Saturday, March 01, 2008

Always Do Your Best

"...Children should be required to do what little they do, well, or at least as well as they can; they should not be commended for things which cost them no effort, and even in their play they should be expected to take pains. Do not praise a careless scribble or smudge of paint, or some senseless erection of blocks, whenever they are offered to your notice. The child will soon feel that your praise is of little value, that you give it because you take no interest in what he does and have no standard in regard to it. This will diminish his own interest and destroy his belief in himself much more than tardy recognition of merit would do."
Parent's Review, edited by Charlotte Mason


one step at a time...

6 comments:

  1. Lori1.3.08

    The idea of "praise the effort, not the outcome" goes too far, I think, in this day and age, turning into praising the weak outcome, regardless of effort. Just like teaching self-esteem before doing something that would cause it to happen naturally (success in any area).

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  2. awesome quote! I just ran into this teaching an art class, the kids not even following any instruction were doing just a "great, wonderful" job as those actually paying attention and trying their best...

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  3. Incredible quote! CM was such an insightful woman. I wish I could have met her.

    Thank you for this quote...

    Lisa

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  4. Linda,
    I noticed your comment on Keri's blog about not being able to rent some of the movies she had listed.

    Now that you are in the states, I would HIGHLY recommend Netflix, if you don't already use it. I've found a LOT of old movies to rent from them that I would have never found at other rental places. Blockbuster has a similar program, but their old movie genre doesn't seem to be as good.

    Just a thought.

    Kim

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    Blessings,
    Kathy

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  6. So true...that has become so common.
    I need to be aware of that myself.

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