Quote:
Originally Posted by DanaC
@ Sky: the reason it says it comes from America, is because it derives from an American school of thought in teaching theory. There has been a conscious attempt to bring in changes in keeping with those theories. It peaked my interest, because some American dwellars had characterised American education in those terms a couple of years ago.
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Thanks for the clarification. I guess I was confusing teaching theory with human development theories.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanaC
I've seen in schools now, there is a tendency to award prizes for everything from having a good attitude to good improvements in reading. I am inclined to think this is probably a positive development, and frankly if we end up with a group of kids who are a little self-centred, that's probably not any worse than the legions of children who've been sent back out into the world with a damaged sense of their own worth under the older systems of teaching.
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I remember this too was part of the commentary of which I was speaking. If everything kids do is praised then this is where the sense of entitlement comes from. I believe we are changing course to teach critical thinking skills. The positive reinforcement for some teachers is still there but I think it it is changing starting from the way employers were seeing college grads. The kids who had a sense of entitlement even with good grades were not as hireable as those with critical thinking skills and who had other traits deemed desirable such as community service of some other unique talent and possibly not stellar grades. A trend trickling down so that the schools are beginning to teach children how to problem solve and be good thinkers and observers over the accumulation of gold stars by rote thinking. I know this is a fluid movement and the old standard is still there however I believe it is slowly changing.
I do get what you are saying. A little positive can go along way in comparison to putting kids down.
I hope this makes sense. I have not had to think for a long time.
That saying use it or lose it is so true.
My thoughts as I write:
If I plan to go finish my degree I wonder how I can manage when I can barely put together a concise thought on a webpage.