Praise
If people have such potential to achieve, then how do we gain faith in their potential?
This is where praise plays a valuable role.
The problem with praise
Praise is a wonderful tool to motivate and encourage children to take on new challenges when you used correctly.
Children often hear phrases like "you're an advanced reader!", "you're great at maths!" or "you're a natural at sport!". These phrases reinforce to children that what they can do is linked with who they are and what people like about them. So a child who is ahead of their friends in reading becomes "the bright child" and receives praise and pride for this feat. But what happens when that child meets another child who is better at reading than them? Or if they sit a test and don't come first?
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This creates a big problem for children. Attempting to attack and conquer the challenge means risking looking less intelligent or how they might deal with the embarrassment of not being as good at something as everyone thinks they are. ​Should they continue to risk effort and perform at the level they feel everyone expects of them? What if they fail? What will people think of them? Will they still like or love them? It is a scary place to be and many children run from this situation and refuse to even attempt something they might not initially succeed at.
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Process praise is not just about effort
Praise done right
Current research shows us that when we praise children's effort and processes we can have a positive impact on the child's willingness and openness to meeting new challenges. Praising done right has proven to encourage and motivate children to build resilience and overcome challenges. Carol Dweck completed a study where children were praised on either product or process to solve complex problems. The product praise group didn't want to try and solve more complex problems. But 90% of the children who received process praise wanted more complex problems to try and solve.
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Praise the process
not the product
When your child is looking for praise, remember to praise the process - not the end product, it helps children to break down the tasks and see what actions helped them to accomplish their goal. It also helps them to think about what more they can do and how they can continue to grow using that process that they received praise for.
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They then have the chance to apply that process to other opportunities in their life and learning. This kind of praise is extremely effective in encouraging children to be motivated and enthusiastic about challenges they face everyday!