Raising Children to Love Learning Deborah Stipek Stanford University

Interest in Learning

When you enjoy learning… When you don’t… Seek challenges Persist Learn at a deep, conceptual level Remember Seek learning outside of what is required Succeed in school/work Take the easy way Give up easily Learn superficially, just the rules Forget quickly Learn only what is required Perform adequately in school/work

By age 16 Disengaged Goes through the motions Feels stressed & pressured Enthusiastic about learning

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis + Hypothalamus Stress CRF + Pituitary Gland - ACTH - + Adrenal Gland Cortisol Kidney + Immune Effects (Inflammation)

Competence & Confidence Control Connectedness

Competence & Confidence Being competent doesn’t always lead to confidence (girls and math) Feeling competent very motivating – makes you want to do more (Meredith – t-ball, ice-skating) Feeling incompetent, very de-motivating – who wants to work on something they think they can’t do? Feel hopeless, sometimes even humiliated (Trivial Pursuits) Kids who don’t believe they are competent—who think they can’t do well--give up easily and spend a lot of time trying to avoid revealing their incompetence (excuses; complaining that work is boring; “forgetting” homework…) Sometime children aren’t interested in academic work because they really don’t have the skills to complete it – (need to assess carefully whether this is the case)

Robust Self-Confidence “Just right challenge” Informative feedback Focus on learning, developing mastery, not performing (growth mindset) Mistakes are OK 1.

Control

Promoting Control & Responsibility Let person take responsibility Choice within structure

Connectedness

Promoting Connectedness Show Interest Accept Support who the person is

Promoting Interest in Learning Encourage creative play Model enthusiasm for learning

Time for Play