DECLO, Idaho (AP) — A fourth-grade teacher in southern Idaho is being criticized after having her students use permanent markers to draw on the faces of classmates who failed to meet reading goals.
Some parents and administrators say the punishments given to nine students in Summer Larsen’s class were inappropriate and left the children feeling shamed.
The students were allowed to choose their own incentive to meet the reading goal, but instead of a reward, the class chose a punishment: Students who failed to meet the goal could either stay inside at recess until it was met, or have their faces written on by classmates who met the goals.
Nine students didn’t meet the goals, the paper reported Friday. Three chose to forgo recess, and the other six chose to have their faces marked on.
‘‘Although all the students in the class agreed to the incentive, once it occurred it was not so well received. Nor should it have been,’’ Smyer said.
http://www.boston.com/news/education...hVK/story.html
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