Creative Writing as a Disciplinary Strategy?

By Marybeth AmescloseAuthor: Marybeth Ames Name: Marybeth Ames
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Dr. Marybeth Ames
Speech-Language Pathologist SLP.D., CCC-SLP

Picture Bart Simpson in detention writing on the blackboard “I will not tell the teacher to eat my shorts,” in 100 chalky lines. Creative writing as a disciplinary strategy needs to stay in the cartoon world.

At face value, letting the punishment fit the crime embraces a sense of logic. Academic infractions ought to respond to academic consequences such as creative writing. Rote writing is not routinely applied anymore, but the use of creative writing for punishment is edging into the disciplinary repertoire. This contemporary approach encourages the use of creative writing for problem solving essays.

Proponents of creative writing as a punishment assert it is discipline not punishment. Some advocates claim even rote writing exercises are beneficial because it engages a student’s mind. Those in favor of creative writing as a punishment argue that this strategy improves writing skills, develops higher order thinking skills, increases focus and memory, decreases the need for lectures, minimizes adult time spent on discipline, provides an avenue for students to express emotions, takes the place of harsher disciplinary measures, and provides motivation through the loss of free time.

Interviews with university students about the prevalence and efficacy of creative writing as a punishment, tell a different story. Most students experienced some form of creative writing as a punishment, and most admit that it stimulated negative attitudes toward writing in general. Proponents’ arguments generated amused skepticism in students subjected to creative writing as a punishment.

Decades ago, the National Association for Teachers of English banned the use of creative writing as a punishment, but there is little evidence based data addressing this issue. Mehlmann and Waters (1984), noting an increase of punishment paragraphs, surveyed student attitudes.

Educators were surprised at the findings. Students from a university level down to emerging writers stated this strategy did not alter their behavior, nor did it help to problem solve. Students had a less positive attitude about teachers who used writing as a punishment. These teachers were described as unfair and uninspiring. Students stated that the punishment paragraphs made them even less likely to work on written assignments.

A survey by this author in the fall 2007 of an elementary, junior, and high school indicated 65% of instructional staff used some form of writing as a punishment. There was a78% response rate to the survey sent to 200 teachers. Primary teachers, English teachers and special education teachers were the least likely to use this strategy.

The junior high dean of students created an entire battery of forms to deal with miscreants on campus. The intent was to apply creative writing strategies to positive discipline. These teacher-created forms contained graphic organizers, a frame to identify the problem, lists of the shareholders, identification of the consequences, brainstorming solutions, choosing an option, planning how to avoid future incidents, and dedication of space for a written apology. These forms were discontinued when a count of repeat offenders demonstrated creative writing as a punishment failed to produce the intended positive outcome, and had the potential of instigating additional conflicts.

Creative writing as a punishment provoked attitudes from humiliation to humorous. One third grader got lots of practice with poor writing mechanics. Another student was so frustrated with a creative writing piece assigned on attendance that he ditched the class for so long that it was impossible to pass it and receive credits toward graduation. Another student was assigned a 1000 word essay on the inside of a ping-pong ball because he tossed a couple at a cute girl on the school bus. He submitted his work in Spanish and wrote a compare and contrast exercise regarding the interior contents of a ping-pong ball and the teacher’s brain. Still another student used the first letter in the first word of each sentence to create a secret code.

Educators need to use creative writing as punishment, judiciously, if at all. The benefits appear to be for the disciplinarian, not those in need of discipline. The little evidence available indicates it fails and creates negative repercussions for creative writing. The concept of creative writing as a punishment sounds constructive, but in practice, it does not work.

Using creative writing as a punishment is a little bit like throwing a kindergartener into the ocean as a punishment for misbehaving during swimming lessons. Maybe the student will learn how to swim.

Creative Writing as a Punishment

Sample #1:

Deer Mis CowalickiFrist  I’am sinserly   apolegeticil four all of the noisey talkin in sieinse clas wen you wuz out havin youre  new baby Angel an me ditnt meen no horm wen we drawd pitchers of the ORGANISMS  lasly we wusnot riting dirty   words as  you no I cant spell end  I had to look up    organism nekxt the   subtute techer wuz mad at the orgasm end    send us   kids too the denny secend him maid us     rite one hunred word the apolige we wuz oney tring too draw a comic abut amoebas beeing alleeins in  conclusion alast this is one hunerd by love Sammy

Translation:

Dear Mrs. Kowalski,

First, I sincerely apologize for all the noise in Science class when you were out having your new baby. Angel and I didn’t mean any harm when we drew pictures of the organisms. Lastly we were not writing dirty words. As you know, I can’t spell and I had to look up organism. Next, the substitute teacher was mad at the (word) orgasm. (The teacher) sent us to the dean. Second, he made us write a hundred word apology. We were only trying to draw a comic about amoebas being aliens. In conclusion, at last, this is one hundred, bye.

Love,

Sammy

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Sample #2:

El decano es histerico. No había peligro a cualquier persona en el autobús, y aunque discrepe, una declaración simple que las bolas de ping-pong podrían distraer posiblemente quizá el conductor habría sido suficiente. El espacio entre sus oídos es sinónimo con el contenido de una bola de ping-pong.

Translation: The dean overreacted. There was no danger to anyone on the bus, and although I disagree, a simple statement that the ping pong balls could possibly maybe distract the driver would have been sufficient. The space between his ears is synonymous with the contents of a ping pong ball.
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Sample #3:

a  b  c  d   e   f  g  h  I   j  k   l  m  n  o  p  q  r  s   t   u  v  w  x  y  z

z  y  x  w  v  u  t   s   r  q  p  o  n  m  l  k   j  I   h  g  f  e   d   c  b  a

Gsv gvaxvi nv zmw r szgv dirgrmt. Veviblmv dza gziprmt yft im Gsv lmob lmv hse bvoow zg. (contains some errors, just as the student wrote it)

Need a translation?  The teacher hates me and I hate writing. Everybody was talking but I’m the only one she yelled at.

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References:

Mehlmann, M. and Waters, M. (1984). Student attitude survey: Writing as punishment. Grant, Denver University.

National Council for Teachers of English. (1884). Position Statement; writing as punishment. Retrieved June 1, 2009 from http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/writingaspunishment