Scaffolding: I Can’t Do It YET

There are so many things for our kids to learn, from rolling over in the crib to tying their shoes to navigating college applications. And for most of those skills, they will experience some level of frustration. In the song, “I Can’t Do It Yet,” we explore the idea that “it feels hard, it feels impossible,” but also the recognition that we “need to try; it takes work and some time.” As caregivers, it is difficult to watch that frustration. Our brains are wired to protect, and it is hard to see our children struggle. But it is only through that struggle that they build resilience and gain self-esteem.

So what can we do to be most helpful? Scaffold!

The term “scaffolding” came from building construction. As builders construct a building, they put scaffolding around it for support until it can stand on its own. In education, scaffolding refers to supports that help students move gradually toward their goals. As students become more independent, support is slowly withdrawn. Think about a teacher preparing his students to complete long-term projects. The first project might last only three days. The teacher might break down the assignment and provide students with suggestions for a good goal to work toward each night. The teacher might help them think about other commitments that they have over that time period. He might provide them with a graphic organizer or outline to help them organize their thoughts. For the next project, he might make the assignment longer and ask his students to create their own outlines and break it down into groups. He might make the following assignment even longer and ask the students to develop an individual outline and schedule. Finally, he might assign a long-term project and expect his students to do it all on their own.

Scaffolding can be used for any skill. We always need to consider how to prepare our children to become independent and self-reliant. That means that if our kids can do something themselves, we need to let them. (Think about the grasshopper with his arms in the air.) If they can’t do it themselves, we need to create a framework to help them learn (keep in mind that the ant works best with a map) and give them just enough support to gradually pull back those supports until they can do it on their own. Remember, the goal is independence.

The example we like to use to describe scaffolding is teaching a child how to ride a bike. We don’t just hand them the bike and say, “Go ahead and ride it.” We give a lot of support--holding the bike steady while running alongside so the child can experience the feeling of riding without training wheels. Slowly, we remove some of that support—perhaps we let go of the front while we keep a hand on the back of the bike. Next, we loosen our grip on the back. As the child gains confidence, we let go completely, but we stay ready to grab the bike if necessary. Gradually, though, we move further and further away until our child can go off on their own.

When kids are struggling, the keyword is “YET.” We need to reinforce the idea that they can succeed; it just takes work and time.

Now that you’ve read the article, check out the music video!