Principles for Parents of Educated
Children (part 2):
The “D” Word
By Brett King, RMCA Headmaster
I can still remember the refreshingly honest comments
of some of my treasured elementary teachers. Their thoughts came up
in parent-teacher
conferences. They appeared on report cards. And in those moments
of desperation when I wasn’t doing just what they had asked,
their words rang in my ears. What is still amazing to me is that
their evaluation of my learning was so consistent…and so accurate.
Was it a conspiracy? Did they all get together to plan my fate? Or
worse, were they talking to my mom?
What were their comments, you might wonder? Well
let’s just
say there was a consistent theme about a lack of motivation to complete
work. Put simply, they determined that I was lazy. How right they were!
And the sad fact of the matter is that as a result of my laziness,
it took years of extra discipline to catch up in school.
Principle #4: Learning requires “D”iscipline, and discipline
requires values. This 4th concept on our list of ten principles for
parents of educated children is one that plays a far more important
role than we might realize. This is why I was intrigued by an article
that recently appeared in the Washington Post:
“Self-Discipline May Beat Smarts as Key to
Success.”
This article referenced an innovative study conducted
by University of Pennsylvania researchers. They concluded that one
of the key reasons
for students falling short of their intellectual potential may be their
failure to exercise self-discipline. Interestingly, the results of
the study revealed that “highly self-disciplined adolescents
outperformed their more impulsive peers on every academic performance
variable, including report card grades, standardized achievement test
scores, admission to a competitive high school, and attendance.”
The fact that self-discipline makes a difference comes
as no surprise. Most any worthwhile achievement is preceded by a season
of disciplined
work. Athletes must train vigorously and often uncomfortably. Musicians
experience the monotony of hours spent in the practice room. And
entrepreneurs demonstrate relentless dedication to get their ideas
off the ground. When those successful athletes, musicians, or entrepreneurs
are asked if those times of hard work were always fun, the answer
is usually a resounding no!
Hard work is not usually fun. But hard work is
worthwhile. The satisfaction experienced by true success is rarely
achieved without it. This is
why I often wonder about the phrase I hear so often, “Did you
have fun in school today?” However, it seems to me that a better
question might be, "What did you learn as a result of your effort
today?” That effort may be as simple as paying attention or completing
an assignment. When students begin to realize the connection between
pain and gain, effort and reward, they have learned one of life’s
most valuable lessons.
This is a lesson I did not learn until my teens
(not that I hadn’t
been warned by my elementary teachers), and it is a lesson that is
clear in Scripture. Proverbs reminds us that “Lazy hands make
a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” So the next time
you hear your student complain that they have to work hard to learn
well, just remember that exercising a bit of self-discipline might
just help them achieve greater success in school…and life.
