Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
Choose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
This was a hard blog to do because nothing jumped out that I completely disagreed with. On many of the things said I could agree and disagree. I am going to just pick one thing that I disagree with and one I agree with.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with "effort is everything" in that a person may try their hardest and keep working at it, but they never completely master it. An example would be that I wanted to play baseball in high school, so I took lessons, I went to the batting cages, I played baseball in the summer, but when it came to the tryouts, I did not make the team. No matter how hard I tried to get better at batting, I just could not get it. If effort is everything, I would have made the team.
I do agree with "growth mindset is the path way to success". Being able to grow, helps you improve on what you are doing, always striving to improve. Being willing to grow, learn new things, will help when you might hit a rut in you job or even have to learn something new with a job change. When I had to take a year off of teaching, I did not just sit a round and do nothing. I decided to do something that I wanted to learn and to learn a new skill. I learned how to make cheese and worked on a farm. Some of those skills, I still use in teaching today and I also understand farming more.
This is a tough one. I’m having a hard time arguing against any of the points that were made. I do believe that being smart is overrated and at times I think talent is overrated. Some people have natural talent for something but don’t use it for various reasons, mostly for the lack of effort. Others achieve things that they may not have the talent for, but through their effort and perseverance they achieve above and/or beyond these expectations. I strongly agree with Arel’s points on effort. Through my years in the classroom I have seen plenty of “untalented”, not the smartest kids in the class overcome their weaknesses and pass classes or tests with flying colors simply because of their efforts. I think my career in education is a good example of effort. Being young and teaching right out of college, I took for granted how important my work was. I wasn’t making a difference. Through good leadership and EFFORT I feel like I gained respect from my colleagues and I am a leader at school. I continue to put all my effort into my job and being the best teacher and colleagues I can be.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain.
ReplyDelete"You do not have to be smart to be successful."
I understand his point on this, however I have a different definition of what "smart" means. I do believe if you are successful you are smart. This may not mean 4.0 GPA, or A's and B's, this may mean that they simply found the path to success. To me, that is smart. Giving effort is smart. Finding ways to learn new things is smart, no matter what the path is. Problem solving takes effort and curiosity, I believe if you can do those things you are smart and are successful because of those things.
"When we attach ourselves to hardwork and effort we control our success." I love this provided thought. Defining ourselves by our process and not the results is something that I resonate with strongly. Understanding what we can control can really propel us. As a former collegiate coach we preached this all the time. This approach to me = smart. I have seen young people put their whole worth into their performance and results, and 10/10 is leads to low self esteem and poor mental health. The ones that flip the mindset into their process and values usually find joy and passion in their journey.
Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
I do not agree with the "Effort is everything" quote. As a teacher I had children that tried and tried and tried, stayed for help, came in early, showed the effort, but they still were not able to grasp a certain concept. Effort definitely is necessary for success, but even if someone pits in 100% effort, success is not guaranteed.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the statement that "...you don't need to be smart to be successful." What is the definition of smart? It is book smart? Is smart the same as wise? Does "smart" come when someone is naturally very talented and with that talent comes success? This statement really needs to take into account what one's definition of smart is.
I agree with the speaker that being smart is overrated. I do know people who were so intelligent that it held them back from doing great things because they were so focused on being at the top that nothing less would suffice. Yet, here I am--horrible at math and science as a high school student--and I feel like I've had a successful career over the years. In fact, struggling with those subjects has helped me as a teacher because I know where the students' struggles are, and I'm better able to help them.
ReplyDeleteI mostly agree with "Effort is everything", but I've had students over the years who've worked hard in the classroom and still could not learn or retain certain concepts. Some children cannot get past traumas in their lives, and this impedes their learning no matter how hard they work.
I agree with that "you do not need to be smart to be successful". I immediately think of my own son who has been diagnosed with a learning disability. If he were judged by just his academic records, it would look as though he is not "smart". In reality, he has become a very successful adult. He kept persevering and was determined to prove everyone wrong!
ReplyDeleteI do not always agree that effort is everything. I do believe in putting forth your best effort always. Sometimes, that effort alone is not quite enough. I once again am reminded of my son. As a middle school student, he put in tremendous effort into trying to become a better reader and writer. He practiced hours each day, he stayed late, and arrived early to school each day. At his yearly IEP meeting he was devastated that his reading and writing scores had not improved and he was still considered very "behind". This may seem sad, but in reality it was a pivotal turning point for him. He looked at everyone sitting on his IEP team and said, "Well, no matter how many interventions you provide and no matter how many extra hours I put in, we are not going to change my brain, so what tools am I going to use to help me be successful." This was so eye-opening as both a parent and an educator. Sometimes it is not just effort but the tools used in conjunction with the effort.
