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That actually makes perfect sense!
I can see how it helps your accuracy. I hadn't thought about that.

Although, if your neighborhood is so hardcore that people are chasing you with paddles...you don't need TKD....You need to move to a new neighborhood!



lol... actually my friend, "Shield" and "paddle" are terminology for different kinds of target pads we use here in the martial arts.
"Shields" typically are larger, wider pads that people might hold in front of their whole upper body for a student to practice strikes on. Picture a large rectanglular pad as one version of this.
"Paddles" are smaller, thinner pads. There are various kinds and shapes. Hand paddles often go over a hand like a mitt with a square pad pver the palm of your hand, again as a target for someone. Others are hand-held, but again smaller, where more precision and accuracy is needed to hit the target with perfect contact.
So, nobody is chasing anyone around their neighborhood with a wooden paddle. lol Just wanted you to know.

As for breaking, it is usually done in testings and demonstrations, and is a display of the level of mastery of a certain technique.
It illustrates both precision AND power, depending on the break.
Precision, accuracy, speed, all are on display. Power is something that comes into play, especially as the thickness of the target grows, but not in the way you might think of power. Power is not generated by how strong your muscles are, but rather by how you are able to generate power with a precise technique at the moment of impact.
For my 3rd dan testing, one break was a 6-board sidekick, which I nailed on my first attempt. My testing mate attempted 5-6 times before his foot was too purple and swollen to continue. His leg muscles are strong than mine to be sure, but that didn't mean he was able to turn that into focused power at the precise moment.

Good luck with your training and welcome to the TKD forum.