I’ve encountered MANY kids that were discouraged by others success. Hang out on the poor side of town, that’s where you encounter a lot of kids that have a solid laundry list of what they’ll never be good enough for. Often times the parents are part of the problem, poor side of town parent also tend to have a laundry list of things they couldn’t achieve and their kids won’t achieve. Highly varnished success gives very different messages to people who see opportunities in life than to people who see obstacles. A little flaw goes a long way to breaking the “well they’re just better than me” view.
And anyway, it’s the truth. In the end the truth is always the right answer.
Your last post is all the things I hate about public school. I feel that the schools receive those kids bright eyed and eager to learn as kindergartners and by the time they are in 3rd grade many are closed off and discouraged.
I don’t fault you for looking for solutions that you think would work. Its a heartbreaking situation because so much is lost personally & by society. Returning control locally and allowing vouchers would empower the parents who would be more hopeful if they had more input and could see their children thriving. Voucher schools would also tend to pool children whose parents were engaged and who were ready to learn.
Children who do not have as much home support & perhaps already have issues functioning in a school environment would be able to get more specialized attention as well and intervention to open up their potential futures. Its a lot more complex than self esteem. These kids also need role models that have had beginnings in similar circumstances with compelling stories and successes. They need to be engaged in possible futures.