New threads are good. If you need one, start one!
Our K teacher used a similar system to the second one you mentioned, though I don't think she took recess time away for bad behavior. At least DS7 never told me about kids losing recess.
The 1st grade teacher seemed to follow strategy one that you mentioned, which was disastrous for us as well. Then, in a wrongheaded effort to be more positive, I think, she started passing out pennies for good behavior that the kids could use to "buy" junk food from her. But many kids in the class were losing entire recesses, and parents were not happy! One mom threatened to pull her child out if he missed another recess. "Find another way," she said, "he needs time to play outside!"
I always thought making kids walk/run laps would be a good, productive form of discipline, especially for the antsy ones who can't sit still. Making kids sit all day and then taking away their time to move around just makes NO sense to me.
FWIW...
