Key points:
- Students who feel supported feel empowered to learn and achieve
- 3 critical areas necessary to boost student motivation
- Expanded learning can improve student well-being
- For more on student achievement, visit eSN’s SEL & Well-Being hub
Every student should get to feel brilliant at school. But too often, they don’t.
In many classrooms, success still depends on how well a student fits onto a single, familiar bell curve–the one measuring traditional academic achievement in subjects like math, reading, and writing. We’ve made progress by moving away from grading on a curve, recognizing that learning isn’t a competition. But we haven’t gone far enough.
Even though we no longer rank students against each other, we still operate as if there’s one journey to success. If a student veers off course, we spend our time forcing them back onto the path, rather than helping them forge their own. And then we wonder why so many students disengage and eventually give up altogether.
If we truly want kids to succeed, they have to be willing to try. And if they’re willing to try, we must create situations where they believe they can succeed.
The reality of jagged learning paths
Students aren’t afraid of hard work–they’re afraid of failure without purpose. No one wants to be pressured to climb a mountain they cannot summit. Yet, our current system often makes kids feel exactly that way. We demand persistence and grit but rarely stop to ask them: Do they believe they can reach the top?
Human learning isn’t smooth and predictable; it’s jagged. We all have areas where we excel and areas where we struggle. One student may be an incredible public speaker but may wrestle with written assignments. Another may be a natural artist but find abstract math concepts confusing.
But here’s the key: When students feel like success is possible, they’re willing to struggle. Kids who experience a win turn it into confidence that empowers them to tackle future challenges. Unfortunately, those moments of brilliance rarely happen if we push every student onto the same, narrow curve of success.
More bell curves, more chances to believe
The answer isn’t to eliminate academic standards. It’s to create more pathways–more bell curves–tailored to how each child learns best. Once a student feels the rush of a win, the momentum ignites their drive for success across all subjects.
So, how do we create situations where more kids feel they can succeed and are willing to try? It starts by using their strengths as an entry point to learning, not as an afterthought:
- Celebrate multiple definitions of success. Let’s expand what we value so our kids know success has many faces. Creativity, leadership, innovation, and collaboration matter as much as standardized test scores and have a much greater impact on their future careers. For instance, a student who is shy in the classroom, but who shines during a school community service project, may confidently approach leadership opportunities they never before considered.
- Create varied learning experiences tailored to kids’ interests. Passion-based projects, hands-on learning, and real-world experiences build bridges between what students care about and what we want them to learn. When kids see the relevance, they try harder. A student who discovers their voice in a class podcasting project, for example, may start to see writing as a way to share their ideas.
- Allow for multiple paths to mastery. Imagine a child who spends class time struggling with math worksheets, unable to grasp certain concepts as their peers move on to the next lesson. But if that same child loves to build robots and begins to care about the math behind the code, it’s a huge win for them. Not every child needs to reach success in the same way–project-based learning, competency-based models, and student choice allow children to engage with content using their strengths.
- Catch them succeeding early and often. The best thing teachers can do is start with what the students are good at and help them build up their confidence. At Eastern Hancock Schools, we intentionally create moments of joy and connection so every student feels seen and valued. Early wins help kids believe that they can tackle more complicated challenges later.
- Connect success to struggle. For students who care about the curve they’re on, the struggle becomes a part of the journey, not a reason to quit. Researchers from Columbia University found that when students and teachers focus on the learning process, rather than the final outcomes, kids become much more resilient when encountering difficulties. As educators, we can show our students that failure isn’t the opposite of success–it’s a step toward it.
The emotional impact: Confidence first, grit second
Grit and perseverance don’t come from lectures or motivational posters. They come from believing that effort leads to success.
Kids who feel brilliant at something–anything–carry that belief into their struggles. We have made real headway by moving beyond grading on the curve. But if we stop there, we will leave too many kids behind. It’s time to build an education system filled with multiple bell curves–where every student can find a place to shine, every kid is excited to try, and every child is empowered with the confidence to face any difficulty.
When students believe they can succeed, they will show up ready to do the hard work. And when they find a curve that matters to them, they don’t just succeed. They soar.
In many classrooms, success still depends on how well a student fits onto a single, familiar bell curve–the one measuring traditional academic achievement in subjects like math, reading, and writing. Featured on eSchool News, SEL & Well-Being, Student Well-Being, achievement, classrooms, learning, math, pathways, reading, school, student, students, Time eSchool News
