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This song uses the stories of Thomas Edison and Harriet Tubman to teach children that hard work and persistence make dreams come true. It helps children associate effort with eventual success which builds intrinsic motivation. This is what Carol Dweck (2006) called a “growth mindset.” If on the other hand, a child learns to associate effort with failure, she develops a “fixed mindset”. She becomes afraid of challenges and is only concerned with looking good. The message for teachers and parents is to praise effort not intelligence. If a parent says to a child, “Look how fast you did that puzzle, you’re so smart”, the child may feel good momentarily. However, if the implicit, consistent message from the parent is when things come fast and easy, it means you’re smart; when you encounter a challenging task that takes effort, it means you’re not smart. Praising effort builds motivation.

Dweck, C. S. (2006) Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, New York, Random House.

Lyrics:
Something special, something new
Something that I hope to do
It can happen, it can come true
Something special I hope to do
I’ll power up my brain, listen to my heart
Take a little step, make a little start
It can happen, it can come true
Something special I hope to do

VERSE
Thomas Edison liked to invent
And he worked on hundreds of experiments
An electric light bulb was just out of sight
But he worked and he worked until his light
lit up the night
It was something he hoped to do
And it happened, his dream came true

VERSE
Harriett Tubman escaped in the night
Following the stars to freedom’s light
But she faced the danger again and again
Freeing so many of her family and friends
It was something she hoped to do
And it happened, her dream came true