Talk:Foundations and Assessment of Education/Edition 1/Foundations Table of Contents/Chapter 5/5.2.1

Reader Responses
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Now that I look back I have worked with some students that showed signs of learned helplessness. I didn't know that this is what it is called. I guess to me the work seemed easy, but when the students looked at it, it was just like a foreign language to them. I think some students play learned helplessness, not knowing they are, because even when they know the material they act like they don't know it. I liked this article and I will be looking out for this when I become a teacher.Msmhobbs04 (talk) 21:27, 9 August 2009 (UTC)


 * Learned helplessness can also be considered a series of failures. The students have NOT succeeded in their mind (and probably elsewhere). Glaidator/Superhero efforts are required after a certain age. The trick is to train students as early as possible, 0-7 years being optimal. After that, if students still haven't learned to read, problem solve, overcome problems on their own... then their future successes are temporary, pretty much flat or down hill. I loaned my copy away but the book about Harlem Children Zone is important not for the story, rather anecdotal IMHO, but for the bibliography full of studies of the FAILURES of 'good' programs to do anything for those who were not caught early. Message was/is simple. Get students as early as possible.

--dgd (talk) 21:59, 9 August 2009 (UTC)

Learned helplessness is an important issue that affects both children and adults. It is a matter of self-awareness and correction when you are an adult dealing with this issue. However, children are still in the most important developmental years and need mentoring adults in their lives to avoid feeling that sense of helplessness and failure. They still seek and need approval and reinforcement. In order to avoid learned helplessness, children need to receive effective feedback. Vygotsoky would say they need to work within their zone of proximal development; meaning that each student should have activities that challenge them without frustration. It means providing students with “just right” materials. This is a significant challenge for educators, as they may have 30 students in one class. Nonetheless, this topic is important for future teachers to understand and plan for. The article was a good overview of learned helplessness. Abitt002 (talk) 16:24, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

This article is extremely well written. I really enjoyed the attention getting first paragraph of the introduction. The author then continued to do a good job of keeping the readers interest on such an important topic. All teachers need to be aware of the environment they create and the effects that even the smallest statement can have on a student. I was also happy to see that you included a checklist on how to detect these students and a quiz on how to find out if you are enabling this behavior. Rcoll029 (talk) 18:07, 10 August 2009 (UTC)