If I had to argue any point in the TED talk it would be that talent is overrated. I believe that we all have talents, gifts or strengths that can help us to be successful. I work with our talented and gifted students and they do need to put in the effort to use that talent, gift or strength to be successful. However, they do have to have the support and encouragement to be successful. We have students that are leaders, but without the right guidance to lead in a positive way they can become the leaders that not only get in trouble themselves but lead others to get in trouble with them. Effort is important in all aspects of life, support and encouragement helps.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that you don't have to be smart to be successful. Success comes in many forms! As a Special Education teacher, success comes from overcoming challenges. These challenges may be big or small, but no matter the size, if you overcome them, you ARE successful! The one thing that I could probably argue is that of talent. In the High School I attended, there were a lot of talented basketball players. I can think of one in particular that went on to college and then done. His talent got him into college, but his efforts in the area of academics failed him.
ReplyDeleteArel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
One of the points I could argue would be that talent is overrated. Sure, students may not use their talent or gifts if they don't put in the effort. However, in many situations talents/gifts are necessary for success. Effort simply won't be enough. My oldest loves football. He eats, sleeps, breaths football. Also, to make it clear he does not like the offense side of the ball. He loves defense. We are currently in the visiting colleges and recruiting phase of life. Sure, he has to put in the effort, but part of talent in football is your size within different positions. He wouldn't be getting looks if he was a few inches shorter, 30 pounds lighter, and didn't have an instinctual understanding of the game. In his case, effort isn't everything and talent isn't overrated.
I do agree with his point that you don't have to be smart to be successful. Success can look different to different people. To some graduating college is successful, while others view success as going to a trade school, and still others may view success as having a family and holding down a job. Not one is right over the other. Any of those options you don't have to be "smart to be successful." Call it determination, effort, or a combination of those. I work with students who receive special education services. Some of them struggle with academic content, behavioral/emotional skills, and some both. I have witnessed these students grow and go on to being a part of the school choir, robot club, and attend all general education classrooms. All of which are successful.
I did not agree with Ariel Moodie's statement that talent is overrated. Hard work can get you a long ways, but having the natural talent will still carry you the farthest. I am a case in point. From the time I could say the word, "Horsey", I was a horse fanatic. I lived and breathed horses. One of my greatest dreams was to be able to draw horses. I borrowed books on drawing from the library, I bought my own books on how to draw horses. I must have gone through reams of paper practicing. I worked and worked at it. I asked the art teacher for help and one of my classmates who was phenomenal at drawing horses. I have no drawing talent at all, and try as I might, I never got any good at it. My brother was in Viet Nam and I wrote him letters and sent him horses I drew. He saved all my letters and when he died, I got them all back. I looked at the horse pictures I drew for him that I thought were pretty good. They were terrible. Natural talent is NOT OVERRATED! I wish I had some when it comes to drawing.
ReplyDeleteI did agree with Moodie on his point that you don't have to be smart to be successful. Behind every successful person is a lot of hard work, belief in yourself and luck never hurts. There are also many kinds of smart, book smart, street smart, socially smart. My best friend is so book smart it's ridiculous and she had a great career because of it. However, she is socially awkward, and is clueless when it comes to figuring out technology.
I agree with Arel when he says that "effort is everything." I believe if you put your full effort into something you will have a positive impact from it. When you continue to put effort and practice into whatever you do you will always grow.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I didn't agree with is when Arel said, "talent is overrated." Unfortunately, there are times where talent plays a roll into things. Example is if someone is very talented in hand eye coordination, they are going to have an upper edge against someone who struggles with this. If both people put max effort into dribbling that one person who struggles is still going to be behind that person who doesn't.
Agree: "You don't have to be smart to be successful". I guess my question is what is "smart"? You don't have to be the top of the class with a 4.0 grade point average to be successful. You can drop out of school and still be successful. I thought of my cousin with this. He was a horrible student, a class clown, dyslexic, etc... He did graduate from h.s. and went to a trade school afterwards. He didn't finish. He decided to move to Arizona and got a job at a heating and AC place. After working there for 5 years, he opened his own AC business. His business was a huge success. He started buying rental properties and properties to flip. At the age of 40, he fully retired. He, in my eyes, is the prime example of you don't have to be "smart" to be successful.
ReplyDeleteDisagree: "Effort is everything". Effort is amazing. I have students that struggle and put forth all of the effort they have. They still continue to struggle and not make gains. Effort is needed, but it's not everything.
Agree: A changed attitude and mindset toward a growth mindset is huge for students. I try to use the power of "yet" with students in the idea of growth mindset. "I don't understand westward expansion...yet". "I don't understand the significance of the American Revolution battles...yet." I believe the growth mindset theory is real and can be a game changer for students. Sure, maybe not every students will become a historian or scientist in their professional life, but all students can learn something about the topic.
ReplyDeleteDisagree: Effort is everything. While I do believe effort is a very strong component of success, I do believe it's important for students to know that their effort level does not control people outside of themselves. Often, middle school students are dealing with friendships and home lives that have little to do with them, but have a great affect on them. It's important that students understand what is in their control and what is out of their control. Once they have a clear boundary, then I do believe effort is everything on what a student can control.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
"You do not have to be smart to successful." I fully agree with that. What do you use to determine if someone is "smart," what standards are we comparing this to. There are students who do school really well. They take tests great, they get their school work done on time, and they participated in class. I have a student that does not enjoy school. However, this student is brilliant at painting cars, and other types of motor vehicles. This person does not consider herself to be "smart." But, I listen to her talk about everything it takes to paint cars well and I am blown away. I have no idea what she is talking about. I think she is very smart, smart at painting cars!
