Tuesday, May 23, 2017

"Kids Do Well If They Can" by Ross Green


Just read the following article, a read sparked by the quote:

"Children do well if they can. If they can't, we need to figure out why so we can help." 

So True.

Enjoy.  Here are the first few paragraphs...click the link below for the full article. 

Carmen

KIDS WITH SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND BEHAVIORAL challenges lack important thinking skills. Now there’s an idea that can take some getting used to. Let’s begin by considering your philosophy of kids: what kids are about, why they do what they do, what they’re up to (if they’re really up to anything).
Many adults have never given much thought to their philosophy of kids. But if you’re trying to help kids with behavioral challenges, you’re going to need one, because it’s your philosophy of kids that’s going to guide your beliefs and your actions in your interactions with them, especially when the going gets tough. The philosophy that serves as the foundation of what you’re about to read is “kids do well if they can.”

This philosophy may not sound earth-shattering, but when we consider the very popular alternative philosophy — “kids do well if they want to” — the significance becomes clear. These two disparate philosophies have dramatically different ramifications for our assumptions about kids and how to proceed when they do not meet our expectations. 

http://www.plaea.org/media/cms/kids_do_well_if_they_can_ross_green_B3CC3806E752F.pdf