Focusing on the positive

lf the teacher (or parent) is focused--where the lesson only teaches a few things instead of many--students learn better and their successes learning things can be more quickly celebrated. Most people are uncomfortable learning or trying something new, so it's scary. A good coach or mentor--thus, a good teacher--has much more success encouraging instead of scolding. Yes, students need to know when they're wrong, but also when they're right--and when learning something new, when they're going in the right direction, even if they're not there yet.

Grading using a bell curve has never felt right because, by definition, half of those who are graded are below average. The bell curve is the result of random chance--not good instruction. If good instruction occurred, most students should "get it" and scores would be skewed to the right of the curve like this:

 

Successful students--indeed, successful people--all keep trying because they've been successful more often than not, not because they've been humiliated, discouraged or reprimanded. Sure, effort is a big key, but if the results of effort is criticism, they won't think more effort is worth the investment.