Digest #166: Perfectionism in Education
By Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel
(Cover photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels)
“Perfection is the opposite of done!” I came across this statement recently and it made me think about how perfectionism really affects one’s work and studying. Growing up, I always thought of perfectionism as a good thing, as something to aspire to. However, more recently I am questioning this thought. It adds unnecessary pressure that it difficult to live up to and sustain. I see that many issues that my students are experiencing can be traced back to perfectionism. To incredibly high goals and standards that are impossible to achieve and that makes your work not being “good enough” – when it actually is. The consequences of high perfectionism can be manifold and in today’s digest, I’d like to offer an overview of resources on perfectionism in education.
1. Perfection paralysis, Hidden Curriculum resources from educators across Ontario, Canada
This resource provides a good introduction into the topic of perfectionism and its consequences. It also comes with practical teaching resources on how to shift the students’ views on perfectionism and embracing the idea that imperfection leads to error correction and learning.
2. Perfectionism can harm even the most talented student – but schools can make a difference, Dr Andrew P. Hill for The Conversation
An article on perfectionism in highly able students and the specific challenges that come with that; plus, what schools can do to support these students. The author also put together a video that nicely complements the article and more resources can be found on the National Association for Able Children in Education (NACE) website.
3. Perfectionism Among Young People Significantly Increased Since 1980s, Study Finds, American Psychological Association
This is the summary of a published paper that looked at how perfectionism changed over the course of years – between 1989 and 2016. Awareness of this trend is the first step towards changing the narrative.
4. The dangerous downsides of perfectionism, Amanda Ruggeri (@amanda_ruggeri) for BBC Future
This one is a longer read, but it highlights the many facets of perfectionism looking at different published research. It discusses where perfectionism may stem from and will provide you with a better understanding of the topic.
5. Combatting perfectionism in the chemistry classroom, Louise Hussein for Education in Chemistry
This resource provides many tips on how to support students and tweak one’s teaching practice to help them overcome the negative effects of perfectionism.
From time to time, we pick a theme and provide a curated list of links. If you have a theme suggestion, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Occasionally we publish a guest digest, and If you'd like to propose a guest digest click here. Our 5 most recent digests can be found here:
Digest #161: Guide to Effective Presentations
Digest #162: Teaching Water Safety
Digest #163: LGBTQ-Inclusive Education
