Posted by sam at July 21st, 2005

LONDON (Reuters) - The word “fail” should be banned from use in British classrooms and replaced with the phrase “deferred success” to avoid demoralizing pupils, a group of teachers has proposed.

Members of the Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) argue that telling pupils they have failed can put them off learning for life.

A spokesman for the group said it wanted to avoid labeling children. “We recognize that children do not necessarily achieve success first time,” he said.

“But I recognize that we can’t just strike a word from the dictionary,” he said.

The PAT said it would debate the proposal at a conference next week.

Children should grow up in a finely tuned bubble.  Nothing negative should ever happen to them.  They should not ever be hurt, disappointed, or except responsibility for their own actions.  All negative aspects of life should be removed.  This is how we create productive adults with realisitc expectations about life.