Praise has power. Well-earned and properly given praise has the power to motivate and build confidence, while improperly directed praise can create unhealthy attitudes, provide an inaccurate self-concept, and even make children unwilling to try new or hard things. What we say and how we say it matters.
It is not hard to learn how to offer praise that encourages and motivates, and the first step is learning what makes the difference. “How to Help Children Fulfill their Potential,” this ten-minute video (above) by researcher Carol Dweck, Ph.D., outlines the two different types of praise and their results, and offers suggestions for constructive praise and feedback.
Beyond praise
“The Secret to Raising Smart Kids,” an article by Dweck, covers similar ground at the Scientific American. It approaches the topic from a slightly different angle, and a quote in the synopsis of the article jumped out at me:
Parents and teachers can engender a growth mind-set in children by praising them for their persistence or strategies (rather than for their intelligence), by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning, and by teaching them about the brain as a learning machine.
Essentially, this affirms once again that stories help to shape beliefs (not that anyone is questioning that). Thus we are back to one of the most essential tools of homeschooling — stories of ordinary, imperfect people who have done extraordinary things. Appropriate praise can be one small element that helps children see how to apply the lessons from stories of perseverance, creativity, and courage to their own lives.
Reading (of course)
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Charlotte Mason used Plutarch’s Lives in her schools with good results. You’ll find out more about Mason’s favorite translation of Plutarch’s works and how to use it at Ambleside Online.
Another good source of great stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things is the Landmark biography series, which I enjoyed when I was young (my favorite was Crazy Horse). My boys enjoyed them as well, and we had fun hunting for them in thrift stores and yard sales. Most are written by well-known authors and the out of print hardcover copies are worth seeking. Some have been reprinted as remarkably unpleasant-looking paperbacks, and are available at Amazon. Some are available for e-reader, but please read the “Print or eBook” article and linked articles at Everyday Education before choosing an edition.
At Excellence in Literature, you’ll find two helpful reading lists to get you started with sharing encouraging stories: “Historical Fiction for Young Readers” and “Books Boys Like.” I hope you’ll find these ideas helpful.
The post How to Wisely Praise Children appeared first on Doing What Matters with Janice Campbell.