--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What is wrong with encouraging students…" description: "\"What is wrong with encouraging students to put \"how well they're doing\" ahead of \"what they're doing.\" An impressive and growing body of research sugge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg" --- # What is wrong with encouraging students to put "how well… ![“What is wrong with encouraging students to put "how well they're doing" ahead of "what they're doing." An impressive and growing body of research suggests that this emphasis (1) undermines students' interest in learning, (2) makes failure seem overwhelming, (3) leads students to avoid challenging…” quote by Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg) > “What is wrong with encouraging students to put "how well they're doing" ahead of "what they're doing." An impressive and growing body of research suggests that this emphasis (1) undermines students' interest in learning, (2) makes failure seem overwhelming, (3) leads students to avoid challenging themselves, (4) reduces the quality of learning, and (5) invites students to think about how smart they are instead of how hard they tried.” [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on grades over effort reduces motivation, increases fear of failure, and harms deep learning. **In simple terms:** Grades over effort harms learning. Key Takeaway Prioritize effort and growth. Themes education motivation assessment growth mindset Mood thoughtful critical Type educational psychological When to use this quote - classroom teaching - parental guidance - self‑assessment Key Concepts intrinsic motivation self-determination theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we value effort without grades? - What alternatives to grading exist? A Different Perspective Grades can still motivate some learners. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Emphasis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis/) [Emphasis Undermines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emphasis-undermines-6084076/) [Encouraging Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/encouraging-students-630988/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Impressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impressive/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Invites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invites/) [Overwhelming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overwhelming/) [Quality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quality/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Seems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seems/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Students Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students-think-407857/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Undermines Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undermines-students-6084075/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Wrong Encouraging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-encouraging-6084077/) ## Related quotes > [I'm just encouraging students to read. It's something you can do daily. It's something you can do whether you're sitting at home reading a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-amendola/i-m-just-encouraging-students-to-read-it-s-something-you-can-do-daily/) [Danny Amendola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-amendola/) > [“You should want to have gifted students who may excel in both courses, and you should be encouraging students when they show interest in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-should-want-to-have-gifted-students-who-may-excel-in-both-courses/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [Look at yourselves. Some of you teenagers, students. How do you think I feel and I belong to a generation ahead of you -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/look-at-yourselves-some-of-you-teenagers-students-how-do-you-think-i/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [It's vital our students think differently and explore their options when it comes to post-secondary education, so they can be adaptable in the disruptive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-reynolds/it-s-vital-our-students-think-differently-and-explore-their-options/) [Kim Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-reynolds/) > [When I talk to students - and I still think of myself more than anything as a kind of professor on leave - they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/when-i-talk-to-students-and-i-still-think-of-myself-more-than/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Religion and morality are critical to how students think about politics and form opinions on political issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-shaheen/religion-and-morality-are-critical-to-how-students-think-about/) [Jeanne Shaheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-shaheen/) > [But you also are facing an uphill battle if you are trying to be the first teacher who asks students to think in class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-burnette/but-you-also-are-facing-an-uphill-battle-if-you-are-trying-to-be-the/) [Johnny Burnette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-burnette/) > [Grosvenor and Burke suggest that continually, though silently, a school building tells students who they are and how they should think about the world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-lurie/grosvenor-and-burke-suggest-that-continually-though-silently-a-school/) [Alison Lurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-lurie/) > [I think I know what is bothering the students. I think that what we are up against is a generation that is by no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wald/i-think-i-know-what-is-bothering-the-students-i-think-that-what-we/) [George Wald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wald/) > [“Enrollments in American colleges tripled between 1955 and 1970, 250% in the Soviet Union, 400% in France, and more than 200% in China by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gaddis/enrollments-in-american-colleges-tripled-between-1955-and-1970-250-in/) [John Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gaddis/) > [It is clear that the chief end of mathematical study must be to make the students think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-clear-that-the-chief-end-of-mathematical-study-must-be-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Students think they must write down the idea immediately, but I tell them if it's a good idea it'll be in your head in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-weir/students-think-they-must-write-down-the-idea-immediately-but-i-tell/) [Judith Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-weir/) > [This is at the heart of all good education, where the teacher