Recent research seems to suggest that the answer to this question depends on who has gone through this experience, and the feedback given about that experience. In many ways we get responses or views about what have done and this may break or make us depending on the type of person one is and where they come from—how the context they live in perceives and fosters growth and development. One intriguing statement I keep hearing is that, “you pay a price for the experience that you get.” Sometimes the school fees cost is very high. This translates to situations where you do not get your expected goals, and in other cases, still in this school of experience, you get more than you paid for. The implications for educators and caretakers of children under our care is; how do we guide the thinking of our learners to perceive their learning experience in a constructive manner? This can be achieved in several ways but one of the most fundamental ways is the responses towards their work. After an exercise, test or project work is given and handed in, what you say to the children is of significant consequence. If the focus of your comment is based on how intelligent or smart the learner is for having scored many answers correct, then that child may want to maintain that status quo of being smart by not attempting more challenging tasks, as this may mean, there is a possibility of them not getting the same high score and therefore losing their “smart” title and your approval as well. Interestingly, if the response towards the work is based on acknowledging the effort more than the score, then there is bound to be noteworthy focus on how the learner works on getting to the right conclusion. And the knowledge that they can use this same exertion to attempt and accomplish another task propels them to strive to meet the demands of new challenges. Clearly, each word uttered in the learning environment matters for now and eternity as the mindsets formed in the classroom spill over and greatly affect how we perceive the events that happen to us. Do I stay in an unsatisfying job, relationship or unhappy situation, because I am safe in it and I know how to do it well, or should I venture out and see what else I can improve, change or innovate, are some of the questions that arise much later on and all because an educator somewhere said, “you are smart”, or “good effort. Keep doing this!
