By Brother Said
This is an aside from my series of articles on the seven principles of poetry slam. In the article on the 1st principle of poetry slam (that first and foremost poetry slam is a game for poets) I made a point about newcomers to slam leaning solely on their talent, and how that approach usually leads to those poets becoming disenchanted with the art form when their talent doesn't always get the results that fills their ego with the affirmation and acceptance they have longed for since being snotty nosed kids. Well, there seems to be a scientific basis for my assertion which I discovered in an article from Scientific American entitled The Secret to Raising Smart Kids . Now before you roll your eyes heavenward and shake your head is disbelief, disgust, and disdain - check out this excerpt. The bold emphasis is me imposing editorial omnipotence:
This is an aside from my series of articles on the seven principles of poetry slam. In the article on the 1st principle of poetry slam (that first and foremost poetry slam is a game for poets) I made a point about newcomers to slam leaning solely on their talent, and how that approach usually leads to those poets becoming disenchanted with the art form when their talent doesn't always get the results that fills their ego with the affirmation and acceptance they have longed for since being snotty nosed kids. Well, there seems to be a scientific basis for my assertion which I discovered in an article from Scientific American entitled The Secret to Raising Smart Kids . Now before you roll your eyes heavenward and shake your head is disbelief, disgust, and disdain - check out this excerpt. The bold emphasis is me imposing editorial omnipotence:
Our society worships talent, and many people assume that possessing superior intelligence or ability—along with confidence in that ability—is a recipe for success. In fact, however, more than 30 years of scientific investigation suggests that an overemphasis on intellect or talent leaves people vulnerable to failure, fearful of challenges and unwilling to remedy their shortcomings. The result plays out in children,..... who coast through the early grades under the dangerous notion that no-effort academic achievement defines them as smart or gifted. Such children hold an implicit belief that intelligence is innate and fixed, making striving to learn seem far less important than being (or looking) smart. This belief also makes them see challenges, mistakes and even the need to exert effort as threats to their ego rather than as opportunities to improve. And it causes them to lose confidence and motivation when the work is no longer easy for them. Praising children’s innate abilities.....reinforces this mind-set, which can also prevent young athletes or people in the workforce and even marriages from living up to their potential. On the other hand, our studies show that teaching people to have a “growth mind-set,” which encourages a focus on effort rather than on intelligence or talent, helps make them into high achievers in school and in life.
Alright?! Got the point. You should have since I put a lot of key points in bold. Focusing on talent alone tends to make one not want to put forth effort. So whether you are talented or not, don't be afraid to try poetry slam. There is so much more involved than winning first, second, or third. There is a far greater prize that results from putting forth the effort to really focus on the game and the art form of performance poetry.
If you'd like to read the whole article here's the link:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=the-secret-to-raising-smart-kids
Alright?! Got the point. You should have since I put a lot of key points in bold. Focusing on talent alone tends to make one not want to put forth effort. So whether you are talented or not, don't be afraid to try poetry slam. There is so much more involved than winning first, second, or third. There is a far greater prize that results from putting forth the effort to really focus on the game and the art form of performance poetry.
If you'd like to read the whole article here's the link:
http://www.sciam.
