Lesson 1.2 The Power of Words
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As a teacher, what you say and do matters. How you speak to your students, how you discipline, praise and educate has the potential to mold a child into who they will someday become. I push my own students to not fear failure, to embrace creativity, to educate themselves beyond the classroom, and to most importantly believe in their own abilities to succeed through hard work, dedication, and drive. I want my students to embrace a growth mindset, which according to psychologist Carol Dweck, is a belief that “smartness increases with hard work, whereas those with a fixed mindset believe that you can learn things but you can’t change your basic level of intelligence” (Boaler, p. ix). They need to know that they have control over their own lives, and that success will come to those willing to put in the time and energy to turn their own dreams into reality. I had no idea that by changing a few words in praising a student could have either a positive or negative effect on that child. Dweck’s research shows that in general, students praised for being smart, chose easier tasks, and feared failure compared to those praised for working hard, who chose to use their struggles and failures as an incentive to work even harder.
Watch this video on the importance of praising for effort over intelligence:
From this video, hopefully you see the power your words have on students. Please post a phrase or two on our class padlet wall that you will use in the future to ensure your students develop a growth mindset. If you cannot think of a phrase then post about a time when you have experienced or witnessed the negative impact of being praised for "being smart".
Proceed to Next Lesson:
Lesson 1.3 The Value of Challenges