I found this article linked to another blog. It's written by a British woman, so she's talking about the British school system. I think we have the same problem here. We have all kinds of crazy awards for students so no one gets left out or feels bad. Our school does the same thing. She says that this causes boys to not work hard to achieve because it doesn't matter anyway. I've seen that in my family. No one wants to go to those award ceremonies at the end of the school year. They are boring and really don't mean anything. We award compliance, not creativity.
I've discussed the development of leadership of our boys with other teachers and parents. All the way through school we tell them to sit down, be quiet, do as you're told, follow directions. None of that is bad, but where and how do we help them to become creative thinkers and leaders? Girls are encouraged to run for class officer positions. Many times when the boys become officers, the girls scoff and scorn them and don't listen to their ideas. I'm not making this up; I've seen this happen. Then we ask boys to take leadership positions, but they refuse. Can you blame them?
In churches we see women pushing to take leadership positions. As they move in, the men leave. Of course there is the argument that the men aren't there in the first place to take the lead. And that's true in some cases. But we need to be encouraging and training our high school boys, particularly to want to take leadership positions.
Anyway, read the article. She says it all far better than I can.
I probably didn't say anything like I wanted to but here's my two cents' worth.
PS A rescue squad ambulance is stuck in the snow in our street! Half the neighbors are out in the blowing snow trying to get him out. What excitement! The north/south street hasn't been plowed yet. It's probably over a foot deep in drifts.
7 comments:
I don't like causing boys to take a subordinate role should be called "feminization", "feminine" should be a positive quality, not the lack of drive and influence.
yea, how about the dispotentialization?
This headline came up in the Chronicle of Higher Ed the other day. It totally cracked me up:
"Today's wired students belong to the most narcissistic generation in recent history, say five researchers who released a report on Tuesday that blames parents and educators for 'telling kids they're special all the time.' The researchers say the students could pose a threat to American society."
I just used the word the woman used in the article. Really, the word doesn't fit what the woman was talking about in the article anyway. She was saying that there is a push to blur distinction of the sexes. And she also was upset by the stampede to make everything equal. Remember, the peanut butter jar and the champagne glass. We are different,not inferior!
In response to Jeannette. Interesting quote! I did experience "helicopter" parents as a teacher. Your generation will probably be even more so. Not that YOU will! It's just that so many parents are educated and think they know more than a teacher. These are the ones that argue about grades, awards, privileges, discipline issues...It was/is exhausting.
"helicopter parents'? I take it they hover?" I got tired of "Awards" a few years ago, so now I go to the dollar store, get awards and award them to the most approprate people.Everybody gets one and we all have a blast. In our own classroom. Sometimes boys needs to be told to sit or their buts are on a higher level than their brains....literally. Now I'll go read the article. I like that dispotens word
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I haven't read the article (yet) but I do see the need for parents, teachers and churches to develop leadership skills in boys. However, girls will also find themselves in many life situations that will require these skills.
It is always troubling to hear that a student is scoffed at for offering an idea. When I hear about incidences like this I always ask if the adult present intervened in any way?
Creativity or compliance? I would argue that a healthy compliance promotes creativity, just as maintaining boundaries and mastering routines are freeing (as I'm trying to teach my daughter). As for the awards night, I've noticed that there is pretty good attendance, but people seem to most enjoy the fellowship that follows. I leaned against attending during Ari's freshman year, but then I felt convicted when she said something like "Shouldn't we go and cheer others on?" OUCH!
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