Jessica, I agree completely that the article had very little to do with failure. In fact, the word is only mentioned 3 times in the entire article. I guess the author feels as though there is a strong enough undertone of these characteristics allowing you to overcome failure that she doesn't need to come out and say it in the article. And the undertone is there: if you have good character, you can get through anything. Your ideas are good, but you don't really weigh in on the issue. Should character have a place in the classroom? Is it solely our responsibility as teachers to provide students with a good idea of character? I know you don't like sharing your thoughts, but I would love to hear what you have to say.
I feel like character should have a place in the classroom. But like the one guy was saying (I don't have the article with me right this second), I would be a little cautious of making it graded. If you did grade them on something like that, they are going to start trying to find ways to study for it.
I went to a school where we would find any shortcut we could. This isn't to say we were bad students. In fact, we were great students because we could figure out without three days what the teacher expected of us and what the teacher wanted us to do. I'll never forget how I would read the books for my class and then write a paper on them and get a C, yet everyone else (and I know this for fact) wouldn't read and would get As on there papers. It was because they knew what kind of writing the teacher would give an A.
Also, how we act in school is usually different from how we act everywhere else. We could have great character and be super moral while we're at school. But that doesn't mean anything. It could all just be an act. (I tend to be cynical. I don't mean to be; I just am. Please excuse that ^_^)
Also, I really don't know how a teacher would go about teaching character. It's really a subjective thing. What one person considers moral could be wrong to another person. It could go against religions or cultural backgrounds.
I don't know if I really answered anything. I feel like I just sort of started ranting about everything all at once. Sorry ^_^
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI agree completely that the article had very little to do with failure. In fact, the word is only mentioned 3 times in the entire article. I guess the author feels as though there is a strong enough undertone of these characteristics allowing you to overcome failure that she doesn't need to come out and say it in the article. And the undertone is there: if you have good character, you can get through anything.
Your ideas are good, but you don't really weigh in on the issue. Should character have a place in the classroom? Is it solely our responsibility as teachers to provide students with a good idea of character? I know you don't like sharing your thoughts, but I would love to hear what you have to say.
I feel like character should have a place in the classroom. But like the one guy was saying (I don't have the article with me right this second), I would be a little cautious of making it graded. If you did grade them on something like that, they are going to start trying to find ways to study for it.
ReplyDeleteI went to a school where we would find any shortcut we could. This isn't to say we were bad students. In fact, we were great students because we could figure out without three days what the teacher expected of us and what the teacher wanted us to do. I'll never forget how I would read the books for my class and then write a paper on them and get a C, yet everyone else (and I know this for fact) wouldn't read and would get As on there papers. It was because they knew what kind of writing the teacher would give an A.
Also, how we act in school is usually different from how we act everywhere else. We could have great character and be super moral while we're at school. But that doesn't mean anything. It could all just be an act. (I tend to be cynical. I don't mean to be; I just am. Please excuse that ^_^)
Also, I really don't know how a teacher would go about teaching character. It's really a subjective thing. What one person considers moral could be wrong to another person. It could go against religions or cultural backgrounds.
I don't know if I really answered anything. I feel like I just sort of started ranting about everything all at once. Sorry ^_^
That's awesome Jess!!! You make some good points and are able to connect it to a personal experience. Ranting suits you well.
ReplyDelete