“Just Right” Challenge All learning is “tackling uncertainty.” So, in order to learn and develop the child has to become more confident in facing and tackling uncertainty. The “Just Right Challenge” is the small band of new learning (uncertainty) that the child can feel confident handling, with needed support. It provides a little anxiety, but not enough to overwhelm him. Again, the child needs to feel comfortable “trusting” your support and guidance in scaffolding the new learning so he can (1) feel the challenge (a little anxiety), and (2) feel himself master the challenge. You must feel the challenge (anxiety) in order to feel the mastery. This way the child learns to feel competent in the face of a little anxiety, and confident in tackling the anxiety. This comes from your ability to: 1. Frame the new learning to be within the “Just Right” range (enough to feel the challenge, but not enough to overwhelm the child), plus frame the new learning so it maximizes the chances of the child succeeding. 2. Provide guided participation to support the child in maximizing success. However, avoid providing so much guidance that the child doesn’t feel himself “mastering” it. They have to be actively engaged, with you guiding their active engagement to feel themselves mastering the challenge. By the child feeling the mastery of tackling the challenge by following your lead, he will gain greater trust in following your lead. This mentoring relationship becomes vital in the child’s confidence in risking uncertainty. So, the mentor has to become competent in adding new challenges, as well as guiding the child to he feels himself mastering the challenges. This build confidence, plus trust in following your lead for further learning.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 10:53:32 +0000
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