On the other hand, children who were praised
for their effort instead of the outcome, showed
more interest in learning, demonstrated greater
persistence and more enjoyment, and attributed
their failure to lack of effort, something they could
control. They worked harder, sought new challenges
and ultimately performed better in subsequent
achievement activities.
Furthermore, research has also found that
students who were lavished with praise were more
cautious in their responses to questions, had less
confidence in their answers, and were less willing
to share their ideas.
So when and why does praise go wrong? And what
are some alternative ways to support our kids?
Positive encouragement isn’t a bad thing after all.
In order to figure out what works and what doesn’t,
let’s first start with the purpose of praise. The sole
purpose in praising our children is to reinforce
positive behaviors that produce positive outcomes.
Generic and over-inflated praise like, “Great job,”
or “You’re amazing,” fail to do this. Such empty
praise provides no directional guidance and only
works to debilitate. When it comes to praising our
children, how we encourage matters a great deal.
Here are some tips.
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