Archive for the ‘Celebrate Excellence’ Category
Here in the state of Arizona we have what is called the AIMS test. This is suppose to be an indicator of a certain level of education that all high school seniors must pass to graduate high school.
Well, during the first few years of the “trial” phase there was such a high level of failure that the state had to make a decision if it was to enforce the testing for graduation.
They had the choice to either hold the teachers responsible for teaching this material in a way that the students learned and retained the information or…
You guessed it… make the test easier!
When did we, as a nation, give up expecting Excellence as the standard?
Why are we so afraid to hold the parents, teachers and students accountable? Is is so much to ask a mother or father to sit with their child once and a while to support them in the educational process?
Now don’t get me wrong. I love teachers! And like many professions there are a lot of worthy, loving and giving educators. However, let’s not kid ourselves either. There are plenty that only show up because they get paid to be there.
I recall my high school history class. My teacher never taught one thing. I’m not kidding. Our grade was determined on a particular number of accumulated points. Each quarter he would pass out a packet of papers listing what we could write about to earn anywhere from 5 to 20 points. Depending on how many papers we turned in dictated whether we passed or not. Not once did he ever stand up and instruct.
How is this acceptable?
Mediocraty has become the norm because it is easiest to accomplish. No one will judge you for living BIG. In fact, many won’t even notice you. But what kind of existence it that? Why would anyone want to be remembered for not being remembered?
Make this you year or significance. Go after your dreams with a vengence. Leave those behind that don’t want to run fast with you. You’ll catch up to someone else further up.
Make this your best year ever.
Mediocrity tends to be given a rather unfair treatment by the intellectuals. I think that mediocrity is something laudable, at least in politics, because it ensures a weak state and a free people. The demands of excellence in politics on the part on socialist theorists, have lead to totalitarian dictatorships. Should we Celebrate mediocrity as the highest virtue?.
It is possible to (it has been done before: the Renaissance) use antiquity to move forward. This requires excellence in the form of scholarship and innovative/imaginative reasoning, which is not likely to take place within the public sphere. And it is within the public sphere that your mediocrity becomes laudable, deemed worthy of celebration, promotion, ect. Deeds viewed as excellent in the public sphere are sure to mark the excellent man for immediate marginalization. There is no place for a visibly excellent man in modernity, except in private study and contemplation. To participate in the public sphere this man must cloak his Excellence.
For the "We" there is only what is known, familiar, and conventional — easily converted into a image for consumption by the masses. This visible image of "what is" has not been significantly altered since the Enlightenment philosophers were able to "undo" the aristocratic monopoly on virtue. That the image of virtue persisted is no surprise. Not surprising, either, is how easily the image was appropriated by the solid, always striving, profit oriented, merchant classes.
For the "I" that can strive past the "We"… a vast and barely conceivable treasure.
example: preschool graduation
children do finish preschool, they do learn to tie their shoes, and they (eventually) go pee pee in the potty. all these events are great – but don’t necessarily deserve a trip to the toy store.
I love and believe in my children whether they succeed or not – I always will. but they succeed and meet their milestones because they are individuals who believe in themselves, not because they are getting praise or a sticker.
(The greater danger is not that your hopes are too high and you fail to reach them; but that they are too low and you do).
-Michelangelo
I don’t think it does. So many children are not held accountable for their behavior. As a society we are so worried about hurting a child’s self esteem that we don’t let them fail. If we went back to children winning and losing at games and having hurt feelings then they would be motivated to do better. That is what encourages Excellence.