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The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

In a recent article of Scientific America, Carol S. Dweck - a Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University -  reported on a new study concerning "The Secret to Raising Smart Kids".  Here's a couple of excerpts from the article:

Hint: Don't tell your kids that they are. More than three decades of research shows that a focus on effort—not on intelligence or ability—is key to success in school and in life

Many people assume that superior intelligence or ability is a key to success. But more than three decades of research shows that an overemphasis on intellect or talent—and the implication that such traits are innate and fixed—leaves people vulnerable to failure, fearful of challenges and unmotivated to learn.

Teaching people to have a “growth mind-set,” which encourages a focus on effort rather than on intelligence or talent, produces high achievers in school and in life.

Parents and teachers can engender a growth mind-set in children by praising them for their effort or persistence (rather than for their intelligence), by telling success stories that emphasize hard work and love of learning, and by teaching them about the brain as a learning machine.

People do differ in intelligence, talent and ability. And yet research is converging on the conclusion that great accomplishment, and even what we call genius, is typically the result of years of passion and dedication and not something that flows naturally from a gift. Mozart, Edison, Curie, Darwin and Cézanne were not simply born with talent; they cultivated it through tremendous and sustained effort. Similarly, hard work and discipline contribute much more to school achievement than IQ does.

The article is rather lengthy but it is quite interesting.  To read the whole article go here:
The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Do you agree?

Do you disagree?

Back to School Bowl

When: August 29, 2008 @ 7pm
Where: Three Point Bowling (click for directions)

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Cost: $12 (includes 3 games and shoes)

We will meet at the bowling alley and will bowl until about 9pm. (Each game runs about 45 min.)

Orlando Watersports Complex Event

Dear Parents,

This upcoming Saturday, August 23rd, we are planning on going to the Orlando Watersports Complex. We will meet there at 1pm. The park does not close until 8pm, so you can have them stay as long as you like, or as long as they can physically stand it.

The park closes 8pm, but the center is open til midnight because of their "Saturday Night Summer Jams" series. You can find more info about it here.

Important Message

If participant is younger than 18 years old, a parent or legal guardian needs to complete a liability release form for the minor.

If a parent or legal guardian is not able to sign the release in the presence an OWC employee, the release must be notarized in the space provided on the liability release form. If a legal guardian is completing the release, official notarized proof of legal guardianship papers must be provided.

Liability Release Forms

Post-Camp Update

Dear Parents,

For those of you who let their child(ren) attend this year's discipleship camp, thank you for investing into the spiritual life of your children.  For those who were not able to, I hope you take advantage of the other discipleship opportunities for your child.  

I once talked with a man, who when discussing such events as our discipleship camp, sounded very skeptical to the usefulness and the effectiveness of them.  He talked about them as though they were a waste of money.  He then tried to come around at the end as say that, "I guess if it makes a difference in one student's life, then it's all worth it!"

Here is the truth.  Strategic discipleship events accomplish the goal of making disciples of your students.  Statics can prove it, George Barna can prove it (see his book, "Revolutionary Parenting"), and God's word can prove it.  Whenever you take the time to have your student exposed to a verse-by-verse teaching through God's word, you are not just letting them get advice from an asian guy with thick glasses, but you are allowing them to have the Word of God instruct their lives - and THAT will never return void for %100 of your students.

Here are some future opportunities for discipleship that are coming up for your student:

• Every Wednesday (even when growth groups are not meeting) we will meet for worship and bible study
• October 23-25, 2008 we will be having a fall discipleship retreat.  More info to come.

Because you also desire that your teen have opportunities for fellowship we have a some events for the pure goal of them having fun and building relationships.

• August 29th, there will be a Back 2 School bowl at the Three Point Bowling Lanes.  Cost is $12 and this will include 3 games and shoe rental.  We will bowl from 7pm-10pm.
• September 5th, we are planning on attending Rock the Universe.  Cost will be $50.
• September 27th, we will be going to Hard Knocks.  More information is TBA.

These are just some of the events we have going on for your student.  If you have any questions about these events, please email me, post a comment, or give me a call!  

Your Pastor,

Phil

Last day of Camp

Dear parents,
Camp has been absolutely amazing. This is by far the best camp we've had since we started doing this. Today we had really great breakout sessions and tonight we are really looking forward to having Pastor Charles teach tonight.

I know many of you miss your kids...but don't worry...they don't miss you! Ok...I'm just kidding, but I did have a couple of them try to bribe me so we could stay longer. It's funny to think that teens could go without TV, Internet, or Video Games for this long!

Camp Update: July 6th 2008

Dear Parents,

It is our second night at Laguna Beach Christian camp and we just finished a great night of worship and exploration of God's word.  Our theme for today was "One Body".  We had a morning session where we went through Ephesians 4, and then our night session was going through John 17:20-26.

We had my friend Dustin Bryson from Eastgate Christian Fellowship (a Calvary Chapel fellowship here in Panama City) come to share with our students about "One Water - One Life."  If you want to know more about this collective effort of young people to be the "hands and feet" of Christ, you'll have to ask your teen.

We are all doing well...most of them have gotten a lot of sun and are looking forward to spending most of the hottest part of the day indoors for our free time event, which is bowling at Rock-it-Lanes.  Continue to pray for your student and the change that I know God wants to do in their lives.

Pre-Camp Info

Camp is now less than two days away. Here are some documents that will help you as you prepare to have your student(s) get ready for camp.

• Camp Schedule
• Packing List
• Emergency Contact Information
• Guidelines and Expectations (revised for clarity)
  

Please remember that students will be responsible to pay for their lunch on the way up to camp. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

With Love,
Pastor Phil
407.967.6141
phil@calvaryso.com