Summary
- Attention
- Curiosity
- Humility
- Self-respect
- Liveliness in the classroom
- Being analytical
- Discipline and self-control
- Punctuality
- Good leadership skills
- Hard work
- Consistency
Every action that we indulge in actively or passively, is leading us to a definite result, and there’s no way around that. The same applies to students. Once they’re in school, there’s a lot they have and don’t have to do, if they want to succeed.
The question is: how do you know when one or more of your students are heading in the right direction? The following are some of the factors that, if noticed, show that a student is on his/ her way to a successful ending;
1. Attention
For every student to be able to grasp everything they’re taught, they have to learn to pay attention. This is when a student has their entire mind fixed on the lesson, and they aren’t distracted at all. Here are some of the signs;
- Asking questions
- Physical responses like frowning, nodding, etc
- Taking note of important nuggets
There are many more signs, and they definitely mean your student has high chances of attaining good grades.
2. Curiosity
Curiosity is the beginning of learning. It is the unquenchable thirst to know more than you already do. This, if possessed, is one sign that your student is heading in the right direction. Here are some signs;
- Asking questions during class time
- Consultation after class
- Doing research in text books and identifying differences
The reason it’s a bit hard for students to be curious is because so many of them don’t see the reason to – as long as they have enough notes to revise.
3. Humility
This applies to students that are performing quite well. Sometimes, good performance comes along with a little or a lot of pride, and it can be catastrophic to the student’s long term performance if it goes unchecked.
Therefore if a student maintains a humble approach to teachers and students, even in the face of reasonably good academic performance, they are destined to excel in school and life.
4. Self-respect
Since students are usually reasonably young, you find that most of them are susceptible to influence from their peers and classmates. By respecting themselves, students won’t indulge in things like;
- Hooliganism
- Drug abuse
- Sexual abuse
There are so many other habits that are as a result of group influence that do great damage to any student’s academic performance. Avoiding them gives your student a better shot at success.
5. Liveliness in the classroom
Part of being attentive is liveliness. Not all students are in class beause they want to be there, and it’s always evident.
Therefore, a student who shows genuine enthusiasm and participates in the classroom discussion readily, stands a great chance to excel academically and in life.
6. Being analytical
This is one of the results of being curious. Being analytical manifests itself in the following ways;
- Identifying errors, even in the teacher’s work as others copy and paste
- Interpreting and understanding a subject matter/ topic on their own
- Deriving different meanings from one subject
When a student is analytical, it puts them at a totally different level and gives them a very good and clear chance at succeeding.
7. Discipline and self-control
Discipline is one of the most important things that every child needs to have at a young age and grow up with. It means the ability to do something even though it’s not what you want. Signs are;
- Taking time to read/ revise thoroughly
- Creating and following a specific reading routine
- Adhering to all school rules and regulations
- Resisting the urge to indulge in distractions
Many adults struggle to discipline themselves because it is the only wall between them and their most ambitious goals.
Self-control is actually part of discipline, and can contribute a great deal in the success of a student even in the future.
8. Punctuality
Punctuality, as people say, poses the greatest challenge to Africans. This is because almost no one keeps time, making it hard for the student, for example;
- Teachers come late
- The bell rings, and teachers don’t stop teaching
- Timekeepers sometimes, are late
- Food is served late
Such conditions aren’t common in every school, but some schools are exactly just like that. That makes it really hard for a student to be punctual, but some still force themselves to keep time, even though it means they have to wok 2x faster.
If any of your students possesses such a quality, be sure that they are destined to succeed if they stay that way.
9. Good leadership skills
Leadership skills are so important to possess right from a young age. Here are some qualities of students with good leadership skills;
- Ensuring that their fellow students understand what they’re taught
- Leading classroom discussions
- Vying for leadership as a prefect
- Helping to maintain order in the classroom
It is true that some students are good leaders but not good learners, and that some deteriorate academically after they’ve ascended to leadership. Therefore, this factor doesn’t work alone as a determinant.
10. Hard work
This is one of the most important traits in the school and beyond. To achieve almost virtually anything in life, your students must be ready to work hard.
In school, there’s always that one student that doesn’t seem to understand things as quick as their fellows, but works so hard until they grasp it.
That right there, is one of the best determinants of success in your student’s education and life at large.
11. Consistency
Many adults lack in this area. Consistency is the ability to do something on a regular basis for a long period of time, and even when odds aren’t in your favor. Sounds like discipline? Yeah they go hand in hand.
Many students decide they’ll expand their vocabulary by learning 5 words everyday, or improve in Math by calculating a number every day before they sleep, but in two weeks, they drop the habit, and they go back to square one.
If your student is one of those that can push themselves even through days that they don’t feel like it, they’re destined to win.
HOW TO HELP THEM
1. Teach them to work on their weaknesses
Of course, every student has a weakness, no matter how good a show of flawlessness they might put on. It is your role as a teacher to help them accept their weaknesses and change them too if possible.
2. Help them capitalize on their strengths for encouragement
Once you notice your learners’ strengths, teach them on how to capitalize on them even more, as they can be able to gain the best out of themselves.
3. Teach them how to stay motivated
Motivation is very important, on the inside. You can’t start showing your students motivational videos to get them to do something useful with themselves, but reminding them of their purpose will take them a long way.
4. Provide counseling even before they ask for it
Out of every 10 people, 9 have something they want to talk to someone about and 1 is lying. As a teacher, it’s your role to get your student to talk to you about different things they struggle with, so you can help them however you can.
5. Show that you believe in them
The last and most important thing you can do for your student is encourage them, and show you believe that they’re on the right track. This will help;
- Boost their confidence
- Give them a more positive perspective
- Motivate them to keep getting positive feedback
In the age of social media, people pretend they don’t care what people say about them, but that’s the reason they post in the first place, so do your students a good favor.
Conclusion;
Of course, you can’t tell exactly what your students will be, because any other favor can come in and interrupt their growth process and degenerate them into chaos. However, most of the students that learn some of these good traits at an early age stand a high chance of becoming successful in the future.
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