We're reading this book for work called Mindset which talks about the difference between a growth mindset and a set mindset. Lots of teachers and parents view kids with a set mindset (Kid is smart or not... kid is good at math or not....kid can draw or not). We've found that especially in the Gifted/High ability magnet a fair number of kids have what the author would deem a set mindset, that kids think they should be able to do something because they are smart or good at it. When they struggle then it means they are not smart or good at that skill set.
What ends up happening is that those kids have little tolerance for flog/flail or confusion and difficulty, a low frustration threshold.
Which is sort of me and math. I got away for years saying, "I'm not good at math" thinking that was a reasonable response. And in reality, I never really saw math as a set of discrete skills that I could master. It was all, "Math is hard. I'm not good at it." with the hidden message of why try. If a kid said to me, "I'm not good at reading" I would figure out ways to break it down to manageable skills
Pedantry:
Fahrenheit 451 is a novel. And depending on how picky you're being, A Boy & His Dog is a novella.
Oh, interesting. That makes a lot of sense.
{The Mindset stuff}
Or another way of thinking about it is this: I know I don't have innate artistic talent. But undoubtedly if Betty Edwards can be believed there are ways to break skills down enough and focus on seeing in addition to drawing that I could learn how to do it adequately.
What ends up happening is that those kids have little tolerance for flog/flail or confusion and difficulty, a low frustration threshold.
Ugh. That's me entirely, as much as it shames me to admit it. And I have no doubt that it stems from being told growing up how smart I was, and being praised for it, etc.
I don't like pushing past my comfort zone of Stuff I Know(TM) and flailing about to try new stuff, because I don't like looking like an idiot when I'm "supposed" to be so smart.
I know this about myself, and, like I said, it shames me to admit it.
But I *do* try stuff that's outside the zone of Stuff I Know(TM), like learning to fence, which required a FUCKLOAD of flailing and looking like an idiot. But it was FUN flailing, which I think is key.
Most people can learn how to draw accurately, its drawing expresively that's the tricksy part.
Time suck from Polgara. Library of Congress has a flickr account: [link]
But I *do* try stuff that's outside the zone of Stuff I Know(TM), like learning to fence, which required a FUCKLOAD of flailing and looking like an idiot. But it was FUN flailing, which I think is key.
Well, yeah. I'm not sure that I would ever think of calculus as fun flailing.
RE: the LoC flickr? DAMN that's cool. I wonder if they'll get most of their collection up on flickr?
Do you find that kids who parents think are "gifted" are actually just kids who are less dumb?
Yes...
I agree that it is so frustrating to deal with the gifted student who does nothing and then complains about their "F". The parents blame the teachers because we obviously aren't aware of how amazing their child is.
The kids who work hard but aren't labled 'gifted' are some of the most enjoyable to work with.
I have had some truly gifted students who were a total joy to work with. Their work was always above par and would push a class to create amazing products.