The area I do not necessarily agree with is effort. As a special education teacher I work with students who daily are putting in effort, lots and lots of effort. They are still getting D's, not A's and B's. There effort is stellar and if they could get graded on that alone they would knock it out of the park.
One point Arel Moodie made that I could argue with is when he said, "And by the way, it's also not being born into the right family, being born rich, or any of those things." While that may not completely stop you from being successful, I do believe it makes it more difficult. If someone has the support of family and the means of finances to help them, it can be easier to become successful. I know at different times of difficulty in my life, I had the support of a strong, healthy, supportive family to help me get back on my feet again. And it also helped to have financial help when I needed it.
ReplyDeleteOne point he made that I definitely support is that you don't have to be talented. I know from experience, that getting to a point of success in my life/career isn't because I am talented in these areas. It is because I put in the time, hard work, and effort he spoke of to learn and grow and seek out others who know more than I do.
You do not have to be smart to be successful.
ReplyDeleteI would agree to this one because the definition of smart that he uses for an example is the 4.0 smart students. I had many, many students who did not get straight A’s during class but could weld way better then anyone else. They could tear down the motor of their race car and put it all back together in less then a week for their next race. So even though these students were not “smart” in the traditional way they were incredibly successful.
Effort is everything
I have a hard time believing this one because I have had students who put in 150%, but still could not get certain things. We tried different ways of explaining it and work arounds, come in early, stay late, ask for extra help, but it just never seemed to click for them in certain subjects. Which is way I disagree with Effort is everything.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
I mostly agree with everything of which he spoke. I do have one comment on effort that I could dispute. In general, he said if you put enough effort into anything you can become good at it. In many, many things this is true but in regards to some physical skills this may not be the case. For instance, I believe a person can become a better basketball player better he/she may not become a great basketball player with talent. Some just aren't gifted with certain physical attributes that no amount of effort can overcome.
I do believe that Being Smart is Overrated. One could be one of the smartest people around but if you don't put the effort in you may not be successful. Another relatable quote I have heard people say is that she is book smart but doesn't have any walking around smarts. If a person has smarts but doesn't use it what good does it do?
I don't fully agree with the idea that "Effort is everything." As a teacher, I have worked with students who put in tremendous effort—attending extra help sessions and persisting through challenges—but despite their hard work, they still struggled to grasp certain concepts. While effort is essential for achieving success, it's not always the determining factor, and putting in 100% effort doesn’t guarantee success.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I do agree with the statement that "...you don't need to be smart to be successful." But what does it really mean to be "smart"? Does it refer to being academically gifted? Is it the same as being wise? Or is "smart" a term that implies natural talent leading to success? This statement needs to consider how we define "smart" because its meaning can vary depending on perspective.
I am not convinced that 'effort is everything'. People can work very very hard at something and still not succeed. You will not become a great athlete, mathematician, scientist, poet, etc just because you believe you will or have a growth mindest. You can grow, you can get better, but you might not become 'successful.'
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, that broke mindset that he referred to is something I agree is what stops people from success. One can not have success if he believes he can not. I love the phrase "If you don't think you can't, you're right". How many students come through our classes having never had to 'struggle' because the path has been laid for them and how they feel broken when they get their first bad grade. Immediately that broke mindset comes in either one way or another; whether that be in blaming others (the teacher) or deciding they "can't math" as they say in my class. I try to encourage students through lots and lots of practice how important the 'struggle' is and that is where the learning happens.
Moodie said that being smart is overrated and talent is overrated. I think everyone is smart or talented at something. It takes work and effort to find what you are good at. I disagree with the teachers that say getting work done quickly means you must be smart. Some students get work done quickly just to get the work done. They don't care if the answers are correct or not.
ReplyDeleteHe said you have to practice and work at something to get good at it. I think sometimes you can work at something and practice it and then come to the conclusion that isn't your cup of tea. We all have things that we are good at. It takes effort to figure it out.
I agree with Moodie that you need to have a growth mindset. If you set you mind on something, that's half the battle. It takes hard work and effort to become better at something. There is always room for improvement. Giving it your all helps people find success.
Choose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
ReplyDeleteEffort is everything. I would definitely support this. This is difficult to argue but he says "when we are adults that anything worth doing takes a lot of time", for the most part I agree but somethings still do come naturally for others, therefore they wouldn't have to put in as much time to be better then some at it. An example of this is could be running some people are naturally fast as others it takes more training to become faster. Yes the more you work at it the faster you will become but the starting point could be different per person.
I agree with Arel Moodie when he said, “We were all given the problems we were supposed to be given. So that we can face them, overcome them, and that’s where we become the person we were meant to be.” When we are facing difficulty, it can feel like our problems are impossible to overcome, and this is when many people quit. However, success can come from pushing through and persevering. It requires working like crazy. It requires more effort.
