Sarah Wilson, Headmistress at Heathfield, a leading independent secondary boarding and day school in Ascot for girls aged 11-18, discusses ‘attitude’ and its impact on achievement and life chances.
Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst described ‘attitude’ as an individual's predisposed state of mind…a responsive expression towards something, which in turn influences the individual's thoughts and actions’, and is therefore an important consideration in every student’s education and the responsibility of every school and parent.
Attitude determines how students react to adversity, overcome challenges, create bonds with others and how they learn. It has an important role to play in defining a student’s destiny – how well they perform on a personal level, in school and in their future career. Building a positive attitude, responding and viewing things in the right way, positively impacts their future and success - not just in exams, but in all areas of their lives.
It’s so important for students to recognise the traits that will help them succeed and for teachers and parents to help nurture those traits. Students may arrive at school with incredible baseline measures but unless they develop the right attitude their predicted grades aren’t necessarily a guarantee for success. Likewise, students with lower predictions can go on to achieve well beyond initial expectations. Students are so much more than data - effort and application are far better indicators of success than test scores.
Celebrating high scores on a test makes a student feel good momentarily, but recognising effort is a much more enduring feeling. Celebrating hard work, the challenges they faced and how they found new strategies and solutions means they learnt something about themselves that they can take forward – persistence and creativity.
I remember one quiet Year 8 pupil who was, on paper, academically middle of the road. But she had an amazing attitude. Half way through the first term she decided she wanted to become a vet and went for it! Her quiet determination shone through and she got stuck into everything, even if it didn’t come naturally. Debating, drama, sport, academic enrichment…she just kept going.
As time went on, she started to rise above her peers. She is now studying Veterinary Medicine at university having secured her place with 3 A*s, far exceeding what that initial data suggested.
Students need the challenge of new experiences that provide opportunities to build traits such as determination and tenacity, and help them to realise that ‘failure’ is just part of the process to success. It’s not the end, it’s the chance to try again another way. Team challenges are perfect for developing resilience and strength of will as well as collaboration, consideration for others, empathy and communication skills.
Young people need to experience enthusiasm and inspiration and access positive role models. They need to reflect on their own values, identify their positive traits and build on the others. If we empower them, help them develop a positive attitude, a sense of independence and control and responsibility for their own choices and actions, they will realise that their success is not determined by others, it lies in their hands. Students with the right attitude go far.
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