Dual Lessons in Education
- Every educational curriculum teaches two things simultaneously: the subject matter and what kind of self feels safe while learning, with the latter often going unacknowledged 10s.
- The experience of being homeschooled for 12 years, with classrooms ranging from the Gobi Desert to museums, and then attending a top international school in Shenzhen, has provided a unique perspective on different learning environments 1m42s.
- Researchers like Carol Dweck have found that praising students for being "smart" can make them more fragile under difficulty, while praising effort can make them more resilient, and studies have shown that social and emotional learning alongside academics can improve academic achievements 4m6s.
Personal Experiences and the Impact of Praise
- A personal experience of having an essay recognized at school led to feelings of watchfulness and concern about how classmates might react, rather than pride, highlighting the potential complications of praise 6m28s.
- A listening project was initiated, where 119 students from grade 7 to grade 12 were asked anonymous questions about praise, belonging, and being seen, revealing that many felt pressure or motivation mixed with praise, and often avoided raising their hands due to fear of comparison or being wrong 9m19s.
Understanding the Signal of Praise
- The listening project helped identify four signals, with the first one being praise, which is not just about the student being praised, but also serves as information for everyone else in the room, influencing their behavior and feelings 11m49s.
- Students often receive signals from their environment that can affect their learning and development, such as praise, which can sometimes make a child feel more careful and watched, rather than feeling happy and free, 10s.
The Signal of Comparison
- Comparison is another signal that can impact students, making them feel like a "damaged product" and causing them to focus on beating others rather than learning for themselves, as evident in the concept of "Biérenjiā de Háizi", or the other family's child, in China, 2m6s.
The Signal of Belonging
- The signal of belonging is also crucial, as a child who feels safe and secure is more likely to take risks, ask questions, and try new things, whereas a child who feels dependent on their performance may become quieter and less motivated, 4m42s.
The Signal of Risk
- The risk signal is another important factor, as the cost of being wrong or making mistakes can be too high for some students, causing them to stop trying and simply manage their exposure, rather than fully learning and exploring, 6m15s.
The Lasting Impact of the Four Signals
- These four signals - praise, comparison, belonging, and risk - are not typically measured on report cards, but they can have a lasting impact on a child's development and can be carried into adulthood, influencing their behavior and decision-making in various contexts, 8m30s.
Creating Positive Change in Education
- To create positive change, teachers, parents, and students can start by making small adjustments, such as praising the movement of a student's thinking, asking about a child's inner experience, and distinguishing between adapting to an environment and becoming oneself, 12m0s.
- Adaptation is essential for survival, but becoming oneself is a distinct process that involves more than just recognition, as seen in the example of a name on the wall, which can evoke feelings of being seen and understood 10s.
The Dual Nature of Educational Environments
- Every educational environment, including schools and homes, teaches two primary lessons simultaneously: the subject matter being learned and the type of self that feels safe while learning, with the latter shaping the individual who emerges from that environment 42s.
- The first lesson, which is the subject matter, is typically measured and evaluated, whereas the second lesson, which is about the type of self that feels safe, is not always explicitly assessed, yet it has a profound impact on the person's development and ability to exist under judgment 1m6s.
- Schools not only provide academic instruction but also teach individuals how to navigate and exist in a state of being judged, a skill that extends beyond the educational setting and into everyday life, long after the formal learning period has ended 2m6s.
