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As a teacher, I no longer use the word, “smart.” I refuse to call any of my students this word, and I am intentional about not using it in my class. What even is, “smart”? Is smart getting the answer correctly? Being able to perform a specific skill? What is it? Because when we tell kids that they are smart, in reality, it does nothing for them. It does not provide any feedback for them. And the worst part is that this word has become a way for people to classify children into 2 categories: smart, and not. When children assess themselves they have difficulty defining their strengths and weaknesses. Instead, it has become a question of whether they consider themselves as smart, or not. And herein lies the problem. I too, can relate to these kids. I always struggled in math, and considered myself, “not smart” in this subject. I could never take a different perspective and evaluate what areas of math were a struggle, and which parts I understood. Was it the calculation part? Was it memorizing math facts? No, after years as a student in the classroom I looked at my peers and compared myself to them because they were “smart” in math and I was not. Leading me to believe I was somehow less intelligent than my peers when in reality, I just learned differently. I required different help. Teachers, parents and students tossed the word smart around as if it was a label which you had to earn. My point in all of this, and even taking the time to write a tumblr post about it, is that the way we perceive ourselves has everything to do with the way the institutions we grew up in engraved it into our brains. You are not smart, and you are not NOT smart. You are full of strengths and weaknesses, and it is much more important to figure those out than label yourself as anything. Instead of telling a child they are smart, point out what they did correctly and why it was correct. Instead, tell them how the skills they display affect the outcome of a situation. Unsurprisingly, I get quite a few messages from college-aged kids who feel like they’re not smart. Or from people who feel like they won’t make it in college because of how they perform in their academics. I had these very same thoughts as I went into college, and as I was in it. The system of education has failed you/me, and for that, I am sorry. The classroom environment should be teaching you how to identify and reflect on your weaknesses, and how to identify and maximize the potential of your strengths. You’re more than a label, please know this and reflect. Knowing all of this now, I hope and pray that you will change your whole perspective on yourself.
Thank you for reading my extremely long post which is somewhat of me venting, while also trying to encourage you. I hope it is taken to heart.
- Lindsay