Students who succeed in school aren't just good at memorizing facts or reading quickly. Research shows that "non-cognitive skills" or "soft skills" are also important in helping students in the classroom and in the real world. These skills include:
• Resilience: The ability to recover from setbacks and cope well with stress.
• Grit: Perseverance and passion for challenging long-term goals.
• Conscientiousness: A tendency to be organized, self-controlled, hardworking, responsible, and willing to delay gratification.
• Creativity: Curiosity, open-mindedness, and the ability to come up with new ideas.
• Focus: The ability to zero in on one thing at a time, tune out distractions, and avoid multitasking.
• Self-regulation: An awareness of what matters and the self-control to avoid temptations and see a task through.
These traits are especially important after a student leaves high school, goes to post-secondary training and then enters a career. Time management and attendance are essential. Good communication skills are crucial to deal with difficult roommates or to ask for help. You can help your child develop these traits by setting goals, sharing expectations and encouraging persistence.
The More We Achieve, the More We Will Want To Achieve
When it comes to helping kids prepare for the next stage of education, "Monitor his or her homework" typically tops the advice for families. It sounds simple, but it's not. Getting homework "done" requires more than mastering math facts or punctuation. Students need to organize their tasks, stick to them, and manage their time. They need to listen and ask questions when teachers assign the work. Families can help their children develop these skills.
But good study habits are not enough to get ahead. Young people must also develop "character strengths" such as those shown above. They need to learn self-control, how to manage stress, and to learn from their failures. The more curious and resourceful children are, the better. They need self-confidence -- the belief that they can succeed in spite of obstacles. True self-confidence is developed by setting and achieving "stretching" goals. Families can help build that self-confidence through high expectations and believing their child can be successful.
Research shows that parent expectations of their child have big impacts on the student's academic achievement in school and the likelihood she or he will do well after graduation. Intelligence is like a muscle: the brain changes based on one's experiences and efforts. Intellect and talent are not determined at birth or set in stone. They can be developed through dedication and hard work. Students show greater motivation, better grades, and higher test scores when they understand that through hard work, they can develop and improve their intelligence and abilities. This is called a "growth mindset."
The bottom line: Let your child know that you believe in their ability to do well in school and go on to college - your attitude and expectations matter more than you think!
Student Checklist
• Set goals for both academics and your personal interests.
• Develop strong study habits.
• Do your best in school and on standardized tests. If you are having difficulty, don't give up--get help from a family member, teacher, tutor, or mentor.
• Learn about a growth mindset and the power of belief. TED talk: The Power of Belief: http://bit.ly/PowerBelief, by Eduardo Briceno.
Family Checklist
• Learn more about the soft skills and growth mindset and how you can help. See http://bit.ly/MindsetWork for details and parent tips.
• Help your child set goals for academic and personal interests. Start by setting goals for personal interests (in sports, extracurricular activities, etc.), and then help set ones for academic achievements. Ask your child to envision both the benefits and the obstacles in achieving each goal.
• Provide challenge and support. Push your child to do his or her best and make sure you offer encouragement and help as needed.
• Share your high expectations. Talk to your child about what she or he is studying in school and communicate your high expectations for good grades and pursuing education after high school.
• Observe language choices. Pay attention to the little things, such as saying "When you go to college..." not "If you go to college..."
• Make homework a priority. Set aside time and space for your child to do homework and make sure she or he is turning in assignments on time.
Excerpted and adapted from Washington College Bound Scholarship newsletters.
Sources: The Chronicle of Higher Education; Education Week; Scholastic; Oregon GEAR UP; BigFuture & Harvard Family Research Project