ReplyDeleteAs for something Arel said that I could argue, it is a small thing, but I still disagree. “You want to find the smart kids? They sit in the front. They’ve got highlighters. Make friends with them.” I love this part of his talk, however, I would argue that the smart kids also sit in the middle. They sometimes have colored Post-It Notes and Flags as well. 🙂 You should definitely make friends with the Post-It Note and highlighter kids!
This is Tara Grantham, I did not mean to post anonymously.
ReplyDeleteSomething that could be argued is that "talent is overrated". In many cases the natural talent is the guiding light for people that brings them a feeling of success that they want to continue to foster. I have several students this year that math comes relatively easy to them "a talent" and they know it. It has then awaken a thirst for knowledge that pushes them above and beyond their peers in the subject.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that "You don't need to be smart to be successful". The concept of smart has so many different avenues and is not defined by the status quo of having A's and a 4.0 GPA. Being smart is having creative solutions and usually can be done by someone who is capable of thinking outside the box. I think being successful is tied to having passion towards the job, mission, or what ever endeavor someone is on.
I support the idea that "You don’t have to be smart to be successful." I agree with this because I really believe that the definition of success is fluid. Also what does it mean to be “smart,” or how do we measure “smart?” In education, we tend to measure it by grades or test scores, but I think people can be smart in all kinds of ways that don’t show up in a traditional classroom. And let's not forget, students grow up and become adults that don’t need to go to school anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou don’t need a 4.0 GPA to be successful in life. I think about musicians who didn’t have success in school, but went on to have amazing careers. Growing up in the '90s, I immediately think of Kurt Cobain. He dropped out of school, but still became one of the most iconic musicians of all time. I also think about local business owners I went to school with. Some of them really struggled, they had tough home lives, legal trouble, or just didn’t care much about school. Some of them went to the local tech college, others went straight into the workforce. Now, they own businesses and make more money, if that is your definition of success, than I do as a teacher. To me, that’s proof that being “smart” in the traditional academic sense isn’t what leads to success.
I somewhat disagree with the statement "Effort is everything." Don’t get me wrong, effort is very important. In fact, I always tell my students that effort can make up for a lot. But I have also seen students work very hard in classes that don’t come naturally to them, and still feel disappointed with the grade they earned. Effort helps close the gap when you are not naturally gifted at something, but it doesn’t always lead to success the way we want it to.
Some people just have that natural talent and things come easy to them. Others have to grind for it. Effort is a big part of success, and I’ll always encourage it, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle.
The idea I agree with is that you don't have to be smart to be successful. When I think of this, I think in terms of being smart in school. I have a close friend group from high school and a couple of them did not perform well in school and weren't viewed as smart in that lens. However, when it came to their interests out of school, such as mechanical things, they just understood everything with ease. I was viewed as smart in school, but things they succeeded in are things that don't come easy to me. My friends that weren't viewed as smart are both successful people that each run their own business. Its been a great thing to tell students about when they say they aren't smart.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to argue any of the points made, but one that I will attempt is when he said that talent is overrated. I agree that there are talented individuals that haven't done anything with their talent. That is overrated. However, talent combined with effort is a recipe for great accomplishments and will often times go farther than just great effort. My coaching career is a great example of this. I have had athletes that put in great effort day in and day out, but just struggle to take off in their sport when they have teammates whose effort isn't close, but they may excel due to natural abilities. I believe this can also happen in the classroom.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
One point that I cannot agree with the most is his statement that "anything worth doing takes a lot of time". Not only is this a true statement in our classwork, but on the court or field, or our job, anything we take pride in. I absolutely hate the stigma that is associated with students who are last to turn in their work or finish a test. I wish more students would take their time and be the last one to finish - I would appreciate the fact that they took their time and took pride in making sure they tried their best....vs. being the first to finish or "get it over with".
It's hard to disagree with many of his points. One other point that I like that he said was, "I'm in the smart group so I shouldn't be asking any questions." I currently have a class that "the smart kids" ask a ton of questions and it encourages and promotes more discussion from everyone in the class. I love and appreciate a class that has the comfort to ask any and all questions :)
As I listened to Arel Moodie's TED talk, one of the beliefs I would argue against is that "effort is everything". Yes, effort does impact the outcome, and its value is huge when trying to accomplish something. However, it is not the only thing. I do think that some people have more of a natural ability or mind towards a task. I have one student that completely knows cars and engines. I am sure that I would learn, but I don't believe it would ever come as naturally as it does to him. Saying that "effort is everything" leaves out the natural way that God gifted and designed us all uniquely.
ReplyDeleteThe part that I did agree with is "doing anything well takes time". In our fast paced, rushed culture we've figured out the ways to cut corners. The things that we really grow at or do well at take time. I have a daughter that wants to be the best at her sport NOW. A good home-cooked meal takes time to prep, simmer, and allow the flavors to blend. Can it be done faster? Can my daughter skip the practices? Sure, but she won't be as good and my meal won't taste as good. The best outcomes take time. That is something I can agree with.
