5 Ways to Make Students Smarter →

knewton:

Ever wondered why some students get trapped in a negative cycle in school while others only seem to become smarter and more motivated? This article explains why success breeds more success in the school environment:

“Self-perception, social expectations, and previous experiences shape our academic ability more than we realize. Just think: how many times does your belief that you are gifted at something combine with positive external validation to help you overcome challenges in that area, increase your confidence, and lead you to explore that area more thoroughly and take more risks than others might?

Similar dynamics apply to school. Students who perceive themselves as ‘smart’ tend to be more resilient and show greater perseverance in school, which ensures that they perform better academically, continue to put themselves in situations that require cognitive work, and so forth. Success breeds more success. On the other hand, many students dislike school because a combination of factors lead them early on to believe that school is ‘not for them.’ This results in poor performance and negative feedback, which further reduces student interest in school as well as the likelihood of future academic exploration and exposure.”