Zach LarkinsKID'S ESTEEM
I caught a show on TV the other day that delved into the question of whether or not our children have too much self-esteem. From what I've seen in the last few years, I'd have to answer a resounding yes.
Back when my sons were involved in minor hockey, some nut bar came up with the idea of not keeping score. It was wrong, in this person's eyes, to degrade any player by making him/her face the fact that they had lost a game. In the days of shinny hockey, before the parents got involved and started setting rules, we'd come home from school, strap on our skates and look for the nearest frozen pond to play on. Sometimes a hockey game would break out and though some goals were questionable, you had winners and losers with the losers going home to eat dinner and swearing they would beat the other side next time.
I started to pay attention to this ‘let's not keep score' philosophy and enlisted the aid of my sister, who was a teacher until she retired. She told me that she was not allowed to mark papers in red ink as that might make little Johnny feel degraded. The marks didn't change, but they all had to be in either blue or black pen. Red made you an outcast loser and the whole class would know about it.
She was not allowed to fail students as that might damage their precious psyches and turn them into axe murderers. Even if the child was woefully inadequate in grasping the lessons of Gr. 3, he/she had to be shunted to Gr. 4 in order for his/her self-esteem to remain intact. The school boards never saw the fallacy of this kind of thinking. Today, we have university profs teaching the kids something they should have learned in Gr. 8. The kids self-esteem is wonderful, but his/her knowledge is sadly lacking.
My wife watches a 9 year old and we had her over the other day as the teachers had yet another PA day. I mentioned that when I went to school, those who couldn't keep up with the curriculum due to mental challenges were taken to a separate school that was designed to deal with their handicaps. This may sound archaic or even discriminatory, but that was way back in the late ‘50's, early ‘60's and I remember getting frustrated waiting for someone to get a point the teacher had made about 14 times already. My wife's little ward expressed the same concerns, complaining she was being held back while the teachers spent all their time with the ‘dumb' (her words, not mine) kids. Our liberal government seems to think that all kids are equal and should be treated as such. Hogwash. There is nothing wrong with a handicapped child attending a regular school if they can keep up with the rest of the class. If they can't, remove them and put them where they can get the attention they need without dragging down the others. You wouldn't need all these teacher's helpers that are s common today. And when I got bored, I got into trouble. Not to the extent of today's youth, mind you, but enough to send me to the principal's office for a possible strapping.
Today's youth has plenty of self-esteem. They seem to think the parents are there to drive them to their next soccer game, pick up after them and get them out of any scrapes they might get into. By not keeping score, we have absolved them of taking any responsibility for any of their actions. And that certainly doesn't prepare them for the big, bad world they face when Mommy and Daddy aren't there to bail them out.
Let's start keeping score again and let the kids fail once in a while. It will result in a more mature and responsible generation. Remember, these are the ones who are going to look after you in the nursing home.
Back when my sons were involved in minor hockey, some nut bar came up with the idea of not keeping score. It was wrong, in this person's eyes, to degrade any player by making him/her face the fact that they had lost a game. In the days of shinny hockey, before the parents got involved and started setting rules, we'd come home from school, strap on our skates and look for the nearest frozen pond to play on. Sometimes a hockey game would break out and though some goals were questionable, you had winners and losers with the losers going home to eat dinner and swearing they would beat the other side next time.
She was not allowed to fail students as that might damage their precious psyches and turn them into axe murderers. Even if the child was woefully inadequate in grasping the lessons of Gr. 3, he/she had to be shunted to Gr. 4 in order for his/her self-esteem to remain intact. The school boards never saw the fallacy of this kind of thinking. Today, we have university profs teaching the kids something they should have learned in Gr. 8. The kids self-esteem is wonderful, but his/her knowledge is sadly lacking.
My wife watches a 9 year old and we had her over the other day as the teachers had yet another PA day. I mentioned that when I went to school, those who couldn't keep up with the curriculum due to mental challenges were taken to a separate school that was designed to deal with their handicaps. This may sound archaic or even discriminatory, but that was way back in the late ‘50's, early ‘60's and I remember getting frustrated waiting for someone to get a point the teacher had made about 14 times already. My wife's little ward expressed the same concerns, complaining she was being held back while the teachers spent all their time with the ‘dumb' (her words, not mine) kids. Our liberal government seems to think that all kids are equal and should be treated as such. Hogwash. There is nothing wrong with a handicapped child attending a regular school if they can keep up with the rest of the class. If they can't, remove them and put them where they can get the attention they need without dragging down the others. You wouldn't need all these teacher's helpers that are s common today. And when I got bored, I got into trouble. Not to the extent of today's youth, mind you, but enough to send me to the principal's office for a possible strapping.
Let's start keeping score again and let the kids fail once in a while. It will result in a more mature and responsible generation. Remember, these are the ones who are going to look after you in the nursing home.
Mum's Word
I think kids in the first couple of years of school ( 5 and 6 year olds) can be spared the competition, in the academic side at least. They still get a taste of competition when they do sport.
But certainly in high school competition helps you thrive. I remember in my last year of school, my history class did exceptionally well because each of us wanted to be top of the class. What that meant is that we all tried harder and the whole class lifted its game.
I don't know about the kids who are lagging a little on the academic side. I don't know what kind of affect competition would have on these kids. You could speculate that it will just make the situation worse or perhaps this kid will try harder next time. Who knows. Every kid is different.
No competition is not a sensible concept. Once kids leave school, life is a competition. Best get them used to it. How else do they learn coping mechanisms if they are never tested.
Good post. Thanks for the read.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
youranter
Opinions
opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern
youranter
Opinions
opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern
youranter
Opinions
opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern