It’s that time of year again–parent-teacher interviews, soon to be followed by report cards. Traditional (public and most private) education programs use standard evaluations to measure students’ learning and assign grades. But if your children’s greatest gifts and abilities aren’t seen and reflected in those evaluations, they’ll almost certainly disengage and become unmotivated, or at the very least, become indifferent to their evaluations. Listen in as I share a story about how I talked with my son about a standardized evaluation he received and helped him to put it in perspective–supporting him to have his unique gifts seen, while also speaking respectfully about the teachers who work within a constraining system.
Have you had similar experiences with your children? How do you support them to feel seen, heard and understood–preserving their intrinsic motivation and their sense of being acknowledged for who they are?
I’d love to hear your stories, comments or questions below.
Warmly,
Colleen
