his
full potential (qtd Ellington n.pag). Froebel's vision, according to Watson, was to foster an
affection and enthusiasm for children by creating a modern, small world—the Kindergarten—
where children could play with others their own age group and experience their first gentle taste
of freedom. (Ibid). His belief in "self-activity" and play as key factors in child education was his
most significant contribution to educational theory. The teacher's role was to promote the
children's self-expression through play, both individually and in group activities, rather than drill
or indoctrinate them (Curtis n.pag). The teacher's role was to promote the children's self-
expression through play, both individually and in group activities, rather than drill or indoctrinate
them. Froebel created circles, spheres, and other toys, which he referred to as "gifts" or
"occupations," to encourage learning through play experiences that included songs and music.
He is largely responsible for modern educational approaches in kindergarten and preschool
(Ibid).

According to a study, kindergarten serves as a transitional year between early childhood care and
elementary school; it is a crucial year for students and necessitates some specialized knowledge
on the part of the kindergarten teacher. These teachers are unquestionably among the most
influential educators a child can encounter during their school years (Career explorer n.pag). The
teacher's job was to not only eliminate impediments to the child's self-development or "self-
activity," but also to correct deviations from what man's experience had taught to be right and
best.

A.1 Montessori Education

According to a research , Montessori education is self-directed and self-paced, yet it is

driven, measured, and enhanced by competent and compassionate teachers, peer leadership, and
a nurturing atmosphere. Montessori is a theory and method of education that promotes rigorous,
self-directed growth in all areas of a child's development, with the aim of cultivating each child's
natural desire for information, understanding, and appreciation (American Montessori Society
na.pag). According to Orem The Montessori Method is a free-flowing, expansive educational
system that allows children to move and behave freely in a structured environment while
promoting self-development (qtd. Schilling p.3).

Dr. Montessori claimed that children learn more effectively when they have a say in what
they learn, and this belief is still reflected in Montessori classrooms today. A Montessori
classroom would most certainly vary from what you are used to. It is distinguished by the
following features:

 Throughout the day, children can select from a variety of activity stations.
 Instead of standing at the front of the classroom, teachers move from group to group.
 A grading system that isn't your typical one.
 An emphasis on the whole student, including social, mental, academic, and physical
development. (Meinke n.pag)

According to Dr. Montessori (1972), two factors must be present for a child to grow. One
aspect is a well-prepared environment that considers both the physical and spiritual well-being of
the child. The desire of the child to move freely in his or her community, where positive
activities for the child's growth can be found, is the second aspect. These two factors encourage
the child to learn and enjoy things like movement in school, sensory education, and music, as
well as intellectual education, to a greater extent. She also indicated that the child needs an adult
to guide him or her through his or her work and to consider the child's needs. Dr. Montessori
stated that, a child in such a setting works very hard, is observant, and is not harmful (qtd.
Schilling p.3).

Froebel and Montessori focus their philosophy in early childhood education.

In Froebel’s philosophy that kindergarten children should not experience pain from their teachers
because children in kindergarten should experience their first gentle taste of freedom. He stressed
that a child should learn by his own will because he believes that a student should be allowed to
shape his own mold and grow at his own pace through the developmental stages of the
educational process. There should not be any hindrance to his will. Froebel emphasizes that the
role of the teacher is only to guide children what they want. Another of the roles of teachers is
The teacher's role was to promote the children's self-expression through play, both individually
and in group activities, rather than drill or indoctrinate them. If a child experiences punishment
from him, he will probably lose his appetite to express himself better in class. Kindergarten is the
first stage of children in their education so they should not experience any kind of pain because
there is a good chance that at their young age they will lose the appetite to go to school due to
trauma because corporal punishment can cause trauma to the students. Corporal punishment can
be a barrier to children’s self-development if it is one of the primary goals of the kindergarten
movement. If a child experiences pain from his teachers it can cause him to lose motivation in
his self-development because it is his teacher himself who causes it to give up. Froebel
emphasized the role of teachers in children because on them the learning of children depends.
Teachers should not be an obstacle for Froebel they should still be the ones to guide their
students.

Froebel's emphasized also that the teacher is the second parent of the children. To further help
the child's self-development, the teacher should make him or her feel like his or her family and
not as a reason for it to be afraid to go to school. When a child experiences any kind of pain to
the teacher it will cause him or her to no longer because of his or her trauma. Froebel claimed
that having a family atmosphere within the school community would enable children to engage
socially in a non-threatening manner within familiar territory.

In kindergarten education, according to Froebel children like it more when they receive a reward
from their teacher. Reward system can help the students to gain their interests when it comes in
studying but there is a limitation because in kindergarten education, the teacher must make him
feel that he is their parent so he must treat his students equally, nothing children should feel that
they are different. In giving rewards that teacher must be aware that if a child participates only
because of the rewards, the teacher must make way so that to the child that education is still
more important than reward.

In Montessori Education, students should be guided by a competent and compassionate teacher

that promotes rigorous education. The Montessori Method is a free-flowing, expansive
educational system that allows children to move and behave freely in a structured environment
while promoting self-development. One of the possible effects of corporal punishment is child
loose his interests to the subject and come to have negative feelings against the teacher as well as
the classes that the teacher handles and for Montessori this is not the role of the teacher. When a
student feels afraid of his teacher, he also loses his own freedom. A teacher who imposed
corporal punishment in the classroom is not structured environment that will help the self-
directed and self-development of the students.

The reward system can also help the students to motivate them in their study but just like in the
kindergarten movment, a teacher will only be the guide to the children and do not imposed
mandatory education. A reward can motivate the student to participate well because Montessori
Education provide a lots of activities to the child to develop their physical and spirituality.
Through reward system, the students will be motivated to do his best in all the activities but the
teacher must always remember that guide the student through his or her work and to consider the
child's needs.

Conclusion:

Corporal punishment policy is a system that I used in some countries to discipline a child on
their education, but other countries have also banned it because it does not help the child in his
education. The researcher found that yes it can still be applicable in education but not in
childhood education. The researcher also found out how important the role of the teacher is in
early childhood education through the Philosophy of Froebel and Montessori. Their philosophy
is both focused on the self-development of the child so therefore corporal punishment is not
applicable in early childhood education because it can be a hindrance for them. Research also
found that the reward system still helps children to motivate them in their study, but the teacher
must be aware if the students are just listening because of the reward. Lastly the researcher also
found out how important early childhoold education is because it will be the foundation of a
child for his future. The importance of having a good childhood education is very much
important.