DaveShearon

Theories of Intelligence

I've been working with a local elementary school this fall (and loving it!).  In my last session with them, I did a one-hour workshop based on Carol Dweck's work on self-theories of intelligence.  Dr. Dweck's work has focused on how individuals (pre-school to adults) theorize about intelligence, morality, love, and the world in general.  For each topic, she and her colleagues have found that indiviudals can have entity/fixed or incremental/growth theories.  For intelligence, this means thinking that smart is something you are (entity/fixed) or something you become throuh effort (incremental/growth).  This concept is very close to Seligman's attributional style theory (and, in fact, Dr. Dweck's initial work used that as a launching point). 

Here are index card versions of the correlates of these theories.  For full information, try Mindset: The New Psychology of Success  (2006) or Self-Theories: Their Role in Motivation, Personality, and Development (2000).  Mindset  is obviously newer and it's written more for a lay audience, but I found Self-Theories very clear and it lays out the research base more fully.

Entity/Fixed Theory

    Smart people just ARE!

         No need to work at it.

         Effort is a sign of not-smart.

            And pointless -- effort can never compensate for not-smartness.

   

     Difficulties in school or with learning signal my not-smart point.

          I must avoid becoming a not-smart, at all costs.

          I must avoid difficulties

             Tasks that are easy are good.

             Tasks that are easy for me and hard for others are better.

Even one action can show the core traits of a person.

Once you know a person's core, no reason to expect change.

And no reason to look for contrary evidence. (Stereotypes)

Incremental Theory

   Smart is the combination of knowledge, strategy, and effort.

         Learning is good because it makes me smarter.

         I can always work harder.

         I can always find better strategies, or someone can help me!

Difficulties in school or with learning signal insufficient effort or

Improper strategies, or inadequate knowledge – all fixable!

I must seek out challenges in order to get smarter.

What others accomplish does not diminish my increasing smarts!

People have tendencies, but situations often shape their actions.

It takes a lot of observations to start to know someone.

Even then, they can change.

Preparing to teach

I've been really wrapped up the last few weeks getting some new initiatives off the ground.  Several are focused on attorney well-being, an area of focus for both the Commission and the Tennessee Bar Association.  One of those initiative is series of CLE programs during the next few months co-sponsored by a number of organizations.  I'll be piloting the first hour of that presentation tomorrow at the Tennessee Alliance of Legal Services' Equal Justice Conference.  I like how it's coming together and am eager to get feedback.  Here's information about the programs coming up:

Lawyering & the Good Life

… (things they didn't teach you in Law School )

Don’t come to this seminar if:

·         You get up almost every morning feeling positive about your day

·         At the end of most days, you wonder where the time went and feel you accomplished a lot

·         You feel your work and your life have meaning

·         Your relationships with family and friends are close and satisfying

·         You take regular vacations and have regular hobbies you enjoy

·         You feel that your work and  community service regularly call on you to do what you are really good at

If, however, you’d like to have a fuller, more satisfying life in any of these areas (and become a better lawyer!), then this seminar could be for you!

9:30 – 10:00  Registration

10:00 – 11:00   Positive Psychology, Human Flourishing, and the Good Life

11:00 – 12:00   What About Lawyers?

12:00 –   1:00   Lunch (provided by Counsel on Call)

  1:00 –   2:00   Panel – What can you do with a law degree?

  2:00 –   3:00   Tying it all together – A way forward

Dave Shearon, JD, MAPP Executive Director of the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization

Andy Branham, JD and Candice Reed, JD Executive Directors of the Memphis and Nashville offices of Counsel on Call

Laura Gatrell, LSN, Executive Director of the Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program

You will learn proven techniques to increase your orientation toward the positive in life and work.  You will also gain insight into how to build a work environment that is both more enjoyable and more productive.  Dave will draw on his Masters in Applied Positive Psychology to explain why it matters whether you, your partners, and your staff are happy, hopeful, and optimistic.  Andy and Candice will introduce unusual ways lawyers have engaged their knowledge, experiences and skills both inside and outside of the traditional practice of law.  Laura will speak on what TLAP is; how it functions, what it has done for lawyers around the state and how it might help someone you know. 

For quality reasons, pre-registration is required and space is limited at each site.

To register:  Call (615) 383-7421or go to www.tba.org/TennBarU/index.html.

Co-sponsored by Counsel on Call, Tennessee Lawyers Assistance Program, Tennessee Bar Association, Lawyers Association for Women, and the University of Tennessee College of Law

$29.95 for 4.0 hours of dual credit

All proceeds to TLAP

Dates:

November 1, Memphis, International Paper

November 17, Nashville, Tennessee Bar Center

November 30, Chattanooga, Miller & Martin

December 14, Jackson, Jackson-Madison County Library

January 19, Knoxville, University of Tennessee College of Law

Happiness quote

The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection.

Bertrand Russell (1872 - 1970)

Positive psychology in a dove field

This story in today's Wall Street Journal perhaps hits me more than some because of how much my boys enjoy hunting and the special memories I have of some opening day hunts with them and, back in my own childhood, with my Dad.  Here's a great quote:

"You know, this ain't so bad at all," mused Mr. Jordan, standing at the edge of a field of drying sunflowers in the fading evening light. "This old life is what you make of it."

Before taking the MAPP program, I think I would have shrugged at that statement as a just "positive thinking" and probably thought of it as somewhat self-delusional.  Now, I understand better the interconnected ramifications of such a stance toward life, and the quote lifts me.

Keeping connected when emotions get high

People get pretty passionate about schools and sometimes folks can take things personally that were never meant that way.  When emotions start to swamp dialog, it's usually a good idea to re-establish our connections with one another, our commitment to the goals we share, and a certain amount of room in our midst for differing goals.