I used the cane and I now wonder if I was right to do so.

I was a teacher from the late 1960s until the late 1980s - a fairly short career as these things go although I was quite successful - spent my last few years as a Head Teacher.

Part of my job was to use corporal punishment. I believed then that I was doing this in the best interests of the children I taught and I'd like to continue to believe that. But I find myself in a world now where we're constantly being told this was bad for children and that worries me immensely. I just can't reconcile it with what I saw as a teacher. I saw it work. I saw it turn children around. I saw it help children. I really do think that's true. But I take psychological and pedagogical research seriously and I can't reconcile it with what I saw myself.

I am honestly horrified at the idea I might have harmed these children.

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MrDobson · 70-79, M

I started teaching at an all boys school in 1976. At that point the cane was still used for discipline but only by a senior teacher, such as the Principal, Deputy Principal or Dean.

In 1981 I became the dean for third form (first year of high school). I think I was responsible for around 4 classes of 13-14 year old boys. I was glad that when my two years came to attend. As a Dean I was focused so much on the negative that it overshadowed any of the positive moments. At least with a senior dean one is writing support letters for scholarships and university housing applications, and helping boys select subjects and define potential career paths.

When I became a Dean again in the 90s I put in a reward system, where each week students were recognised and celebrated for their successes. This is something I wish I had championed sooner, but early in my career I was guilty of just following the system.

Corporal punishment in New Zealand schools was banned in 1987 and formerly abolished in 1990. I was glad when this law was passed. There are other teaching and discipline techniques that can used. I question how effective the cane really was in maintaining discipline because there were boys who saw the cane as badge of honour. I also remember a boy that was given after school community service saying he would have preferred to have been caned (not that he had ever experienced it). The community service was a more effective punishment than any caning would have been and he was giving back to his school community.