According to the text, how should parents react to their children’s performance?
School Curriculum Falls Short on Bigger Lessons
By Tara PARKER-POPE
Now that children are back in the classroom, are they really learning the lessons that will help them succeed?
Many child development experts worry that the answer may be no. They say the ever-growing emphasis on academic
performance and test scores means many children aren’t developing life skills like self-control, motivation, focus and resilience,
which are far better predictors of long-term success than high grades. And it may be distorting their and their parents’ values.
In one set of studies, children who solved math puzzles were praised for their intelligence or for their hard work. The first
group actually did worse on subsequent tests, or took an easy way out, shunning difficult problems. The research suggests that
praise for a good effort encourages harder work, while children who are consistently told they are smart do not know what to do
when confronted with a difficult problem or reading assignment.
Academic achievement can certainly help children succeed, and for parents there can be a fine line between praising effort
and praising performance. Words need to be chosen carefully: Instead of saying, “I’m so proud you got an ‘A’ on your test”, a better
choice is “I’m so proud of you for studying so hard”. Both replies rightly celebrate the ‘A’, but the second focuses on the effort that
produced it, encouraging the child to keep trying in the future.
Praise outside of academics matters, too. Instead of asking your child how many points she scored on the basketball
court, say, “Tell me about the game. Did you have fun? Did you play hard?”. Parents also need to teach their children that they do
not have to be good at everything, and there is something to be learned when a child struggles or gets a poor grade despite
studying hard. One strategy is to teach children that the differences between easy and difficult subjects can provide useful
information about their goals and interests. Subjects they enjoy and excel in may become the focus of their careers. Challenging but
interesting classes or sports can become hobbies.
(Adapted from www.nyt.com)
School Curriculum Falls Short on Bigger Lessons
By Tara PARKER-POPE
Now that children are back in the classroom, are they really learning the lessons that will help them succeed?
Many child development experts worry that the answer may be no. They say the ever-growing emphasis on academic performance and test scores means many children aren’t developing life skills like self-control, motivation, focus and resilience, which are far better predictors of long-term success than high grades. And it may be distorting their and their parents’ values.
In one set of studies, children who solved math puzzles were praised for their intelligence or for their hard work. The first group actually did worse on subsequent tests, or took an easy way out, shunning difficult problems. The research suggests that praise for a good effort encourages harder work, while children who are consistently told they are smart do not know what to do when confronted with a difficult problem or reading assignment.
Academic achievement can certainly help children succeed, and for parents there can be a fine line between praising effort and praising performance. Words need to be chosen carefully: Instead of saying, “I’m so proud you got an ‘A’ on your test”, a better choice is “I’m so proud of you for studying so hard”. Both replies rightly celebrate the ‘A’, but the second focuses on the effort that produced it, encouraging the child to keep trying in the future.
Praise outside of academics matters, too. Instead of asking your child how many points she scored on the basketball court, say, “Tell me about the game. Did you have fun? Did you play hard?”. Parents also need to teach their children that they do not have to be good at everything, and there is something to be learned when a child struggles or gets a poor grade despite studying hard. One strategy is to teach children that the differences between easy and difficult subjects can provide useful information about their goals and interests. Subjects they enjoy and excel in may become the focus of their careers. Challenging but interesting classes or sports can become hobbies.
(Adapted from www.nyt.com)
Gabarito comentado
Gabarito: A
Fundamento decisivo: A questão pede a reação dos pais ao desempenho dos filhos conforme o texto. O critério decisivo é que o texto contrapõe elogio ao resultado e elogio ao esforço, afirmando que o segundo é o adequado: “praise for a good effort encourages harder work” e “the second focuses on the effort that produced it”. Isso direciona a resposta para a alternativa que valoriza o esforço.
- Quando a pergunta vier com “According to the text”, elimine alternativas baseadas em opinião plausível e fique com a que melhor reproduz a tese expressa no texto.
- Se o texto constrói contraste explícito entre duas condutas, a correta tende a ser a alternativa alinhada ao lado que o autor valoriza.
- Em reading comprehension, observe exemplos comparativos como “instead of... a better choice is...”: eles normalmente revelam o critério decisivo da resposta.
- Desconfie de alternativas centradas em nota, desempenho ou senso comum educacional quando o texto desloca o foco para esforço, persistência e processo.
