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PREJUDICE-ENFORCING EXPERIENCE Anne BACKGROUND Sex: female Ethnicity: Northern-European; Scotch-Irish Born in: Toledo, Ohio Parents born in: U.S.A.   I am dyslexic and have had difficulties in the past. I always compensated for my disability by working harder and by practicing reading and writing lessons outside of class. Because my dyslexia wasn't severe, I was able to attend regular classes and was always placed in advanced reading groups, though I still had difficulty with particular words and sometimes reversed numbers in math class. I was paddled in 6th grade for walking down the hall on the wrong side. I really didn't understand why we had to walk down the hall in single file to begin with, and being paddled certainly didn't clarify this rule for me. I was always pretty quiet in school and resented my principal (who was later promoted to superintendent) for punishing me in such a severe manner. I really lost respect for him and for my school. My teacher, at the time, was really sympathic when she learned I had been paddled. She pulled me out of class and comforted me --I think she thought it was wrong but was afraid to say anything. Instead, she awarded me "student of the month" the next day. As a future teacher, I think corporal punishment should be eliminated altogether. I think my teacher dealt with it appropriately --one-on-one conferences are very helpful and encourage open communication. I wish the principal had been fired --I still can't stand the thought of him.     BACK TO MENU | ANNE'S PREJUDICE-REDUCING EXPERIENCE Top of Page Home | Power of Teaching | Believing is Seeing | Truth or Consequences | That Was Fun