I’m his speech I agree that effort is everything. By going above and beyond you can be successful. You may not be the best or smartest by the end but you can still be successful. Whether it’s playing a sport, academics, or other interests. Putting in extra effort will help you be more successful than if you didn’t put any in.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure if I disagreed with anything he said, I do think when he said he was the smart kid so he couldn’t ask questions is something I would kind of disagree with. I get how if you are labeled “smart” you may want others to think it comes naturally, but some become smarter by asking the questions and getting help getting the answers. That is kind of a tough one to argue as it goes both ways.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
Moodie emphasizes that "success is more about effort than talent or intelligence." While I agree effort is incredibly important, I would argue that this point needs more nuance. In my classroom, I see students who work extremely hard but still struggle due to learning differences, home life challenges, or trauma. Effort alone isn't always enough without the right support, resources, and personalized guidance. We must acknowledge systemic and individual barriers that can hinder student success despite strong effort.
For example, one of my students was incredibly motivated and stayed after school to finish her sewing project. But because she didn’t have access to reliable internet at home, she struggled to complete related digital assignments and ended up discouraged. Her effort was there — the system needed to catch up.
I completely support Moodie's message that "students are more likely to succeed when they feel like they belong." In FCS, I work hard to create a classroom where every student feels seen, valued, and safe to be themselves. Whether we’re cooking, budgeting, or exploring careers, I focus on collaboration, hands-on learning, and celebrating each student’s strengths.
For example, I started a small “student-led recipe day” where learners bring in family recipes or cultural dishes to share with the class. The pride they show in sharing their backgrounds helps build a powerful sense of belonging. I've noticed increased participation and confidence as a result. Moodie’s talk aligns with many of Hamish Brewer’s ideas in Relentless — especially the idea that relationships and mindset matter more than rigid systems. As educators, we must help students see their potential, provide them with the tools to succeed, and ensure they never feel invisible.
This post is going to be tough to write! The biggest thing that stood out to me was his message that "effort is everything". I both agree and disagree with this statement. I feel like I am going to be reflecting on this idea for a while yet. The reason I disagree with this saying is that sometimes effort is just not enough to necessarily be successful at something. As a high school math teacher - I have students who try and try. They are never lacking in effort - but they just flat out struggle with the concepts I teach. Maybe it is because I have not found a way to get to those students, or because not everyone is meant to be in an "advanced" math classroom - which is OK! No matter the amount of effort - it just isn't there for some in a class like math by the time they are juniors and seniors. However, I do agree in a way with the message that "effort is everything". In my case I was told I was not going to be able to do the two things I wanted to do more than anything in life. I was told by a college professor my Freshman year that I should switch majors because my ACT score was not high enough to teach high school math. I am so glad I didn't listen. I put in the effort and have been teaching it now for 14 years. I was also told that my five foot even self would never play college basketball. I was just not tall enough to do it. Well, I am glad I didn't listen. Not only did I play college basketball, I got my school paid for and am in the hall of fame. Effort was everything in that. I had to make up for my height in skill - so I worked. So at times I do believe that effort is everything when it comes to something that one truly wants. I hate cooking - I don't like to do it and I'm not good at it. If I put in maximum effort - I don't think that will change at all. I think this quote that "effort is everything" is perfect - if someone is working towards something they want and are interested in.
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the author that “Being smart is overrated”. Often very smart people have difficulty accepting failure. They can’t bring themselves to believe that failure provides powerful learning opportunities for them. They focus on always being the best. They find working with others challenging and difficult because they feel they have all the answers. Sometimes this results in them missing out on wonderful opportunities for growth and collaboration.
ReplyDeleteI can argue that effort doesn’t always equal success. Throughout my teaching career several students have worked hard, putting in a significant amount of effort. However, they still fell short of expectations when it came to testing situations. I don’t blame the students for this shortcoming, instead I feel that students did not receive adequate training to master these skills.
One part I could argue was "Effort is Everything. I believe that it is important to put effort into anything you want to accomplish, but I don't think that should be the main point. I have had students who have given 100% effort, but due to factors out of their control they were not able to retain the information. I believe effort is important, but it is not everything. I part that I agree with is "Being smart is overrated". You can be successful even if school was more of a challenge for you. Everyone has their own strengths and that is what people should look at, not how well you did in school.
ReplyDeleteI do not agree with the statement "Effort is Everything". I think that you should put in effort to something that you want but I don't think that's all there is. I watched a child in my class this past year but in all the effort she could give me to learn to read and unfortunately it just didn't click. Now of course we won't give up on her and I'm sure she will continue to put in the effort next year but I believe that there may be something else that we are missing.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I strongly agree with is when he said, "being smart is overrated". I think of the kids in my class who aren't good test takers. Just because they aren't labeled a "smart kid" doesn't mean they aren't going to be successful in life. They may be very good at art and become a world famous artist all while not doing well in math or reading.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
When he says talent is completely overrated, I disagree to a point. Yes, you can be successful without talent, but you have to work even harder. That's not a bad thing. Hard work is good. But let's say you are a talented basketball player. It comes easy and if you work hard you might be great. If you are not a talented ball player, you can work hard and get better, but I doubt you will be great.
