Teaching the Perfectionist

What would a perfectionist do without an eraser to fix a mistake? More than likely, he or she would throw the paper away and start all over again. To the perfectionist, everything must be perfect, or it is not good enough. This is a trait often found in gifted children and adults.

Perfectionists face many challenges. They often have a hard time managing time because they constantly feel like something has to be done before they can move on to the next thing. This leads to a lot of last-minute cramming sessions. The perfectionist takes charge of most situations because he or she wants to be sure that it is done right. Sometimes by taking control, the perfectionist over commits and begins to feel overwhelmed. Although often critical of others, it is very difficult for a perfectionist to accept criticism from others. This can cause friction between classmates or (for adults) co-workers.

What can teachers do to help these students? Many do not understand what they are feeling or why. Collaborating with the counselor to provide lessons on perfectionism is key. Students will feel validated and understood. It would be beneficial to provide this information to parents as well because this type of behavior does not stop after the last bell rings. Students, teachers, and parents can also begin to learn strategies that can help alleviate the stress all of them may experience.

One strategy that can aid a perfectionist is time-management. Often students do not turn in work because they spend a great deal of time re-doing it or analyzing how to approach it to get the best grade. Time-management will help the students set reasonable goals. Teachers and students can work collaboratively to set and monitor these goals. What follows are more activities to help students manage their time, and deal with the need for perfection.

Ways to Manage Time Wisely:

Time Management

This lesson contains numerous websites that students can explore. Each site aids them in understanding time management and offers strategies that they can use. The lesson also contains helpful hints that teachers can provide students.

Great Expectations

This lessons teaches students how to prioritize with a hands-on activity. Students must juggle several Nerf balls in the air to represent how they feel when they try to keep everything going, but eventually must decide what to juggle. Students are provided with strategies for managing stress and self-imposed expectations.

The Day I Figured Out No One Was Perfect

For students not familiar with the terms “perfection” or “perfectionist”, this is a great opening lesson. It contains a story about a girl that did not understand what perfection meant and how she came to learn the meaning. This would be great for lower elementary grades.