Parents want their kids to succeed, but did you know that telling your child that he or she is a smart kid can actually have negative results? Here’s what I learned in six years of teaching about how to help every child understand that their ability to be “smart” is within their control.
During my six years of teaching, I regularly heard kids talk about how they were “smart” or “dumb”, or “good” at reading or “bad” at writing. These sorts of comments always bothered me, because my students often discussed their ability as if it was something that they had no control over–as if you’re just born smart, the way you’re born with brown or blonde hair.
I found myself trying over and over to help my students understand the deeply held belief I have that no one is inherently dumb or smart. Sure, there are natural aptitudes for certain things, but that doesn’t mean we can’t develop skills in other areas. Ultimately, we choose the things that we care about most, we put time and effort into those things, and we get better as we practice.…