I had a nagging feeling after writing my reflections on looking at life beyond our school grades, as it didn’t address the importance of mindset about PSLE scores.
I use a ‘START STOP CONTINUE’ framework at work to ensure we have actionable steps after every meeting, so I’m using the same rigour to contemplate this thought. These are my three suggestions how we can help as adults (this includes us as aunties and uncles, related or otherwise!):
START: Ask your child / teenager about matters outside grades. What music is she listening to now? What is she planning to do during the coming school break? What’s the latest funny story she has heard lately?
STOP: Stop being so hard on yourself. You are a great parent who loves your child and wants the best for him, both for his grades and beyond. His grade is not a reflection of all that he is, neither is it a reflection of the parent that you are.
CONTINUE: Ask her to do her best, both in her academic and personal interests. Deliberate practice is what helps us improve in what we do, and this takes time, effort and intention.
Has this been helpful in helping you shift your mindset about PSLE scores for your child?
Which mini-action would you like to try first to shift your mindset about PSLE scores? These are all small things that can help slowly steer us towards better relationships with the young people in our lives and more importantly, encouraging them to see themselves beyond just the grade on their report card.
Let’s encourage our children to enjoy learning and reading, rather than just the end grade. We’ve tons of tips to share, from ways to raise a child reader to how to capture your child’s attention when storytelling.