A different kind of honor roll
I’ve been told I have an unusual view of school. I never did exceptionally well, unless I enjoyed the subject. It was never about learning. I’m an information junkie and try to learn something new every day. It was always about what I decided I wanted to work hard at, and I know it drove my parents nuts at times.
Now as a parent of elementary and middle school kids, the “do as I say not as I do rule” is a very tempting trap. But as hard as I’ve tried, I can’t stop myself from fighting the system.
The “Honor Roll” bothers me. A lot. To me, it favors being a good student over becoming an expert at something and setting the stage for future success. Get a C? No honor roll for you!
Which means a C might as well be an F.
Two years ago, on the night before the first day of a new school year, I told my kids something that made their eyes pop out: I’m not going to care about grades this year.
After the cheers subsided, I gave them the rest: The value was on effort and attitude, above all else. If I know you work really hard at something and get a C, I’ll treat it like an A+. But if you don’t try (or complain a lot), no honor roll for you.
Our reward system is different, and my kids are way more confident. Throw in extra work involving what they’re good at or just plain love, and watch out.
So I was relieved today when I spotted Scientific American’s new article on raising smart kids. Here’s the short version: “more than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort — not on intelligence or ability — is key to success in school and in life.” (Thanks to GeekDad for the heads up.)
Try it out, and give your kids an extra hug today.
P.S. If you want to read some smart stuff about learning, check out Gannon’s blog. I’ve learned more about learning from Gannon than I could have ever imagined. Gannon is one of the catalysts for Junto 2.0, our little group focused on sharing knowledge.
Posted by corey brown on November 30th, 2007
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