Recently, I was flipping through the channels not really intent on watching anything specific when I came across and episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. Now, what made this interesting was that the segment was on a topic that I think our society and our educational system has struggled with for many years and quite frankly is getting wrong! The discussion centered on the practice of every kid getting a trophy simply for signing up regardless of effort or performance. While this practice seems harmless and started with the best of intentions it has in fact reached a point of doing more harm than good.
We all know that a healthy self-esteem is an important part of growing up and being successful. In fact, it is very hard to be successful without it, however, it is important to understand that a false self esteem can be extremely harmful. Telling students and children that they are great no matter what they do can lead to a false sense of superiority and ability that is not realistic in the so called "real world". In the piece several studies and renown psychologists discussed why this is true to the point that one researcher even explained how this false praise can impact the physical function of the brain that will impact a persons ability to problem solve and overcome obstacles. For example, in recent studies the majority of college students reportedly feel that they are of superior intelligence to there peers and past generations even though their academic performance is lower and decreasing. The majority of college students feel that they should receive at least a B just for showing up to class! The piece also discusses how these same students "freak out" and "fall apart" when they receive a C for a grade and instead of looking at how to get better they blame the professor for not liking them or not being fair. Why not, they have always got an A for showing up so it cannot be that they are not good enough but it has to be the other persons fault! Employers continually discuss the issue of young adults(college graduates) quitting jobs after a couple days because they are told they are doing something wrong and not being able to accept constructive criticism. Studies also show that kids that are praised no matter what are less engaged and give up easier. "If we are not keeping score and I can get a trophy the same as the child that works hard why do I need to practice or try harder?" What is the reward or motivation for working hard and not giving up? This is especially true in cases where athletes did not even have to come to the games to get a trophy, just sign up!
I think this really caught my attention not only as an educator but also as a parent of a 5 year old. As a parent, I have just finished up coaching my son's T-ball team and got to witness this first hand. Every kid got to bat, no score was kept, batters could only go one base at a time, and batter got to run the bases even if they were out. I am not saying that all of this is bad or wrong! However, what I observed was that the players quickly lost interest, beyond that of a normal 5 year old behavior. Players that started off hitting the ball the furthest and running the fastest no longer cared about doing either. Why? It did not matter because they got the same result if they hit it 2 feet or a 100 feet. Whether they ran fast or walked the result was the same. So as the coaches, my brother and I, decided to let our players take an extra base if they hit the ball further, in other words they could get a double if they earned it. What we saw was an increased effort and focus. The players started running faster, hitting the ball further, and paying attention because they may get to go more than one base.
Now, let me clarify that I am not against having fun and encouraging young children and by no means do I suggest that we have to yell and scream and play to win no matter what. I also do not think it is bad or a problem to give a 5 year old a medal for participation but, to give a 19 year old a trophy for signing up is not appropriate. We need to find a balance! It does not have to be all one or the other! Also, I am saying that competition is human nature and can be healthy. Competition is what motivates all of us to get better, no matter the age. Instead of rewarding students with a trophy for signing up, a 17th place ribbon, or a B in class for just showing up . We need to praise them for effort, for getting better, and not giving up. Instead of telling them they are as good of a baseball player as the kid that just beat them 20 to nothing or that their paragraph is as good as a 5 page paper we need to take the time to talk to them. We need to explain that while they are not as good or did not do as good right now that it is okay and that they if they want to be as good they can be but they just need to practice or try harder. We need to build a positive self-esteem that is based on accomplishment and hard work, not entitlement. Confidence comes from overcoming obstacles and proving to yourself that you can do it. Like the old saying, "money earned is much sweeter that money won". Lets challenge our children, let them learn what it means to lose, and then help them overcome and feel good about themselves through hard work and accomplishment.
If you are interested, here is a link to the trailer for the segment of Real Sports that I refer to. Real Sports Trophy Nation
No comments:
Post a Comment