teaching/parenting and praise
I am in much agreement with this article (thank you whittles. I think it is perhaps part of the secret to why my gym kids made me a favorite even though I was more critical than any of the other teachers, and part of why I feel like I coaxed them into so much confidence and self evaluation.
I really believe in constantly challenging a child and both evaluating them and encouraging them to evaluate themselves. The trick is also making sure to give specific praise, while constantly adding on new goals. Not to make it impossible to please though- show how proud you are each step, just keep giving new challenges and pointing out ways to improve as you congratulate the successes.
Nice to have research on it though.
Article goes into general praise of a supposed "innate ability" vs. praise for effort. Some discussion of specific praise, but makes the point (with research) that kids get afraid to risk looking bad if you are praising an "innate" ability ("you're smart"), whereas they will continue to challenge themselves and enjoy challenging themselves if you praise their effort and focus on constant improvement as a goal.
Also I like this article/research because... I have gotten criticism from parents, even other teachers for "expecting too much from kids". They want me to praise constantly and indiscriminantly. What I feel like I do is praise real effort, and when a kid hits a new level, succeeds at a new thing (even part of a thing, like finally getting their toes pointed on a technique), is concentrating more, etc. I praise specifically often, but I also add tons of things like "okay, you got the toes pointed this time, awesome. Next time I want to see you come into the vault like this instead of that. See how that position works better?" They get it. Their parents and even some of theother teachers don't give them credit for being able to handle that.
But when they get something, they're proud, and they try hard almost all the time (I do give slack when someone's just having a rotten day). They know they can trust my praise, because I always mean it. They know that my criticism will help them do better. And they know that they can always learn to do better.
I get frustrated by parents and teachers who decide their kid is good at something and not at something else. They imprint it on the kid, and the kid often stops trying in both cases. The ones who think they're innately great at something don't try and improve and need to get over that first, and the ones who are told they are bad at it need extra coaxing to try. *sigh*.
I miss teaching gym more often.
I really believe in constantly challenging a child and both evaluating them and encouraging them to evaluate themselves. The trick is also making sure to give specific praise, while constantly adding on new goals. Not to make it impossible to please though- show how proud you are each step, just keep giving new challenges and pointing out ways to improve as you congratulate the successes.
Nice to have research on it though.
Article goes into general praise of a supposed "innate ability" vs. praise for effort. Some discussion of specific praise, but makes the point (with research) that kids get afraid to risk looking bad if you are praising an "innate" ability ("you're smart"), whereas they will continue to challenge themselves and enjoy challenging themselves if you praise their effort and focus on constant improvement as a goal.
Also I like this article/research because... I have gotten criticism from parents, even other teachers for "expecting too much from kids". They want me to praise constantly and indiscriminantly. What I feel like I do is praise real effort, and when a kid hits a new level, succeeds at a new thing (even part of a thing, like finally getting their toes pointed on a technique), is concentrating more, etc. I praise specifically often, but I also add tons of things like "okay, you got the toes pointed this time, awesome. Next time I want to see you come into the vault like this instead of that. See how that position works better?" They get it. Their parents and even some of theother teachers don't give them credit for being able to handle that.
But when they get something, they're proud, and they try hard almost all the time (I do give slack when someone's just having a rotten day). They know they can trust my praise, because I always mean it. They know that my criticism will help them do better. And they know that they can always learn to do better.
I get frustrated by parents and teachers who decide their kid is good at something and not at something else. They imprint it on the kid, and the kid often stops trying in both cases. The ones who think they're innately great at something don't try and improve and need to get over that first, and the ones who are told they are bad at it need extra coaxing to try. *sigh*.
I miss teaching gym more often.