I agree that telling a kid they are smart puts them at a disadvantage. They now are paralyzed by a fear of failure. They don't ask for help when they are confused or overwhelmed.
A point that Moodie makes that I disagree with is talent is overrated. For some students, it provides good conversation that just because someone is more talented at something doesn't mean they are better. The sport or activity may come easier to them, but what we lack in talent we can make up for in time, effort, and practicing the basics.
ReplyDeleteA point that Moodie makes that I definitely support is "effort is everything." I have students that struggle academically but they try. They do the extra work, they come in to ask for more help. They are putting in the time and effort to get a better understanding. This to me speaks to their character and they keep getting up for "one more round."
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
I struggled with the statement "Effort is everything" because on one hand I believe if you put in the effort, you will get closer to what you are working toward. However, I disagree with "effort is everything" because there are times when it's also who you know or an unexplained luck in life. An example would be getting a new job. You can put in the effort and not even get an interview, but if you know the right person or people, or you have the desired last name, then you are given an opportunity that had nothing to do with effort.
A point that I fully agree with is, "Anything worth doing, takes time." This is something my own father said to me, but his was a little different with, "anything worth doing is worth giving it your all." I try to instill this with my students as well. If we are going to take the time to practice a skill or research a topic, let's fully invest in it and see where it takes us. If it didn't take us where we expected, let's reevaluate our journey and try again.
Arel Moodie, in his TED talk “The Secret to Student Success”, debunks several beliefs about what it takes to be successful.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
I would argue from the quote "Effort is everything." That quote sticks out to me because I worked in alternative education this last year. Some students could not understand WHAT was being taught and they did try to give me their best effort. Some students just don't comprehend material well. So when he is saying that effort is everything, it's not. I've dealt with some of the most challenging students where they do give me their all and they can't learn well.
One quote that I do agree with is: "we are all given the problems that are supposed to be given..." This one stood out to me because I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. Whether its in the classroom, at school, or home. We should take a challenge or obstacle and face it head on. Because when you do, you will be more successful in the end.
This is Mackenzie Buelow's comment!
DeleteI thought Arel Moodie made a lot of great points in his TED talk "The secret to student success". My talking points are actually the same, for both supporting and arguing against. I liked listening to him talk about effort, and I think he made a really good argument for effort, the amount you put in, or the lack of, will get you where you want to go. I think that is very true, and with effort we can push ourselves to be better at things that are hard, and we can get better and do great things. I however do not think that effort is "everything". I think depending on what it is you are doing, whether it be a sport or an academic study that effort will get you a long way and make you better, but there are some things that you can put in a lot of effort and still might not be able to be successful or achieve mastery.
ReplyDeleteChoose one point he makes that you could argue. Explain. Choose one point he makes that you definitely support. Explain. Give specific examples from your experience, if possible.
ReplyDeleteMy point would be "effort is everything." This could be argued in both ways. I support if you put in the effort, you will see or create opportunities for yourself or have the pride of not giving up and finding yourself successful. On the flip side of that, just because you put in that effort, doesn't always mean things are going to go your way. There might be something that is harder for you to do and no matter what you do, it is still difficult or you aren't as successful as what you want to be. People strive for perfection, but we never be "perfect" in what we are trying to do, all we can do is continue to learn and try our best to be what we might define as perfect.
I agree with the point of growth mindset is the way to success. I have a bulletin board of fixed vs growth mindset in my classroom and I can bring a lot of moments back to that visual for students to remind them that they might not be able to do something 'yet' or they aren't good at it 'yet'. Almost any situation or skill you can bring back to growth mindset and help students feel that they are capable of anything. Like Arel says, the pathway to growth mindset is effort and effort is everything. While I agree that effort plays a huge role, I disagree that it is everything. I understand where he is coming from when he says this, but some things cannot be achieved by effort alone. Some people could put as much effort that humanly have towards something and they may not get their desired outcome. They will become better at it or more successful, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will reach their goal. They will be a lot closer the more effort they put in though. I saw a quote the other day that I feel relates to this "The harder I work, the luckier I get." The more effort you put in, the closer you will be to your desired results.
ReplyDeleteOne of the points I could argue is that talent is overrated. Of course you must use effort to bring out your talents but sometimes effort isn't enough to be truthfully honest. As an example, my son is not naturally gifted as a runner but his effort is tremendous. He worked harder than most kids this past year but despite his efforts he simply doesn't have the talent to be a top runner in the state even if he does the same or more workouts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with "Anything worth doing, takes time." You must invest your time into those things that are are passionate about and that you want to succeed in. For example, to achieve a Master's or Doctorate degree in my field you must be fully invested, take the time to complete all course work and put your best self forward.
