Publisher's Synopsis
A scathing critique of the self-esteem movement in American public education, complete with practical solutions to counter its ill effects.. }The so-called self-esteem movementa progressive, child-centered, discovery model of schoolinghas transformed schools into therapeutic clinics and teachers into counselors, creating a generation of righteous, entitled, underachieving children. An insiders account of the pernicious aspects of this seemingly well-meaning movement, The Feel-Good Curriculum provides devastating evidence that our belief in the power and importance of self-esteem in education is misplaced and without basis.Avoiding political posturing and political correctness, The Feel-Good Curriculum identifies the four specific effects of self-esteems stranglehold on our schoolsnarcissism, emotivism, separatism, and cynicism. It prescribes clear antidotes to themempathy, rationality and morality, connectedness, and skepticismand offers a hopeful view of educational philosophy for the next millennium.;Professor Stout urges us to replace our coddling, indulgent approach to building self-esteem in children with a sense of authentic self-confidence developed from intellectual, physical, and moral effort and achievement. }
