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How many times have you heard stories about gifted students who either don’t get along socially or become frustrated and quit working on a project? There is much more our children/students need to learn than just academics. Reasoning, resilience, and responsibility (the other three R's) are among the important skills that are vital to our young people.
Many students are getting ready to start the new school year and many have already started. As we go forth with this new year, I’d like both teachers and parents to strongly consider incorporating the other three R's into their daily contact with kids.
The
Other 3Rs Project was created as a partnership between the American Psychological Association, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Vanderbilt University. It examined not only whether teaching the skills of reasoning, resilience, and responsibility had an impact on student learning, but on the effectiveness of teachers as well.
Experts have identified the other three R's as key problem solving skills that, when learned, can benefit student achievement and general life success strategies. The Other 3Rs Project developed a program for teaching teachers how to implement these skills into their academic curriculum. Parents should also realize that they can teach the skills at home through their family interactions.
Reasoning is defined as thinking that utilizes rules, whether they are implicit and/or explicit. What strategies would help me solve this problem?
Resilience is the ability to surmount challenges, both inside and outside of school. By teaching about resilience, we help young people to realize that:
- Challenges and difficulties are a normal part of life.
- Persistence/determination is needed. If at first I don't succeed I will try again.
- Obstacles are challenges to be overcome. Keep things in perspective. Think of challenges as opportunities for learning.
Responsibility causes one to be accountable for his own actions and inactions and the resulting consequences. By teaching responsibility, we help students see their:
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Academic responsibility—Good grades result from my efforts. If I want to learn it's up to me.
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Personal responsibility—It's up to me to make it happen. How I act matters.
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Social responsibility—I care about what is good for all of us, not just for me.
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Ability to give and seek help—Let’s help one another.
By teaching these skills, we will help our young people to do well academically, use good judgment, conduct themselves with appropriate behavior, get along with people, bounce back from the bumps of life, and be good citizens.