I am a student in a elementary ed program coming upon the last stretch
of my studies. One thing that I have been reading up on lately is
self-esteem and its place in the classroom.
Currently, I am in the process of reading two books dealing with
self-esteem and its place and/or role in the classroom. "The
Feel-Good Curriculum," by Stout is an interesting book that takes the
position that today's classrooms focus too much on self-esteem/life
skills rather than presenting a situation for what it is. This focus,
in turn, only sets the student up for a set-back when they reach
college or the "real world". The other book that I have been reading,
"Ed School Follies; The Miseducation of America's Teachers," by Rita
Kramer, demonstrates the message that no matter what type of schooling
one finds themself in, the uniting factor is the "unwavering belief
that schooing is primarily about feelings and self-esteem".
Therefore, the well-being and/or self-esteem of the student has become
the center of the teachers attention rather than what the students
should/need to learn.
After reading these two books I am questioning the extent to which I
will focus on sup****ting a childs self-esteem in my classroom. While
I feel this is an im****tant part of a child's development [an idea
that should not be taken lightly], any thoughts as to how much focus
on self-esteem is too much? What balance has worked for you? Your
suggestions are appreciated.
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