Fostering an Ethic of Excellence by Ron Berger

Fostering an Ethic of Excellence, an article by Ron Berger, was a transformational reading for me. Very often being in a classroom makes me wonder about how happy and motivated children are to do their work. Are they doing the work because they are told to and to get a grade or are they doing the work because they see a bigger picture and their work is being respected by themselves and by others?

What struck me was the idea of culture of excellence and how the five practices of creating and sustaining the culture of excellence transform the students, their attitudes, relationships and their perception of themselves. “When students enter a culture of excellence, they work to fit in.” When they know that in order to fit in, working hard, creating quality work and respecting others is expected, they will strive to do that. I also love the notion that schools need to make a conscious effort in shaping their cultures where it is safe and cool to care about work and others. Culture does not just happen by itself, it must be cultivated and nurtured and being actively practiced in school by all school staff in order for the children to do the same.

Another important point is creating a culture of positive peer critique that in itself cultivates a safe and supporting environment for students learning. One of the biggest fears of students is losing face in front of his/her peers. This fear paralyzes. “Playing cool and not caring” is a child’s protective gear. By putting a child in the position when his/her work is being Kindly critiqued by other students, creates the feeling that there is nothing else to fear. I have already been critiqued and I know what to do to improve my work before the next time.

Viktoriia Simakova