“One day, I got too chatty in class, and I got my hand hit with a ruler. There was no chance I could ever disobey the teacher again,” said a man who went to school in the 1980s.
Some of us have stories of being punished in school, with lore including balancing on one foot, sitting facing the corner, and nuns coming after us with switches and rulers.
Thankfully, laws and policies now protect students from the kinds of punishment that were once common. It’s worth pausing to consider: What did students actually learn from those punishments?
Sitting in the corner didn’t teach academic content. In fact, it directly prevented learning. Punishment taught humiliation and fear, not skills. While the former students above might insist, “It worked! I never did it again,” the punishment functioned through threats and fear to bring students to compliance, not to understanding, growth, or reflection.
Punishment is a penalty designed to stop undesirable behavior. It’s focused on compliance, control, and obedience, rather than addressing the reasons behind the behavior. We do a disservice to students if we choose punishment to respond to behaviors we want to stop, because we miss the opportunity to teach. Punishment is shame enhancing and sends the message: “You did something bad, and now you will suffer.”
Consequences, however, function differently as a natural or logical outcome designed to teach responsibility and decision making. Consequences allow for learning how to act within expectations and which preserves students’ dignity. It also protects the relationship building between students and teachers, which is the best strategy for behavior management. Instead of asking, “How do I make the behavior stop?”, we should be asking, “What need is not being addressed?” or “Why is this behavior occurring?”
The “consequences” approach aligns with research-backed practices like Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), trauma-informed care, and restorative practices, which emphasize that long-term behavior change happens when students feel safe, connected, and understood, not when they feel threatened or shamed. Consequences send the message: “You made a choice, and here’s how it impacts you and others. Let’s learn from this.”
Using consequences instead of punishment does more than manage behavior in the moment—it helps students build the internal skills they need for self-regulation, accountability, and empathy. It models respectful conflict resolution and strengthens the classroom community.
When we preserve student dignity and focus on teaching rather than controlling, we create classrooms where students feel safe to take responsibility, reflect, and grow. That is the heart of positive behavior support that works and lasts.
About the Author
Betsy Butler (she/her) is a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in English, a Master’s in Education, and has been teaching since 1992. Betsy uses her three decades of teaching experience to write and revise our courses while selecting the perfect accompanying texts. Her specialty areas include ELA, special education topics, behavior management, and mental health.
Fun Fact: Betsy’s daily conquest is solving the New York Times crossword puzzle!
