Tuesday, October 8, 2013

WSJ.com - Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

Why Tough Teachers Get Good Results

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304213904579095303368899132.html

 

"It's time to revive old-fashioned education... with strict discipline and unyielding demands. Because here's the thing: It works.  Studies have now shown, among other things, the benefits of moderate childhood stress; how praise kills kids' self-esteem; and why grit is a better predictor of success than SAT scores.

 

All of which flies in the face of the kinder, gentler philosophy that has dominated American education over the past few decades. The conventional wisdom holds that teachers are supposed to tease knowledge out of students, rather than pound it into their heads. Projects and collaborative learning are applauded; traditional methods like lecturing and memorization—derided as "drill and kill"—are frowned upon, dismissed as a surefire way to suck young minds dry of creativity and motivation.

 

But the conventional wisdom is wrong. And the following eight principles explain why.

1. A little pain is good for you.

2. Drill, baby, drill.

3. Failure is an option.

4. Strict is better than nice.

5. Creativity can be learned.

6. Grit trumps talent.

7. Praise makes you weak…

8.…while stress makes you strong.