I agree that if you do something fast - you're smart. I am always telling my students to slow down and do it well. My kids just want to do something fast and get it over with. It shows how smart you are when you slow down and think about the topic before just jumping into a project. You have to think about a topic first.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with talent means nothing. I think having talent to do something helps giving students joy and joy is helpful with many things.
I agree that you need to be "smart" to be successful. In my opinion, "being smart" is subjective. In school we are taught that being smart means you do well academically (tests, homework, etc.). But, there are many types of intelligences. I graduated with a kid who got a full ride to college, a 36 on their ACT, and had a 4.25 GPA. But, that person, really struggled in the real world, and hasn't turned out as "successful" as one thought they would be.
ReplyDeleteI do disagree with "effort is everything." I work with so many students who give their ALL, but still struggle. There are things that can interfere with effort (e.g., cognitive ability, extrinsic factors, etc.). In school I gave my all in math----I studied, went in and got help, and still didn't do well. I am not sure that effort is the end all be all, all though I think it is helpful for the most part.
I agree to a certain degree that effort is everything. Putting effort toward goals allows for new opportunities. Not putting effort toward a goal and or obligations will limit possibilities. Growth mindsets allow teachers and students to learn new skills and become better human beings. A growth mindset creates a sense of accomplishment. Intrinsic motivation drives research and development. Many accomplishments are made because some asked themselves why not? Instead of why?
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the notion that talent means nothing. I do think talent accounts for something. I wanted to play professional baseball when I was a kid. I do not have the athletic ability required to play baseball like a professional player. When I throw a ball it is embarrassing to watch. Effort accounts for a significant amount of progress in people’s accomplishments, however, talent is needed to a certain degree. I have students who want to be in my accelerated science class, however, struggle with complex concepts. It is not for a lack of trying. They do well in regular science. They often lack worldly thinking or do not have the required critical thinking skills quite yet.
I agree with the statement, "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard", as eventually attributed to Kevin Durant. If there is someone who is giving it their all and wants to understand every word I or their classmates utter, that student, without a doubt will outperform someone who has talent in that area but isn't applying themselves because a lack of motivation.
ReplyDeleteThe statement that I disagree with is that if it takes you longer to do something than your peers, you are not smart. Many people acquire languages at a different rate. Some come by it more easily and others need more repetitions of the input in order for it to make sense and to use it. They are still making progress, they are just taking a different amount of time to make a mental picture of how the language works. We honor a silent period with those acquiring language before they are asked to speak on demand. It doesn't signify by any means that they are less smart.
I guess if I had to disagree with any point made it the video, I would have to go with “effort is everything”. Here is why I say that I worked and worked at passing algebra and geometry in high school. I took advantage of every tutoring session, help from the teacher and still I just couldn't grasp the concepts. When college rolled around and I had to pass college algebra, the same feelings hit again. I put in a ton of effort and yet barely passed the classes. If effort is the key, then I should have had better results/grades.
ReplyDeleteSomething that I agreed with is ‘being smart is overrated”. There are several former students who went through school with ease and I thought they would go on to do great things. But life got in their way, whether it was poor choices or they fact they did not know how to handle adversity. Yet on the other hand, the students that struggled in middle school found something of interest to them in high school or beyond and have done amazing things. So being smart is not always the answer, finding what you like to do can lead to some good things.
The statement that I disagree with is "effort is everything." I struggled in school and I was not a strong test taker, especially in science. I didn't matter how much time and energy I spent studying, many of the concepts just didn't click with me. My friends could show up to the test without studying and get A's and B's. I would spend time studying days before the test with a parent and I would still come home with C's in D's in science. I was putting in effort to try and do well, but it didn't matter how much time I put into it, I couldn't wrap my brain around the concept.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the statement "growth mindset is the way to success." Many of my students say that they can't do something and they have given up. I remind them that they can't do it yet, but they will be able to with practice. Once they start seeing and believing they can do something, they can change their viewpoint on a concept or even a subject as a whole.
I think that I could argue with the statement that "effort is everything" although I completely see and value his point in theory, I think that there is sometimes more to it than that. I see students every day that put in a ton of effort to learn to read, their families and teachers put in effort for them and they still do not succeed. These are students who have a disability when it comes to reading and effort will not solve that problem.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do agree with his support of the growth mindset, we can all improve upon whatever skill we would like to get better at, even the aforementioned students who struggle to read. I think this is the best way to look at learning at any age. I have seen great growth with students who may never be fluent or avid readers but they have improved greatly and will be able to make it through life with the skills they have acquired.
