What does it take to really know a child? Some say that children are "an open book". The problem is that few adults are willing to take the time to sit down, turn the pages, and read that book. I recently heard a speaker declare that we are in an "epidemic of praise". He asserts that the reason we praise our children is because we're too busy to take the time to really know them. Praise is used as a substitute. Most often this type of praise is generic in nature. We've all heard it (and probably even had these very words escape our lips as parents or teachers): "Good job", "That was awesome!", "Way to go!" These are all said with the best intentions. Our underlying belief is that the more we praise, the more we fill a child's tank. Recent research actually points to the opposite. Nurture Shock a book by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman points to the inverse power of praise.
The questions we must consider as educators and parents: Who holds the story of a child? What will it take for us to know their story?
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