12-11-2011, 04:58 PM
Craig,
I think the categories, criteria, labels whichever one wishes to call them are quite spurious. I am impressed that this World Renowned Educational Psychologist has been able to hoodwink so many so easily. I'd be curious to know which Sport she has become eminently successful at?
She is ofcourse stating the bleedingly obvious re the 'Growth' Model so yes Craig you are right in saying that I agree with Mike that talent and hard work is the key to success. It's the totally unhelpful and in my opinion pretty 'bogus' other label where I think the effort to attain self importance and project an all knowing wisdom to others is deluding and potentially harmful.
It appears to me that Coaches who accept that this 'fixed mindset' exists will start looking for it in talented children they are meant to be helping to progress. Their job instead of labelling a child as this is to get them on the track of 'growth' There could be many reasons that a child isn't progressing as quickly as their talent and previous peformances suggest they should. i.e. a plateau of learning, a growth spurt and child adapting to that, outside influence, etc,etc. It doesn't mean the child is in love with their talent and become arrogant. What all knowing person decides these things. What are the criteria for deciding that the child is a wrongun and has the demon 'fixed mindset' It truly is balderdash. It's the job of the coach to spot issues and respond positively not negatively and if the child eventually isn't able to develop their talent then just perhaps that sport isn't for them.
Clearly in Swimming there is an issue with the age banding and it appears that those born earlier within the agebands are favoured because they have developed a little bit more physically. This is going to be very difficult to do anything about because all sports have age banding and usually this is in unity with the World Body for that Sport. Making positive discrimination for the younger children to stop them from getting disheartened is possibly a fair idea but making it the subjective decision for selectors sounds dubious for me. The danger is that you could lose a 10 year old born in December because they are always losing to an 11 year old born in January. The 10 year old may have more talent but hasn't developed as much as the 11 year old. I know you could always get rid of the kid who's 11 and winning the races because he was born in January and has obviously got a fixed mindset. There, sorted!
Finally, for Scottish Chess. We are a small band. We need all the talents on board. People like yourself Craig who are still putting in the performances aged, cough, clearing throat. Impressed that you are still writing the books also. Would be great if you were involved with the stonger juniors!? or perhaps you already are in
the Edinburgh area?
rgds,
Angus
I think the categories, criteria, labels whichever one wishes to call them are quite spurious. I am impressed that this World Renowned Educational Psychologist has been able to hoodwink so many so easily. I'd be curious to know which Sport she has become eminently successful at?
She is ofcourse stating the bleedingly obvious re the 'Growth' Model so yes Craig you are right in saying that I agree with Mike that talent and hard work is the key to success. It's the totally unhelpful and in my opinion pretty 'bogus' other label where I think the effort to attain self importance and project an all knowing wisdom to others is deluding and potentially harmful.
It appears to me that Coaches who accept that this 'fixed mindset' exists will start looking for it in talented children they are meant to be helping to progress. Their job instead of labelling a child as this is to get them on the track of 'growth' There could be many reasons that a child isn't progressing as quickly as their talent and previous peformances suggest they should. i.e. a plateau of learning, a growth spurt and child adapting to that, outside influence, etc,etc. It doesn't mean the child is in love with their talent and become arrogant. What all knowing person decides these things. What are the criteria for deciding that the child is a wrongun and has the demon 'fixed mindset' It truly is balderdash. It's the job of the coach to spot issues and respond positively not negatively and if the child eventually isn't able to develop their talent then just perhaps that sport isn't for them.
Clearly in Swimming there is an issue with the age banding and it appears that those born earlier within the agebands are favoured because they have developed a little bit more physically. This is going to be very difficult to do anything about because all sports have age banding and usually this is in unity with the World Body for that Sport. Making positive discrimination for the younger children to stop them from getting disheartened is possibly a fair idea but making it the subjective decision for selectors sounds dubious for me. The danger is that you could lose a 10 year old born in December because they are always losing to an 11 year old born in January. The 10 year old may have more talent but hasn't developed as much as the 11 year old. I know you could always get rid of the kid who's 11 and winning the races because he was born in January and has obviously got a fixed mindset. There, sorted!
Finally, for Scottish Chess. We are a small band. We need all the talents on board. People like yourself Craig who are still putting in the performances aged, cough, clearing throat. Impressed that you are still writing the books also. Would be great if you were involved with the stonger juniors!? or perhaps you already are in
the Edinburgh area?
rgds,
Angus