Because shortly after I started teaching the whole profession was overtaken by the worship of self-esteem. Teachers were trained and evaluated on techniques for building esteem in every student in every way possible. It was thought that anyone could accomplish anything in life if they felt self important enough to demand it. Trying hard and deserving to accomplish were played down and just "going for it" were all that mattered.
Sadly, many underachieving students were fooled into thinking they had "star quality" or were entitled to riches and vast appreciation even though they weren't willing to work hard or didn't have the requsite abilities or interest.
That is one reason we have such an "entitlement mindset" in our society.
Smarter kids who didn't fall for the esteem hype lost respect for the educators who were perpetrating it. And kids can't learn as well from those they can't respect.
I am not a big fan of the "self-esteem" movement, either, although I am a fan of having a healthy self-image, which includes a realistic (and compassionate!) appraisal of our strengths and weaknesses and an effort to improve our competence.
The church hits members with many unrealistic expectations, both in the number and the nature of the expectations. High expectations are good if they are accompanied with support and compassion and if they are a good fit for the individual. But too often they are not. Too often expectations are accompanied by shaming and yet more pressure to make individuals fit into a predetermined mold.
Totally agree Cheryl with all your comments about teaching and students. And still the problem is many administrators are very weak with discipline. The children know NOTHING will happen if they misbehave. Here's a good one. Our elem. administrator told a troubled child-about 10- who misbehaves often that his punishment was to take an Accelerated Reader test. She sat and watched him read a fairly long book and then take a test on it. Now how does that help him improve his BEHAVIOR. The tests are to be taken to get certificates and points - not for misbehavior. Children are to take them with excitement. This teaches the boy he will only take it if in trouble. We have a real gem as a principal. It has been a rough year.
PS...by the way, the boy failed the Accelerated Reader test. So what is the point?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2012 02:23AM by honestone.
In order (presumably) to forestall the potential for tears and childish recriminations that might accompany the losing of a PeeWee League baseball game, some Wise Yahoo From the Past decreed that "everyone is a winner!" No score is kept, no team is the winner, no team is the loser. Thus making baseball even more irrelevant a sport than it already was.
Gotta learn to lose sometimes some time. Might as well learn in childhood when the bruise will heal and be forgotten faster.
The worst part about self esteem and grades don't matter is you dont know you didn't learn the material!
If you are familiar with the material you get a "C" or passing grade.
If you are really proficient and know the material backwards and forwards you get an "A" under ideal circumstances.
But with the 'self esteem' you get a "passing" grade.
There is a real boost to the self esteem when you have worked hard and can enjoy the glow of a well earned "A".
The self esteem needs to be taught on how to make your inner critic your inner coach.
So when you didn't get that A, instead of telling yourself you're a loser, or not smart or the other kid was just "lucky", you learn to say, I did a good job, I can learn more so next time I'll get an A too.
The education system based on everybody passes acts like there aren't enough "A"s around so we can't give them out for honest work.
It looks like the old base of there isn't enough for everybody when there actually is. But it is a very effective way to keep everybody down and not able to attain their best work by undermining their abilities by teaching them entitlement.
One of the great experiences I had in graduate school was to have courses with the department chairman who was active in the Quality School movement. The emphasis in that movement is that everyone is expected to develop core competencies and once that is done students spend additional time pursuing their chose interests and special competencies. It honors both the need for competency in give subjects and the individual interests and talents of the students.
The department chairman structured the class by providing us with the minimum goals we had to acheive to pass the course. He then allowed each of us to write and individual contract with him to acheive an "A" (since the university required grades). We each picked a project or learning goal compatible with the content of the class and the criteria for determining whether or not we reached it. At the end of the semester we reviewed the contract and the work with our professor and determined the grade. It was a great experience.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2012 02:09AM by robertb.
I think Haidt's metaphor of the Rider (ability to rationalize) and the Elephant (unconscious motivations) applies to the article. Pehaps instead of people being "stupid" the problem might be framed as people having particularly strong Elephants and Riders with particularly skilled "lawyers."
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2012 10:48PM by robertb.
Worst situation I've been subjected to: having a boss who is confident that he is good at everything. If only he had the time, he would even do all the graphic design.
The result: boss unnecessarily complicates every project by interfering with every expert he hires, and because he's the source of money he insists on changes that downgrade the quality of every product.
Can't tell you how many subcontractors have quit as a result. Boss is continually surprised when people put their integrity ahead of money. They'll take the bad advice up to a point, then they quit.
What a mess it was. No grades were given until middle school. Each kid and their parents thought they were a flipping' genius until they got C grades in middle school. Stupid is as stupid does.
As part of self education in medical, especially surgical training we teach new doctors that their professional/skilled pattern is as follows
KNOWN INCOMPETENCE-an intern or trainee knows he/she knows nothing but is willing to be instructed or defer & is safe.
UNKNOWN COMPETENCE- an advanced trainee reaches their skill level but is still questioning & learning. Safe
KNOWN COMPETENCE- a mature practitioner is using their knowledge & skill set( hopefully updating & extending it) & is safe.
UNKNOWN INCOMPETENCE- a (not necessarily senior) practitioner fails to update their knowledge & skills or for reasons of age or other impairment can no longer function to their previous skill level but will not recognise this. The most dangerous practitioner of all