Just because some people can do something with little or no training, it doesn't mean that others can't do it (and sometimes do it even better) with training.
Carol S. DweckRead
So what should we say when children complete a task—say, math problems—quickly and perfectly? Should we deny them the praise they have earned? Yes. When this happens, I say, “Whoops. I guess that was too easy. I apologize for wasting your time. Let’s do something you can really learn from!
Interpretation
What this quote means
Children should be challenged instead of just praised for ease of accomplishments.
This quote emphasizes the importance of challenging children rather than just praising them for tasks that are too easy. Carol S. Dweck suggests that when children complete tasks quickly and perfectly, it’s vital to redirect them to more challenging work to foster true learning and growth.
Themes
LearningPraiseChallengesEducationGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
In a teacher's meeting discussing effective teaching strategies.
More from Carol S. Dweck
All quotes →Some students start thinking of their intelligence as something fixed, as carved in stone. They worry about, 'Do I have enough? Don't I have enough?'
Carol S. DweckRead
In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you're not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn't need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented.
Carol S. DweckRead
Our message to parents is to focus on the process the child engages in, such as trying hard or focusing on the task - what specific things they're doing rather than, 'You're so smart. You're so good at this.' Although it's never too late to change, what you do early matters.
Carol S. DweckRead
Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn. Keep on going.
Carol S. DweckRead
I loved everything. I loved sciences and I loved humanities. But ultimately, I felt that in the humanities, you know, you're writing about things that already exist. But in the sciences, you're discovering things that no one has known before. Ultimately I chose psychology because it seemed to combine science with things that I liked to think about.
Carol S. DweckRead
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