Keeping the Over-Achievers Over-Achieving

Standardized tests and their repercussions are something that everyone has been affected by. Regardless of whether or not you are in school now, were home-schooled, or have children in the system, not one person is immune to it and it is one of the most publicized topics surrounding education.

In New York state, the results of these tests are published and the information is analyzed, correlated, and organized into the Regents Report Card.

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In this collection of information one can find performance levels broken down into many sub-categories: gender, race, socioeconomic status, and cultural background.  Disturbingly though, the only grade given is, “proficient.”  So much time, effort, and emphasis is placed upon these exams, and the only recorded information is demographics and a pass/fail grade.

In an article on NPR’s education blog, “Getting Restless at the Head of the Class,” by Anya Kamenetz, a simple question is explored: “How many students score above grade level on standardized tests each year?"  With all of the data on standardized test results being so obtainable, it is shocking to find that the answer to this question is not so easily attainable.

Many of these exams are known as high-stakes tests.  The collective success, or failure of a school’s student body will determine a variety of very influential decisions for teachers and students.  Teacher’s jobs, school funding and ranking, and student’s educational futures hang in the balance when it comes to these high-stakes tests.

If all of these consequences can occur from failures, one would assume that there is another side of the coin.  What happens with students and programs that exceed the expectations?  According to the Johns Hopkins study that sparked this conversation, 15 to 45 percent of students are beginning school performing at the next grade level.  What does it mean for these students?  Are they wasting a year learning things they already know?  

Of course, some schools have accelerated or advanced programs for those that can be labeled as gifted or overachieving, but perhaps there are other ways of going further to ensure that these students do not become complacent, or even worse - bored, with education.  

Some possibilities include academic promotion, that would see a student skipping a grade level.  However, there are dangers of promoting a student to a higher grade level.  For example, social skills are learned over time, and social maturity does not correlate directly with academic ability.  On top of that, some students may have ability in certain areas, but not in others.  

This may suggest that there should be trials of mixed classrooms based on ability, rather than age.  For instance, students could be blended not with complete disregard of age, but with more emphasis placed on their ability in certain subjects.  That way students are studying with academic peers rather than age-based peers.

Of course, none of this is to suggest that school and learning is only for the gifted.  Learning is for everyone, but complacency and boredom are real problems that schools face in their students.  If shaking up traditional school structures can keep students interested, and prevent academic stagnation, perhaps steps should be taken to ensure this group remain captivated.  

Grit: The Tough Side of Conscientiousness

Never giving up!  Never backing down! Never saying die!  Many of these quips can be attributed not only to 1980s pop-culture, but also the mindset of those who possess what, MacArthur grant recipient and University of Pennsylvania professor, Angela Duckworth, calls grit.  

What is grit?  Do I have grit?  Is my grit because I am not flossing as much as dentist would like?  I took a web quiz to see the level of my own grit.  As a stay at home father and full time student I imagine I would have a decent amount of grit to stick to and accomplish the tasks that stand in my path!

Nope.

Yikes, what does this mean, 30th percentile, not what I was hoping.  Maybe we should better define grit I can find out why I scored so low.  From an NPR article Angela discussed two halfs of the grit equation, perseverance and, “an abiding interest and passion for a singular pursuit.”  

Perseverance is what keeps someone going regardless of adversity and difficulty.  The second part is the interesting morsel though.  A singular pursuit, I cannot remember the last time I had the opportunity to focus on a singular pursuit.  This takes some analysis though, how broad sweeping can this pursuit be, a single goal, a collection or culmination of goals?  

One of my current goals is to complete my undergraduate degree; however, this goal is multifaceted.  If I take one course per semester I may have a better time focusing on this singular pursuit, but this is inefficient not only for myself but for my family.  With that, I must divvy up my time, allocating certain days for certain assignments, but I cannot stop my brain from thinking about not only my other assignments, but my non-academic responsibilities as well.

This quiz is likely a rough gauge, as it is merely an online quiz.  With questions like, “New ideas and projects sometimes distract me from previous ones,” it is very difficult not to answer this affirmatively.  It almost feels like it would be a luxury to only have to focus on one task without others springing up!  If I did solely focus on my most important task during the day, raising my daughter, then there would be a very messy house with many chores left over for my wife to do!  

When it comes to the time for my school work though, I feel that Duckworth’s idea of grit is essential.  Even more so with the type of course structure, or seemingly at times lack thereof, that I am faced with!  It is on me to meet deadlines, and for some classes it is even on me to glean the appropriate information without a teacher’s assistance.

NPR went on to interview a critic of Angela’s, Marcus Credé, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, and his biggest criticism of her findings reside in the fact that grit is simply a new label for conscientiousness.  Conscientiousness is one of the 5 personality dimensions, the others being: extraversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, and intellect.  In the case of these, “Big 5,” conscientiousness, according to Psychology Today, “influences whether people set and keep long-range goals, deliberate over choices or behave impulsively, and take seriously obligations to others.”

He goes on to state that educators should not try to influence the personality traits of the students.  The way he says it though is worthy of a direct quote from his interview with NPR: “I think as a parent I would feel uncomfortable if my daughter came home and said, 'My school is changing my personality,' “  This is where his argument loses its wheels.

Personality development at a young age is ongoing, there is not a moment when a seemingly benign occurrence could leave a lasting mark on a child’s development or personality.  When a parent introduces a child to public schooling, they are making a choice that will undoubtedly and assuredly lead to changes in that child’s personality.  A choice will always have an outcome, and if it wasn’t the school changing Credé’s daughter’s personality it would be her homeschooling changing her personality.  

As for the argument that grit is a mere rephrasing of conscientiousness, that may be true.  However grit is certainly an easier term to wrap one’s head around than conscientiousness.  When approached by a young student, would it be wise to assure them that their goals are achievable, and that they need to be more conscientious, or they need to be more gritty.  One word instills a feeling of thoughtfulness, while the other gives an aura of toughness.  

When faced with a task that requires thought, thoughtfulness might be the most redundant advice one could hear.  It seems wise to ensure a young learner, or a seasoned professional that their goals can be achieved by clenching their teeth, lowering their head, and powering through.