No,no, Mark......I was referring to grades when I mentioned effort.
Let's say I had 5 children draw a picture of a horse.
One of the children who is gifted in art whips out a beautiful drawing in 5 minutes. His drawing, his gift, is very much appreciated and admired.
But then there is the child who spends 20 minutes working fervently only to produce a scribbled picture of something that looks more like a dinosaur.
That child has given his genuine effort to his work and is just as proud of his picture.
Yes, end results should be praised but effort is what matters to me.
I am very much against competition.
Every child has his gifts and strengths and WILL discover them, with encouragement.