Why on earth deny a child "praise they have earned" (her words)? It seems cruel to me. Couldn't we at least say "too easy FOR YOU" so the child can feel positive about her abilities?
Let's play it out in a realistic classroom setting: Gifted student is an outlier who often feels disconnected. Class is given a math worksheet. Gifted student completes the worksheet quickly and hands it in. No praise. Instead, "Whoops, I guess that was too easy. . . . Let's do something you can really learn from!" Gifted child returns to desk (maybe with a harder worksheet, but probably not). Five minutes later, Child 2 turns in the worksheet with only a couple errors. Teacher applauds child - "Wow, great effort! I can tell you really studied last night! You see - I told you you could do it!" Child 2 is glowing. Gifted child is now ANGRY and feels even more isolated and defensive. Gifted child makes a smart-ass remark to teacher 10 minutes later and gets sent to the office.
Gifted child is not developing a growth mindset. Gifted child is only learning that her abilities should be suppressed so she can get some praise, too, sometimes. Child 2 is probably developing a growth mindset - but at the expense of the gifted child. "Teacher praised ME, not HER. And she thinks she's so smart ...."
Exactly.
This passage on page 179 and the passage on pages 235-236 about making homework "more fun and challenging" when a child is bored hint at acknowledging that a child does not have appropriate curriculum and pacing, placement at their zone of proximal development, and challenge. However there is no clear statement or push for the child to have access to such opportunity. Possibly Dr. Dweck saw this as reaching the outer edge of her area of expertise and/or responsibility of reporting the research findings... however when attempting to implement the research findings in the classroom, this may be seen as a flaw, shortcoming, or incompleteness in the work, something to be addressed by clarification on the research studies conducted and compiled for the book and/or for gently probing further/future research spawned by release of the book.
Combining thoughts from other posts upthread, I would formulate questions for Carol Dweck along the lines of:
1) whether the students in the studies were working in their ZPD, as praising effort is genuine in this context
2) what are the implications for classroom application regarding student placement and effort-praiseworthy work? (Possibly having children in flexible cluster groups by readiness and ability in each subject, across "grade levels" and without regard to age, so that each child is receiving curriculum and instruction at their ZPD? Without this in place, possibly the growth mindset in the classroom becomes another means to close achievement gaps and excellence gaps
by capping the growth of the top students.
This contrasts with thoughts in a post upthread, referencing material on other pages of the book, which seemed to indicate that gaps would be closed by bringing up students at the bottom, not by capping students at the top.)
3) the IQ ranges of the subjects in the studies, and whether the effects of fixed vs. growth mindset were different at various IQ ranges
4) whether note was taken of a student's
original mindset prior to the study, as in the study the mindset was manipulated by compliments on being smart or compliments on effort
5) whether there was a correlation between the
original mindset of a subject and the subject's past accomplishment/achievement level and/or IQ
6) if there is new research spawned by her book, and what the central questions are. On the other hand, I might ask if research has been completed since 2007 which might re-emphasize certain points in mindset... call other earlier research into question... refine any points... etc.
7) Are there specific schools which have implemented a policy of encouraging growth mindset, and what do the results show? Among these results, what do the results show for the gifted? Similarly, is there reader mail which indicates that families have dedicated themselves to a growth mindset, and achieved positive results (anecdotal evidence)?
This has been a lot to think about, and connect ideas between. Great thread, NotherBen.
For anyone who has not read the book
mindset, I do recommend it. It is based on years of research. Not that I agree with every idea/application, but on balance found a number of ideas to be useful. Beyond implications for children's classroom learning, there are lifelong applications of this motivational theory, including "Mindsets in love (or not)."
Some may say that "being reminded you are smart" and having a "fundamental belief in your abilities" would include not only a belief in one's innate intelligence, but also a belief in embracing challenges, persistence in the face of setbacks, effort as a positive path, interest in learning from feedback as well as from mistakes, and reaching ever-higher levels of achievement, in a manner which is genuine and emotionally satisfying.
