9 mins read

Boys’ Self-Esteem Problems

Its parent-teacher night at a private middle school in New Jersey. Students have been asked to sit in as teachers inform their parents of their progress. A sixth-grade boy, whose mother asks he be identified as Dan, squirms as his teacher tells his parents hes not trying hard enough in school. He looks away as the teacher directs his parents to a table of projects the class has done on ancient Greek civilization. Some projects are meticulous works of art, with edges burned to resemble old parchment. Dans title page is plain and unillustrated, and hes left an e out of Greek. Youll never get anywhere if you dont try, says Dans father as they leave the classroom. I dont understand, says Dans mother, whose two older daughters got straight As in school without her intervention.