I recently read a fantastic article in New York Magazine called The Inverse Power of Praise, by Po Bronson, which I found very interesting.
I'll share some of the highlights:
-Self awareness of being smart doesn't always translate into confidence with schoolwork. In fact, the opposite is often true. Children who are recognized and rewarded for simply being smart, often are reluctant to try new things that don't come easily.
-Why does the child who is measurably at the top of the charts, lack confidence about his/her ability to tackle new challenges? Research has shown that a large percentage of gifted students severely underestimate their own abilities. This may be due in part to the type of praise which is given to children.
-In a clinical study conducted by Carol Dweck of Colombia University, children who were praised for being "smart" at something, performed lower than children who were praised for their effort.
-According to Dweck, "emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control. They come to see themselves as in control of their success. Emphasizing natural intelligence takes it out of the child's control, and it provides no good recipe for responding to a failure."
I'll share some of the highlights:
-Self awareness of being smart doesn't always translate into confidence with schoolwork. In fact, the opposite is often true. Children who are recognized and rewarded for simply being smart, often are reluctant to try new things that don't come easily.
-Why does the child who is measurably at the top of the charts, lack confidence about his/her ability to tackle new challenges? Research has shown that a large percentage of gifted students severely underestimate their own abilities. This may be due in part to the type of praise which is given to children.
-In a clinical study conducted by Carol Dweck of Colombia University, children who were praised for being "smart" at something, performed lower than children who were praised for their effort.
-According to Dweck, "emphasizing effort gives a child a variable that they can control. They come to see themselves as in control of their success. Emphasizing natural intelligence takes it out of the child's control, and it provides no good recipe for responding to a failure."