Q: Doesn't punishment work for some students?

A: Punishment may seem to work. Nobody likes being hurt. So to avoid being hurt physically or emotionally, the child will comply in the short term. This is the need for survival that is taking control here. But even though the child may respond to the threat of punishment by obeying, he or she will not learn anything about how to behave in the future.

Q: What about rewards? Are they good motivators for students?

A: No. First of all, children are internally motivated. An external reward, such as a small piece of candy, may succeed in getting compliance for the moment, but there is no internal reward to motivate the child to continue the positive behavior in the future.