asks students to think and engages them in encouraging dialogues, constantly checking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/this-is-at-the-heart-of-all-good-education-where-the-teacher-asks/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [The mission for the day is to encourage students to think beyond traditional career opportunities, prepare for future careers and entrance into the workplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-tate/the-mission-for-the-day-is-to-encourage-students-to-think-beyond/) [Allen Tate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-tate/) > [I tell my students to think of poems as language plus, language with value added beyond its everyday use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-youn/i-tell-my-students-to-think-of-poems-as-language-plus-language-with/) [Monica Youn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-youn/) ## More by Alfie Kohn > [“Many of our elected officials have virtually handed the keys to our schools over to corporate interests. Presidential commissions on education are commonly chaired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/many-of-our-elected-officials-have-virtually-handed-the-keys-to-our/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [“a grade can be regarded only as an inadequate report of an inaccurate judgment by a biased and variable judge of the extent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/a-grade-can-be-regarded-only-as-an-inadequate-report-of-an-inaccurate/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [In some suburban schools, the curriculum is chock-full of rigorous A.P. courses and the parking lot glitters with pricey SUVs, but one doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/in-some-suburban-schools-the-curriculum-is-chock-full-of-rigorous-a-p/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Standardized testing has swelled and mutated, like a creature in one of those old horror movies, to the point that it now threatens to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/standardized-testing-has-swelled-and-mutated-like-a-creature-in-one/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [If a child is off-task...mayb e the problem is not the child...maybe it's the task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/if-a-child-is-off-task-mayb-e-the-problem-is-not-the-child-maybe-it-s/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [If unconditional love and genuine enthusiasm are present, praise isn't necessary. If they're absent, praise won't help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/if-unconditional-love-and-genuine-enthusiasm-are-present-praise-isn-t/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Most of us would protest that of course we love our children without any strings attached. But what counts is how things look from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/most-of-us-would-protest-that-of-course-we-love-our-children-without/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [What can we surmise about the likelihood of someone's being caring and generous, loving and helpful, just from knowing that they are a believer?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-can-we-surmise-about-the-likelihood-of-someone-s-being-caring/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [When was the last time you spent the entire day with only 42 year olds?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/when-was-the-last-time-you-spent-the-entire-day-with-only-42-year-olds/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Punishment and reward proceed from basically the same psychological model, one that conceives of motivation as nothing more than the manipulation of behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/punishment-and-reward-proceed-from-basically-the-same-psychological/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Each time I visit such a classroom, where the teacher is more interested in creating a democratic community than in maintaining her position of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/each-time-i-visit-such-a-classroom-where-the-teacher-is-more/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [Educators remind us that what counts in a classroom is not what the teacher teaches; it’s what the learner learns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/educators-remind-us-that-what-counts-in-a-classroom-is-not-what-the/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [In short, with each of the thousand-and-one problems that present themselves in family life, our choice is between controlling and teaching, between creating an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/in-short-with-each-of-the-thousand-and-one-problems-that-present/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [To control students is to force them to accommodate to a preestablished curriculum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/to-control-students-is-to-force-them-to-accommodate-to-a/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) > [“But as I mastered the material, homework ceased to be necessary. A no homework policy is a challenge to me," he adds. "I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/but-as-i-mastered-the-material-homework-ceased-to-be-necessary-a-no/) [Alfie Kohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) [Explore all 88 Alfie Kohn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What is wrong with encouraging students to put \"how well they're doing\" ahead of \"what they're doing.\" An impressive and growing body of research suggests that this emphasis (1) undermines students' interest in learning, (2) makes failure seem overwhelming, (3) leads students to avoid challenging themselves, (4) reduces the quality of learning, and (5) invites students to think about how smart they are instead of how hard they tried.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfie Kohn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students-to-put-how-well-they-re-doing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students-to-put-how-well-they-re-doing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a8/alfie-kohn-7728_body_what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students_2413452.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What is wrong with encouraging students to put \"how well they're doing\" ahead of \"what they're doing.\" An…” — Alfie Kohn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfie Kohn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfie-kohn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What is wrong with encouraging students...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students-to-put-how-well-they-re-doing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfie-kohn/what-is-wrong-with-encouraging-students-to-put-how-well-they-re-doing/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```