The winter’s afternoon in a Rajasthan school was special for us since we were to spend time with the Bal Sabha (Children’s Parliament). Its members were excited to present to us the structure, design and scope of the Bal Sabha. The children appeared to be bright and engaged with the school's processes.
After they left, an invigorating discussion followed with the teachers on several issues regarding society, education and teachers’ experiences in the school. Almost all the teachers appeared to be engaged and enjoying what they were doing. Among other issues, we also discussed their views on corporal punishment. At a principle level, all teachers agreed that usage of threat or intimidation of any kind is detrimental to the learning process. We were happy about this conviction. When we were about to leave, a lady teacher asked me, “How do we discipline the children if we don’t punish them?” In her mind, the only way to discipline children was by punishing them. It is very reflective of what a large section of teachers struggle with while thinking about disciplining children.
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