Tiger Mother in the Classroom

 

“My pappy taught me to work hard, but he never taught me to like it.” Abraham Lincoln

Books on tape (or CD) are my favorite technological invention. I listened to Amy Chua’s bestseller, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, on my commute. (See a summary and balanced review here. See a negative, snarling review of the book here)

I think both of the above reviewers miss the essence of the book. Children don’t want to work hard if left to their own devices. Parents and teachers must give children a stomach for hard work and assist them in developing persistence and an ability to weather setbacks. Only then can success and enjoyment begin.

Teaching differs little from parenting. Outside of AP classes, not many high school sophomores want to work hard. Even fewer want to work hard reading history. Fewer still want to study the World History standards mandated by California professors. These standards include Plato and Aristotle, the English Bill of Rights, the French Revolution, and British Industrialization. That’s only part of the curriculum for the first semester.

Good innovative high school history teachers employ partnering, group activities, simulations, debates, and technology. We work hard to keep students engaged in material that isn’t engaging on its own. We’ll do whatever it takes. If they don’t do the work offending students are punished with lectures about what it takes to succeed, remediation sessions, and, of course, poor grades. We will train you to work hard. Like Abe Lincoln’s pappy, we don’t care if you like it or not.

When these kids have matriculated they have a sharper focus on what they want to pursue in life, and some decide to get a college degree. The first two years as an undergraduate are, again, filled with university and major requirements, many not to the student’s liking. The minority that get through those first two years and attempt upper division college work finally explore courses of interest. That’s a lot of years in school satisfying others' requirements, about 15 years, before a student gets to follow his or her bliss. Let’s hope that someone has taught these kids the art of persistence somewhere along the way.