This week, I had the opportunity to volunteer for a science field trip at my daughter’s school. The prospect of spending the day with a group of 13 and 14 year olds filled me with some trepidation as this is a difficult age. And while there was much juvenile behaviour and lack of focus on the work they were supposed to be doing, there was one situation that bothered me even more.
One boy was unable to follow simple instruction from a single sheet of paper to do his experimental test. Others had this problem. He was unable to listen and follow instructions of any kind and complained about everything. He was supposed to start a second test, but instead wandered off to goof around with one of the girls (who was “underdressed” – if you have seen how some people let their daughters go to school recently). Again, not surprising for a 14 year old boy. What severely disappointed me is that when asked if he had completed his second experiment (far simpler than the first), he grudgingly admitted he had not and slinked over to do so. He then performed the two step process successfully. He announced that he was “proud of himself for having done the test all by himself”. He asked if myself and the guide were proud of him, and seemed honestly shocked that we said no. I thought he was going to cry. He ranted that he had “done good” and yet we were not proud of him. This kid believed that one (very minor) good act, regardless of his previous bad behaviour meant we should shower him with congratulations.
It is obvious that either his parents, the school system, or both have been coddling this child for his entire life. No one has made him work hard, no one has truly disciplined him, and if he continues down the road he will most likely be a failure in society.
I discussed with the students and their teacher that perhaps we should return to the days when teachers could use corporal punishment, or at least throw chalk at the students to ensure they paid attention. The students were horrified that this had ever been allowed. They seemed shocked that in my day (which was not that long ago) we sat in neat rows and sat quietly in class and were disciplined, often harshly, for misbehaviour.
The inmates have taken over the asylum – we need to put teachers back in control of their classrooms. And put students back in their place.
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Scott M
18 May 2012 at 10:20 (UTC -6) Link to this comment
Like that’ll ever happen…. just look at Quebec. I don’t blame the kids they’re trapped in a society hell bent on being politically correct, too afraid to call a spade a spade and the product of an education system where they’re nothing more than lab rats for social engineers and political activists. From infancy they’re continually pumped up with how wonderful and how special they are regardless of their performance; they can do nothing wrong, and like your post highlights, every achievement no matter how insignificant, should be cause for endless streams of praise and encouragement. This is our fault not theirs.
We’ve done these young people a great disservice. And if you think they’re messed up and angry now, just wait until they discover the harsh reality that the “women’s studies on the ecology of the rainforest and aboriginal peoples degree” is worthless and world doesn’t owe them a thing for “being special” or “showing up”. The real backlash will happen when they realize we’ve lied to them. We can only hope they will have gained the wisdom through the bitter lessons of reality to harken back to the “common sense” of their forefathers and raise their children properly.
Nicola T.
18 May 2012 at 14:24 (UTC -6) Link to this comment
It starts in daycare and preschool where the educators have too many children to look after and have to accept any child despite repeated very bad behaviour (biting and extremely aggressivebehaviour towards other chldren and teachers). The Quebec model has very bad ratios educators/children or educators/babies and square feet per child.
The daycare owners of private daycares often don’t want any negative descriptions made to the parents as they don’t want to lose the client. Children often come to daycare sick and the parents leave them because they have to go to work. Both parents work and the children/babies have very long hours in ‘custody’, often at the mercy of other chldren who take their toys away or destroy what they are building.
Of course children have to get used to a certain amount of bullying and learning to stand up for yourself, but I can’t help but feel early daycare tends to condition children to being at the mercy of their peers.
Ira
18 May 2012 at 14:48 (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I attended Saskatchewan schools that employed corporal punishment Saskatchewan has now banned corporal punishment in schools, but didn’t do so until 2005.
Maybe that’s part of why Saskatchewan is doing so well today.
But even without using corporal punishment to keep the kids in line, simply allowing them to fail might make a difference. I’ve read complaints from teachers in BC that because their classes are too big they’re unable to give enough individual attention to the kids who are unable to keep up with the government-mandated curriculum.
If they can’t keep up, then maybe they should spend more time with it. An extra year here and there would be hugely beneficial for some kids, but they’re instead herded through the system at the same speed as everyone else even when they’re not ready to move on. Who benefits from that?
Cynical Bard
21 May 2012 at 8:26 (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I think we are seeing the result of teaching kids to have self esteem without any evidence of accomplishment.
Real self esteem comes from being a capable competent individual, like being able to read, and do math to solve problems, or even to prepare four your own retirement.
Look at the Canadian beaver. He plans for his own future and works hard to achieve it.
Did we teach kids in school to do the same? I haven’t seen evidence of it.
Lauren sulkosky
26 April 2013 at 11:11 (UTC -6) Link to this comment
I just wanted to say I really agree with this way of punishment I’m 19 I graduated highschool early and 40% of the seniors that graduated with me dropped out! And a countless number of them barely graduated! It really pisses me off that people expect to be coddled apparently I had a severe learning disorder that my parents never even told me about… I mean as an adult no one is going to say hey you have dislexcia it’s alright you don need to pay your taxes! Kids my age are so lazy I might be struggling to get by but I know my work will pay off