One point that he makes that I disagree with is, “Effort is everything. Whatever you’re not good at, with the right amount of effort, you become good at it.” I disagree with this, because I’m a special education teacher. I work with students who can practice a skill day after day, and put in 110% effort, and still not be able to master the skill, because they simply do not have the intellectual ability. One point that he makes that I agree with is, “You do not have to be smart to be successful.” I know a lot of students who do not have a high IQ and aren’t necessarily “book smart,” but because they are willing to work hard and never give up, they are very successful. I also know of students who do have an average to above average IQ, but they aren’t willing to put in the work, so they don’t reach their full potential either in school or in life.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to choose one thing to argue (I agree with most of what he said), I would say that I disagree with his definition of 'smart'. I don't equate being "smart" to getting good grades in school or finishing an assignment quicker than peers. I look at "smart" as being able to do something and being successful at it. If someone chooses to do something and accomplishes what they set out to do, I feel that person is probably pretty smart. Although, I don't feel being smart is the most important factor in accomplishments.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that I absolutely agree with is his take on "effort". I feel that effort is the #1 factor is being able to accomplishing goals or to be successful in something. I especially loved the part where he said, "if you're not good at math, put effort in math". If you struggle with something, you have to have that growth mindset and effort to put in the work when something is difficult. You have to outwork everyone!! I've had so many students that just give up on something at the first hint of struggle. I preach mindset constantly in my class. Staying positive and knowing that if you put in effort you can be successful in anything. It might not always be exactly what you hoped to achieve, but it will be a success none the less.
This is hard because he makes a lot of good points. When we look at our general population I agree with all the points that he makes. EFFORT is everything because you have to put in effort to be smart, talented and successful.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look at his points as a special education teacher and think about my students. My students who are delayed and need a lot of repetition in order to learn the skills, if I put in the effort and they put in the effort then yes they are successful from an academic standpoint.
The statement he made "effort is everything" I can't agree with for students with significant special needs (autism, cognitive disability). They can put in all the effort they have but their abilities only go so far. Their cognitive, language and social skills can be improved but when we compare them to their peers their success will not be the same. We have to think about their small successes and realize that they are successful but it's not due to being smart, talented or effort. It's due to providing different ways for them to be successful and praising their progress even when it is the little things. We as teachers have to put in extra effort!
I do support his statement "you don't have to be smart to be successful". I routinely tell parents that their child will be successful in kindergarten because he/she has GREAT social skills. Your child will have friends; they will play with other students and be liked.
The speaker stated almost immediately, "You don't have to be smart to be successful." I believe he meant smart by way of doing well on tests and having things come naturally to you, but I choose to look at this a bit deeper. I take exception to this statement because while there are certainly examples of successful people who are not "smart," most possess a different type of knowledge that got them to that place. Many of the most successful people will tell you that they didn't get to where they are by themselves. They surrounded themselves with smart people to help them achieve their goals. This is perhaps the "smartest" tactic one could take on their road to success.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with "effort is everything." I see a number of people disagreed with this statement, and again I completely understand why. One can try and try and not succeed by their own standards, but look at the alternative. If we gave up every time something because difficult, we'd never progress. Sure, you may "only" achieve a D after hours of studying, but did your effort bring you beyond a failing grade? If you didn't try, you might not try in something else in life that challenges you outside of school. I'm a proponent of "hard work trumps luck always." Sometimes it appears people are effortless at being successful, but I guarantee you everyone has obstacles they've had to overcome. We just don't always see what others go through on the surface. If you are the hardest working person in the room, people will notice that. I always respect students who put in effort, and I reward them accordingly.
"Effort is Everything" No. Effort and wise counsel. Getting closer. Effort, wise consul, and team support. Now you have it! Look at all the people who came along side Arel to help him pass the class, get into college, pass courses, etc. A community who values everyone, helps everyone, loves everyone, is a successful community. Our son lives successfully with autism because his family didn't accept him living with limitations. We hand picked the people in his life that would encourage, persist, and expect growth. Where did that get us? He now works in the medical therapy field, helping people get back to their former lives (as close to). He is loved and respected by coworkers, clients, friends, and family. We hear from strangers how wonderful our son is. (All of our 5 kids are wonderful, not just Matthew.) We smile, nod, and praise God we seeked wise counsul and had like-minded community members including his family, his teachers, his bus drivers, and his peers to make him put forth the correct effort to overcome his many obstacles. I am just a proud of him as my youngest daughter who graduated from college, double major, with a 4.0+ and is working in her field of study. They are both successful. Now (at 24 yrs. old) he wants to learn how to drive. We're gathering a team.
ReplyDelete"You do not have to be smart to be successful". I agree with this! Not everyone is a great test taker, yet what do we do in school to pass? Take tests. Depending on who our educator is maybe the teacher can communicate well to some students, but not reach others with their intellect. Some students have other factors going on at home, maybe they have anxiety, maybe they only get one meal a day and that is at school. All of these factors could contribute to their poor performance in school. Does that mean they are not smart? Barbara Corcoran was always told she was not smart growing up. How could anyone say that measuring her success today?
ReplyDelete"When we attach ourselves to hardwork and effort we control our success." This can definitely define Barbara Corcoran. Her hard work and effort definitely paid off in her life. When I was in school, I struggled with math. In order to pass a certain test to move further with my education I did countless hours of tutoring. To my surprise my hardwork did pay off in the end and I was able to pass my test with flying colors. Hardwork and effort goes a very long way!