兒童學業(yè)成功的最重要因素與家庭背景無關

For years, scientists have documented the downsides of growing up poor.

多年來，科學家不斷發(fā)現(xiàn)貧窮家庭給兒童造成的負面效應。

Studies have shown kids from low-income families are generally less ready to start school. They score lower on vocabulary tests and have more trouble concentrating in class. What's more, being chronically hungry, unsafe, or neglected can re-shape a developing child's brain, dosing it with toxic stress.

多項研究表明：低收入家庭的兒童在起跑線上就輸了——他們的詞匯測試分數(shù)更低，在課堂上更難集中注意力;另外，長期饑餓、不安全、被忽視會重塑兒童的大腦，給兒童帶來壓力。

New research published in the journal Pediatric Research in April suggests there may be one simple trait that can help kids learn and succeed in school, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

但如今，密歇根大學的一項新研究發(fā)現(xiàn)：無論兒童的社會經(jīng)濟背景如何，有一種特質(zhì)能夠幫助他們獲得學業(yè)成功。

Researchers who looked at the reading and math scores of 6,200 kindergarteners in 2006 and 2007 found that those kids whose parents rated their children's behavior as most curious did the best in school, regardless of socioeconomic status. The results were consistent for both boys and girls, too.

研究人員分析了6,200名幼兒園兒童在2006年和2007年的閱讀和數(shù)學成績，結果發(fā)現(xiàn)：那些被父母評價為“行為最好奇”的兒童的在校成績最棒——無論兒童是男是女，也無論他們的社會經(jīng)濟背景如何。

The high-performing kids from all walks of life liked trying new things, and were rated as more imaginative in both work and play by their parents.

這些來自各個階層的優(yōu)等生喜歡嘗試新事物。無論在學習中還是在玩耍中，他們都被父母評價為“更具想象力”。

The kids' reading and math scores were consistently better the more curious they were. That was true even when the students weren't very good at a self-control measure called "effortful control," which tracks how attentive and persistent students are when completing tasks. The findings suggest that while traits like paying attention, controlling impulses, and delaying gratification may be important for young learners, being curious might matter more when it comes to learning new things.

孩子越好奇，閱讀和數(shù)學成績就越好——即便他們在“主動控制力”這項自控測試中表現(xiàn)不佳(該測試反映學生在完成任務時的專注程度和毅力程度)。研究結果顯示：雖然注意力、沖動控制、延遲滿足等特質(zhì)對兒童的學習非常重要，但就學習新事物而言，好奇心可能更加重要。

As early childhood pioneer Jean Piaget once put it, kids are not "empty vessels to be filled with knowledge." Instead, they're "little scientists who construct their own theories of the world," he said.

正如兒童心理學家讓·皮亞杰曾經(jīng)說過，孩子不是“等待填充知識的空洞容器”，而是“自行構建世界觀的小小科學家”。

Developing a sense of wonder, trying new things, and asking novel questions of the world are not the only ways that little ones across the socioeconomic spectrum can get better at learning their letters and numbers.

無論社會階層如何，發(fā)展好奇心、嘗試新事物、提出關于世界的新穎問題都能夠幫助兒童更好地掌握數(shù)學和閱讀。然而，這并非唯一的渠道。

For years, studies have shown that early childhood learning and preschool programs like the Head Start program can lead to better educational outcomes for a lifetime. Kids who attend Head Start are more likely to graduate high school, go to college, and develop better self-control and self-esteem, eventually becoming better parents themselves.

多年來，不斷有研究表明：某些早教項目能夠提高孩子的終身教育狀況，例如：Head Start項目能夠提高孩子的高中畢業(yè)率和大學入學率，提升孩子的自控力和自尊感，最終使他們成為更好的父母;

And a treasure trove of studies about kids who watch Sesame Street when they're young has also shown that singing along with Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch is a great way to develop literacy, emotional wellbeing, and respect.

觀看《芝麻街》節(jié)目有助提高兒童的讀寫能力、情緒幸福感、自尊感。