The Dock

An Anabaptist Resource for Teaching and Learning

  • LOGIN / SIGNUP
Log in with FacebookLog in with Google

Register
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
  • Blog
  • Featured Clips
  • Philosophy & Leadership
      • School Administration
      • School Board
      • School Culture
      • School Library
      • Community Relationships
      • Curriculum and Instruction
      • History of Christian Education
      • Philosophy of Education
  • Teaching & Learning
    • Classroom Management
    • Inspiration
    • Learning Disabilities
    • Literacy
    • Project Based Learning (PBL)
    • Recommended Resources
    • Standardized Testing
    • Strategies and Techniques
    • Student Motivation
    • Teacher Development
    • Technology
  • School Subjects
    • Art

      • Art
      • Music
    • Bible and Christian Thought

      • Bible Study
      • Doctrine
      • Ethics
      • Worldviews
      • Service
    • Social Studies

      • American History
      • Anabaptist History
      • Church History
      • World History
      • Geography
    • Language & Literature

      • English
      • Reading & Literature
      • Language Arts
      • Writing
      • Vocabulary
      • Foreign Language & ESL
    • Math & Science

      • Math
      • Science
      • Chemistry
      • Earth Sciences
      • Life Sciences
      • Physics
    • Electives & Health

      • Physical Education
      • Electives
      • Business
      • Apps and Programs
      • Technology Literacy
      • Special Events
  • Forums
  • Events
    • All Events
    • Submit an Event To Be Posted
  • Classifieds
    • Teachers Wanted
    • Teachers Seeking Schools
    • School Supplies
    • Submit a Classified
  • Contribute

The Collapse of Parenting

Home › Forums › Suggested Reading Material › The Collapse of Parenting

This topic contains 0 replies, has 1 voice, and was last updated by  Jonas Sauder 1 week, 1 day ago.

  • Author
    Posts
  • February 7, 2019 at 11:00 AM #55361

    Jonas Sauder
    Moderator
    @jonas

    The subtitle of Leonard Sax’s 2016 Collapse of Parenting is “How We Hurt our Kids When We Treat Them Like Grown-Ups.”
    While Sax’s book is directed to parents, many of his comments apply to teachers as well, especially teachers of lower grades. It’s worth reading in its entirety. Several highlights…
    a. On pp18,19 he notes that we live in a culture in which the authority (and the importance) of parents has declined not only in the eyes of children but also in the eyes of parents themselves. Parents suffer from “role confusion.”
    b. In directing routine life (think classroom) activities, Command; don’t ask. The mere fact that the one in authority feels compelled to rationalize or negotiate about what must be done undermines authority and cultivates disrespect. Explanation is fine, but don’t let it slide into negotiation, Pp 69,70.
    c. Part of our job is to
    educate desire–not allowing the child to merely do “what feels good,” p. 109.
    d. Virtues (such as self-control) must be taught, and it’s best done by requiring virtuous behavior. Behavior becomes identity, p. 131, 133. ( A common, but erroneous assumption is that if right/wrong are explained and child is given choice of which to do, he’ll choose the right.)
    e. The route to personal fulfillment in life is not the fulfillment of one’s desires. “That career and economic success can give fulfillment is a central illusion of our time,” p.193.
    Teachers can find helpful suggestions on the author’s website; Leonardsax.com.
    (Note: Reference to this site doesn’t endorse everything on the site.)
    Three take-aways from Sax’s book I’d personally highlight are…
    1. Use the imperative mood freely and routinely when directing the activities of children.
    2. Teach and require virtues such as kindness and patience; don’t expect students’ response to questions such as “How would you feel if…?” to be sufficient to guide their behavior and develop their character.
    3. Teach children to value struggle and develop grit.
    I leave you with a couple questions to consider. What do you have to say in reply? Feel free to share your insights.
    A. Do any of Sax’s comments resonate with what you experience?
    B. Do you observe people (including yourself?) hesitant to give simple, direct commands to children/students?
    C.Sax suggests that the growing “culture of disrespect” for parents/adults or the past is not so much an adversarial disrespect as a “not taking adults seriously” disrespect. How do we command respect and teach virtues?

    • This topic was modified 1 week, 1 day ago by  Jonas Sauder.
  • Author
    Posts

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Pass it on:

Start a discussion in one of these forums…

  • General Announcements
  • School Administration
  • School Board
  • Suggested Reading Material
  • Teaching the Subjects
  • General Discussion

Get a daily forum digest.

Digests will be sent on days when there is new activity in the forums.

*required



You can also subscribe/unsubscribe to individual forums and topics by visiting those forums and topics and clicking subscribe/unsubscribe.

To subscribe to our weekly update that includes new blog posts and videos, click here.

Welcome!

Log In
Log in with FacebookLog in with Google
Desk from Skippack School The Dock is conceived to serve schools in the spirit of Christopher Dock, the devoted teacher who authored a warmly practical teacher's manual in colonial America. Read more...

The Dock List: a Podcast

Listen and follow on the platform of your choice.

Subscribe on iTunes
Follow on Spotify
Subscribe on Google Play

OTHER HELPFUL SITES

Christian Light Education
Christian Learning Resource
Faith Builders Educational Programs
Sharon Mennonite Bible Institute
Contribute banner
2018® THE DOCK | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.              
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Contact Us
  • Leave Feedback
  • Privacy

  • Home
  • Leave Feedback
  • Blog
  • Featured Clips
  • Philosophy & Leadership
    ▼
    • School Administration
    • School Board
    • School Culture
    • Community Relationships
    • Curriculum and Instruction
    • History of Christian Education
    • Philosophy of Education
  • Teaching & Learning
    ▼
    • Classroom Management
    • Inspiration
    • Learning Disabilities
    • Literacy
    • Project Based Learning (PBL)
    • Recommended Resources
    • Standardized Testing
    • Strategies and Techniques
    • Student Motivation
    • Teacher Development
    • Technology
  • School Subjects
    ▼
    • Art
    • Music
    • Bible Study
    • Doctrine
    • Ethics
    • Worldviews
    • Service
    • American History
    • Anabaptist History
    • World History
    • Geography
    • English
    • Language Arts
    • Reading & Literature
    • Writing
    • Foreign Language & ESL
    • Math
    • Science
    • Earth Sciences
    • Life Sciences
    • Physics
    • Physical Education
    • Electives
    • Apps and Programs
  • Forums
  • Events
  • Classified Listings
    ▼
    • Teachers Wanted
    • Teachers Seeking Schools
    • School Supplies
    • Submit a Classified
  • Log In
  • Contribute
  • About
X