Self-esteem earned, not taught
Here’s a pet peeve from a Dad with a lot of kids: At every grade level from Kindergarten through high school kids have classes in self-esteem so they can learn to “feel good about themselves.”
What a crock! Replace that time with actually learning and accomplishing things and feeling good about oneself comes naturally. Teach something significant and practical in place of the self-indulgent and pointless. Without a sense of purpose or accomplishment or self, how is one supposed be taught to feel good about themself?
Analogous to ‘give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime,’ when you teach a student to feel good about themselves you help them for a day; when you teach a student something meaningful, you teach them for a lifetime – and give them the ability to feel good about what they’re now capable of – for a lifetime.
Take the time devoted to learning self-esteem and teach first aid instead. When every student knows how to save lives, every student will feel better about themselves because they have learned a meaningful skill that can make a huge contribution to helping those around them. The bonus: society as a whole will benefit from lifesaving knowledge becoming common knowledge.
Regards,
Keith
){kind=link}
){kind=link}