When we measure learning, I believe there’s something elemental that we’re missing. Angela Duckworth might call it “grit,” Carol Dweck, “the growth mindset” and other researchers might call it “self-efficacy.” It’s a combination of all of them that together creates something even more important.
It starts with a spark of curiosity. The desire to learn something new or tackle a challenge. But it doesn’t stop there, it requires the belief that you can grow and improve. It requires the perseverance to keep pushing. And it requires the belief that you can affect change and make it happen. If you have those things, you have something special.
For me the question is “where does that spark come from?” If we can answer that question, I think the rest starts to follow. Just like starting a fire in the woods. We’re well equipped to nurture a spark, but it’s much more difficult to create one.
If we can create more sparks by asking students what they care about and giving them the range to explore a new idea, then we’ll create more people who possess these crucial skills for success. But, if we never ask and never give space, sparks won’t happen. Here’s to creating more sparks. Find them, nurture them and magic will happen.