I regularly help my kids with schoolwork when they need it. What amazes me is how the schools have adapted the way they teach. kids who don't get the answer right on say their math homework, instead of getting the answer wrong, they are given points for "attempting to answer" and for "partially correct" answers. This tells me that they are being told that its ok to not know how to get a correct answer. I see my kids struggle with "NEW MATH", whatever that is. When I sit down and show them how I was taught, they tell me that is so much easier that way....And it is done in far fewer steps! It seems to me that the schools feel the need to CREATE ways to allow failure. I think this goes along with the subject here of critical thinking.
Our kids are being taught that failure is OK as long as you try! That is not always the rule. It goes along the same lines as kids sports, where "everybody wins" and everyone gets a trophy, because they tried! So again they are taught that you don't need to excell because you will win anyways. I want my kids to struggle and lose if necessary, because it will make them try harder. And I want them to get an answer marked wrong if it is wrong, because it will make them learn how to do it the right way, and build the skills they will need later on in life...When kind of knowing how to accomplish something will not be enough.
Critical thinking is something we all need, especially when we draw a weapon in self defense and need to determine weather it is indeed JUSTIFIED!