Role play including telling off, corner time, having to bend over an authentic school desk to be caned (absolutely mind-boggling!!) getting the backs of your legs slapped, etc. can all combine to ensure the mindset is right for the experience.
Canes differ of course. The usual standard rattan is very flexible and at around 8mm diameter stings and burns like blazes when applied hard on a bottom that hasn’t been warmed up with a good sound spanking first. Canes of around 10mm diameter seem to penetrate deeper and the “thud” is accompanied by a more diffuse but fuller kind of pain.