Just been reading a book by D. Hodson... who refers to somebody Claxton who "lists some of the more destructive beliefs about the relationship between learning and self-worth that schools often promote:
- worthwhile people do not make mistakes
- worthwhile people always know what is going on
- worthwhile people live up to, and within, their images of themselves;
- worthwhile people do not feel anxious, apprehensive or vulnerable
Because of these falsehoods, the inevitable experiences of incompetence, being confused and feeling nervous that attend any difficult and uncertain learning task can induce feelings of guilt and shame, and can seriously impair some students' self-esteem."
I blog this not cos I've "got it in for schools" but because I thought it was well written, thought provoking, and maybe more general in life.
And true of learning to make relationships. By relationships I don't mean anything necessarily heavy!
2008-06-17 @ 09:08