Deferred Success?

What the hell were the Brits thinking

Published on July 22, 2005 By Dr Guy In Current Events

I thought of putting this under humor, but it is true! Some teachers in England want to replace the term 'fail' with 'deferred success'!

It appears telling a student they failed is damaging to their ego! Never mind, that life is full of fails for all people! Hell, I did not like getting Fs on my report card or tests either! But it made me try harder to make sure it did not happen again!

but in this brave new world, where we cannot damage their tender little egos, some teachers want to change it!

But, Education Secretary Ruth Kelly at least is injecting some sanity into the debate by stating they will stick with fail for now, as when they get older, they will only find success or failure in real life. She will probably be vilified for her sanity!

So what is a failure now? A Permanently deferred success?

Maybe the teachers who suggested this change were victims of 'happy slapping'! (That is Bullying for normal people).

Comments (Page 2)

Dr Guy

on Jul 22, 2005

So called "educators" play word games with kids to shield them from disappointment and reality, then they freak out when kids demonstrate that they can't deal with disappointment or reality. Hmmmmm

Some do. It seems the ones that are more 'educated' are the ones that dont seem to understand that children must be taught in real world situations, not just reading, writing and arithmetic.

Dr Guy

on Jul 22, 2005

P.S. On second thought, exchange the word from "so-called educators" to "so called adults".

Change noted and agreed with! I dont think Dr. Spock was an educator.

Furry Canary

on Jul 23, 2005

So who exactly are 'some teachers', 'the Brits', the unkempt rabble', 'so called "educators"' etc. (as referred to by various contributors here) responsible for this outrage? If you actually read the article, they appear to consist of a solitary retired teacher who is submitting the motion to the Professional Asociation of Teachers for debate. Wesley Paxton, a member of the association's council, is supporting the motion, but I can find no reference to anyone else - and specifically, not even one working teacher - who is backing it. Hardly the wave of teacher lunacy Dr. Guy would have us believe in, but hey - why let the truth interfere with a good story?

Dr Guy

on Jul 23, 2005

Hardly the wave of teacher lunacy Dr. Guy would have us believe in, but hey - why let the truth interfere with a good story?

If you inferred a wave of teacher lunacy, then that was your error, I showed the source and my opinion. I do believe it is legal to do that.

Furry Canary

on Jul 23, 2005

'I showed the source and my opinion. I do believe it is legal to do that.'
Absolutely!

However, you did say 'some teachers'. A single, solitary, working teacher in support of the motion would have been nice. According to your link, even the proposer openly admits she 'deliberately made the motion provocative to spark a good debate'. I find it difficult therefore not to view your 'What the hell were the Brits thinking?' tagline as sensationalist.

ParaTed2k

on Jul 23, 2005

Furry, that is why I changed it from "so called educators" to "so called adults". I didn't figure it was only "educators" who were entertaining such idiocy. Besides, there are few problems in any education system that I would put solely in the lap of "educators".

uDigItTheMost

on Jul 23, 2005

The lengths what some people do to protect kids is both good and bad. I'm all for protecting kids in certain situations that clearly calls for it. But to shield kids from failure is very wrong. After all don't all people learn from failures.

I remember back in high school there was a teacher who would hand back tests to all of his students as they came into class. Every one would get their test except the kids who failed. After everybody sat down he would call out the ones who failed one at a time. For example he would say,"Joe Schmo 42%! Come up and get your test!" Maybe he was a tad extreme but I never failed a test in his class in 4 years.

BTW .. Isn't it funny how the language has change. The only time I used the phrase "deferred success" in school was when I talked about my record courting the ladies. And the only time I used the phrase "happy slapping" in school was after failing with the ladies going back to my room and.. um.. er.. well you get the picture.

Dr Guy

on Jul 25, 2005

I find it difficult therefore not to view your 'What the hell were the Brits thinking?' tagline as sensationalist.

Perhaps, but it got you to respond. Man drinks beer is not news. Cow drinks beer is. Even if it was only one

Dr Guy

on Jul 25, 2005

Besides, there are few problems in any education system that I would put solely in the lap of "educators".

If you classify the adminstrators as educators, then I would disagree. As I have learned, they take burned out teachers and make them administrators.

Dr Guy

on Jul 25, 2005

I remember back in high school there was a teacher who would hand back tests to all of his students as they came into class. Every one would get their test except the kids who failed. After everybody sat down he would call out the ones who failed one at a time. For example he would say,"Joe Schmo 42%! Come up and get your test!" Maybe he was a tad extreme but I never failed a test in his class in 4 years.

I know exactly what you mean. I was in a regular Geometry class (there was no advanced one) and a handful of us use to cut up in the back because we were bored while the teacher tried to explain it to the dummies. So one day, he told us we were going to take the test right then and there. Only one of us passed it. Usually, he would allow anyone who wanted to, to take a make up test, but because we all failed, he would not allow any of the class to! (at least he was fair in that respect).

I got 107 on the final. Dont need 2 lessons to teach me to sit down and shut up!

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