STORM2K

LONDON, England (Reuters) - The word "fail" should be banned from use in British classrooms and replaced with the phrase "deferred success" to avoid demoralizing pupils, a group of teachers has proposed.

Members of the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) argue that telling pupils they have failed can put them off learning for life.

A spokesman for the group said it wanted to avoid labeling children. "We recognize that children do not necessarily achieve success first time," he said.

"But I recognize that we can't just strike a word from the dictionary," he said.

The PAT said it would debate the proposal at a conference next week.

As we used to say, "D doesn't mean Dandy."

Ya, and we don't want to stigmatize the teachers either. They're all about reducing their own accountability.

We dont want teachers to lose any credability

Of all the stupidest terms I've heard in my life, "deferred success" takes the cake.

Here's a novel concept: how about we stop worrying about how the child feels about a term and start teaching them? If the adults stop focusing on the inane minutia, so will the kids - and their brains will finally be freed up to learn a few big words and some math facts.

I'm so happy I home educate my children. I simply don't have the time nor energy to continually fight this PC-fueled ignorance in the "traditional" education system.

*Edited to include 2 points my teen just pointed out: 1. The children wouldn't know what the word "deferred" meant; and 2. PAT is defeating its own purpose because they're still labeling kids.

Stick with failed, because theachers will lose credibility

no matter what they do, children will struggle. Children now-a-days have way too much on their minds to pay attention in school... and if the kids don't pay attention in school, then their labeled with ADD or ADHD... children these days come from the 'daycare generation' both parents are working. There is a lack of discipline in the schools. Children know that they can get away with things so they will do what they can and when they want.

Hey, Shannon! Your avatar is like my coaster set from Nawlins!!

pojo wrote:Children know that they can get away with things so they will do what they can and when they want.

A lot of that is the parents' fault. When I was in school, the parents asked "What did my child do?" Today, they ask "What did that teacher do to my kid?" Districts are threatened with lawsuits, so they just take a hands-off approach. I sometimes think that I got out of high school just in time.

Reminds me of a teacher we had that did not use the word "failed"!!!!She said it was less stress on the kids.
All I know was if I had a "F" on my report card I got the BELT on my butt and it hurt so bad that I sit down for 3days!!!!!

coriolis wrote:Ya, and we don't want to stigmatize the teachers either. They're all about reducing their own accountability.

That kind of blanket declaration is quite insensitive. As a high school teacher I can assure you that I am not about reducing my accountabliltity. However, the current system at least in La. is out of control. If I hold students to my highest standards then I have a high number of failures. If that happens then I am called into the office to find out what I am doing wrong and I am blamed for the high failure rate. If on the other hand I do not maintain high expectations many students are not ready for college, exit tests, etc. In that case I am called into the office and asked why I have not held students to high standards. I am sorry but you can't have it both ways. Either I hold high expectations and demand high performance from my students or I do not. The current system has teachers caught in a Catch 22 and the bleeding hearts at the top do not want to hear the truth about today's students and the problems that they bring to the classroom. It is very difficult to be held "accountable" for student outcomes when they refuse to complete homework, classwork, study for tests, bring materials to class, behave in class etc. The above is not a blanket to cover all of my students but many of them do fit the above description. I challenge anyone to give my school a try for a few days and then come in and bash teachers.
TIm

lsu2001 wrote:

coriolis wrote:Ya, and we don't want to stigmatize the teachers either. They're all about reducing their own accountability.

That kind of blanket declaration is quite insensitive. As a high school teacher I can assure you that I am not about reducing my accountabliltity. However, the current system at least in La. is out of control. If I hold students to my highest standards then I have a high number of failures. If that happens then I am called into the office to find out what I am doing wrong and I am blamed for the high failure rate. If on the other hand I do not maintain high expectations many students are not ready for college, exit tests, etc. In that case I am called into the office and asked why I have not held students to high standards. I am sorry but you can't have it both ways. Either I hold high expectations and demand high performance from my students or I do not. The current system has teachers caught in a Catch 22 and the bleeding hearts at the top do not want to hear the truth about today's students and the problems that they bring to the classroom. It is very difficult to be held "accountable" for student outcomes when they refuse to complete homework, classwork, study for tests, bring materials to class, behave in class etc. The above is not a blanket to cover all of my students but many of them do fit the above description. I challenge anyone to give my school a try for a few days and then come in and bash teachers.
TIm

A lot of people here like to thank the soldiers in Iraq (which they should). But I think everyone owes you and public school teachers everywhere at least as much thanks, if not more. There is simply an unconscionable number of kids who are barely ready for high school, let alone college. Some parents don't want to take any responsibility, the school districts are afraid of pissing off the parents, the media is hungry for blood, and the teachers' hands are tied.

I work in education, too, but not as a teacher. But you don't have to be to see the problems.