The New 3 R s: Resilience, Relationships, & Reflection Dana Thomson Developmental Psychology PhD Program, Boston College Previously: Director of Research Center for Talent Development School of Education & Social Policy Northwestern University Email: thomsond@bc.edu
Is education akin to breaking a horse or teaching a bird how to fly?
Talent Development is a Whole Child Life-Long Developmental & Unique Process For Every Child
Flow: the human equivalent of learning how to fly
The best moments usually occur when a person s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is thus something that we make happen. For each person there are thousands of opportunities, challenges to expand ourselves. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow
Personality Learnable skills! traits? Curiosity Focus Persistence Intrinsic Motivation
Introducing the new 3 R s: Relationships Reflection Resilience
Relationships
Relationships: What is it? Strong sense of community Security Community valuing of individual interests and endeavors Child s sense of control and purpose Strong relationships with teachers and peers Responsibility Being able to ask for help and receive constructive criticism Empathy, compassion Emotional regulation, coping with ups and downs of relationships
Relationships: What the research says Sense of belonging Social-emotional intelligence Intrinsic motivation Self-confidence, competence, ability to take risks Positive attitude, enjoyment More invested in the learning process Better academic performance Tacit knowledge needed for career success Resilience in the face of setbacks
Reflection
Reflection: What is it? Self-awareness, mindfulness Goal-awareness, goal-setting, planning Study skills, learning-directed strategies Metacognitive skills Emotional regulation skills Judgment Flexibility
Reflection: What the research says Use of reflective & metacognitive strategies Greater sense of control/autonomy Clarity, insight, sense of purpose Increased problem-solving skills, more effective learning Heightened self-efficacy, enjoyment, & value of learning/task Better academic performance Higher Engagement More likely to invest oneself in a difficult task and see it through to completion
Resilience
Resilience: What is it? Ability to persevere and thrive despite obstacles and setbacks Ability to look for new ways to understand the material instead of giving up Willingness to work at the edge of one s comfort zone Tenacity, determination, resolve, grit, persistence
Resilience: What the research says
Resilience: What the research says Psychological Review 1993, Vol. 100. No. 3, 363-406 Copyright 1993 by the American Psychological Association, Inc. OO33-295X/93/S3.OO The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance K. Anders Ericsson, Ralf Th. Krampe, and Clemens Tesch-Romer The theoretical framework presented in this article explains expert performance as the end result of individuals' prolonged efforts to improve performance while negotiating motivational and external constraints. In most domains of expertise, individuals begin in their childhood a regimen of effortful activities (deliberate practice) designed to optimize improvement. Individual differences, even among elite performers, are closely related to assessed amounts of deliberate practice. Many characteristics once believed to reflect innate talent are actually the result of intense practice extended for a minimum of 10 years. Analysis of expert performance provides unique evidence on the potential and limits of extreme environmental adaptation and learning. Our civilization has always recognized exceptional individuals, whose performance in sports, the arts, and science is vastly superior to that of the rest of the population. Speculations on the causes of these individuals' extraordinary abilities and performance are as old as the first records of their achievebecause observed behavior is the result of interactions between environmental factors and genes during the extended period of development. Therefore, to better understand expert and exceptional performance, we must require that the account specify the different environmental factors that could selectively Many characteristics once believed to reflect innate talent are actually the result of intense practice extended for a minimum of 10 years.
The new 3 R s: How do we help our children learn these skills?
All children need A sense of Purpose Autonomy Challenge that leads to growth Feedback
Flow requires an appropriate balance of challenge and skill High interest but need for scaffolding Fully engaged in activity that challenges us but is attainable! Comfort Zone
What might a learning environment that incorporates the new 3 R s look like? Individualized, differentiated, personalized learning Multi-age classrooms, collaboration Multi-dimensional conceptual works that allow for increasing complexity and challenge as children master the various levels Hands-on work that gives students immediate feedback Inquiry-based, self-directed learning Interdisciplinary, experiential learning Guided feedback, formative assessment Focus on growth mindsets, the process Fun!
The new 3 R s: How do we help our children learn these skills at home? Encourage hands-on exploration or play and self-directed, inquiry-based research Note what type of activities create a flow -like state Promote growth mindsets Celebrate effort and the struggle Reframe setbacks as learning experiences Create an environment in which the focus is on the process (while also recognizing progress) Gradually increase tolerance for pushing beyond one s comfort zone
The new 3 R s: How do we help our children learn these skills at home? Encourage deep practice Chunk it up Slow it down Keep it challenging Get feedback, retool & repeat The new 3 R s are best taught In context rather than in isolation Through trial and error Via reading, writing & telling stories By discovering connections across experiences
The new 3 R s: How do we help our children learn these skills at home? Understanding precisely how/why a child is stuck can suggest ways to move forward The path forward always involves relationships Exploring new lands together, inspiring, scaffolding Emotional support and coaching Value-based extrinsic motivation Encourage flexible thinking Make every moment a learning opportunity (but also know when they need a break and provide opportunities to refuel, get re-inspired, and rewrite the story)
Recommended Books and Links Smart Parenting for Smart Kids by Eileen Kennedy-Moore Peak Performance for Smart Kids by Maureen Neihart Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi The Element by Ken Robinson Mindsets by Carol Dweck Habits by Charles Duhigg Angela Duckworth on grit: http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_the_key_to_success_grit.html Ken Robinson on Changing Education Paradigms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdzfcdgpl4u Biographies!!