Why humiliation will not teach a child to learn
An opinion piece discusses the pedagogical impact of shaming students in the classroom, sparked by a recent incident involving a minister in Tamil Nadu. The author argues that public humiliation is an ineffective and harmful tool that discourages learning rather than motivating students.
Why it matters
It addresses the psychological impact of educational practices and the distinction between constructive challenge and destructive shame.
A video from a government school in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, that shows a minister remarking that children on the “last bench” are weak in English, after a child failed to answer her question has created a political storm. But the actual pedagogical question — does shaming a child ever make her/him want to speak? — has not been raised.
The article takes a clear stance on educational ethics and critiques public figures, which is common in opinion-based journalism.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in