#208. Smart Kids & Dumb Kids posted by brian @ Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:43:13 -0000

brian — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:43:13 -0000

“Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy.”

~ Brian Tracy

You ever hear the story about the kids who were accidentally labeled as “smart” or “dumb” and how their teacher’s expectations dramatically impacted their growth in the school year?

Classic story on self-fulfilling prophecies.

The quick version:

School in England. Computer program completely messes up the labeling of kids and literally puts the “smart” kids in the ‘dumb” class and the “dumb” kids in the “smart” class. Oops.

So, teachers start teaching the “smart” kids as if they’re smart and the “dumb” ones as if they’re dumb.

Fast forward 5 months.

They catch the error. And re-test the kids on IQ and other measures.

Guess what?

The truly smarter kids score significantly worse than before. The less intelligent kids? They improve dramatically.

Why?

As the teachers for the “dumb” kids said when asked to explain her teaching experience during the first few weeks of the term: “For some reason, our methods weren’t working,” they replied. “So we had to change our methods.”

Wow.

The data said that these kids were bright. So if things weren’t working, it had to be their teaching methods.

Imagine that.

When the kids had someone who totally believed in their abilities and potential and showered them with optimism and support, they grew.

And if they thought they weren’t too bright? They fulfilled that expectation as well.

VERY (very very very) powerful stuff.

…

What expectations do you have in your life?

For your kids if you have them?

For your friends?

For your colleagues?

For your significant other?

And, most importantly (as what you think of yourself is going to be the strongest predictor of what you think of others), WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF?!?

Let’s create some new prophecies to fulfill, shall we?

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#208. Smart Kids & Dumb Kids posted by brian @ Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:43:13 -0000