The Master Teacher Blog

At some point in life, we will all face difficult circumstances, some more challenging than others. We may be victims of someone else’s actions. We might have created the situation without even realizing what was happening. Or circumstances may have transpired and conspired to present us with a difficult challenge.

These times can be particularly difficult because, once they are set in motion, it can feel as though we have lost our ability to control what happens next. Yet, close examination almost always reveals that there is more we can do than we initially imagine. In fact, we have available to us a set of superpowers we can engage if we choose to do so.

These elements deserve to be called superpowers because they hold the potential to help us navigate, overcome, and triumph even in what may seem like the darkest, most challenging circumstances. Equally important, they are completely within our control. We just need to employ them. No one can steal or force them from us unless we allow them to do so. Let’s examine these six superpowers and how we can engage them to guide, support, and help ourselves—and others—to prevail during tough times.

Confidence – Confidence is our belief in ourselves and our potential. No one can bestow confidence on us; it is self-generated. Therefore, it is within our control. We may need to reflect on and revisit times in the past when we have faced difficult decisions and challenges and recall past victories. Confidence alone can help us to get started and persist. Sometimes even acting as though we are confident can lead to our feeling more confidence, especially as we start to see progress; sometimes you just need to fake it ‘til you make it, in other words.

Courage – Tough times can be frightening and anxiety inducing. They can lead us to worry about how things might turn out. Yet, in most situations, our fears outpace what reality is likely to create. Sometimes it helps to ask what the worst-case scenario or scenarios might be. What we discover may not be nearly as bad as we fear. Further, if we can manage the worst outcome, we have no reason not to act. Remember, courage is not an absence of fear. Courage is the willingness to act despite fear. One thing is certain: Failing to act means that others will likely decide the future on our behalf.

Commitment – During difficult times it can be tempting to look for ways to exit the situation without seeing it through. Yet, this choice can mean giving up on what is important to us. It can be helpful to revisit why the challenge or goal we face matters. Recalling our why can help us to align our energy and effort with our purpose. If we waiver, we risk reserving energy and options and undermining our success.

Concentration – Difficult times often feature lots of distractions. We can worry about possibilities that sap our energy but remain beyond our control or ability to influence. Sorting and shutting out distractions and distractors can preserve our energy and help us to focus on what matters and what we can control. Identifying and shutting out useless “noise” can make a big difference. This step can also reduce our temptation to engage in second guessing.

Creativity – When we face tough times, we can feel pressure to return to what is familiar and what we have done in the past, even if what we have tried in the past did not work particularly well. These are good times to step back, seek a new perspective, explore possibilities, test and be willing to abandon assumptions and question old beliefs that may be holding us back. In fact, difficult times can be the stimulus for a new direction, new answers, and future success, but only if we are willing to see them as potential opportunities rather than something just to get through.

Compassion – We need to remember that in times of challenge and even chaos, not everything will be perfect. There will be missteps and setbacks. These are natural and often unavoidable elements in the process of finding our way forward. We may become emotional and say things we later regret. We may make decisions and take steps that we later learn are not useful. Rarely are these things unrepairable. We need to resist blaming ourselves or others and be quick to forgive and move on. When others are involved, we can remind ourselves that while they may not fully understand or share our purpose or commitment, that does not make them bad people.

Rarely would we choose to face difficult circumstances and tough times. However, it can be reassuring to know that when these times come along, we have access to an array of superpowers to see us through them.

Adversity is not fun.

It can press and stress us.

It may depress and distress us.

It can even distract and untrack us.

Yet, adversity can also be a gift that lifts us.

It can be the force that strengthens our wills and builds our skills.

It is only natural that we do what we can to avoid difficult times and extraordinary challenges. We try to anticipate and moderate the problems we face, or we may attempt to sidestep conflict altogether. However, adversity is not always something that can—or even should—be avoided.

We may face adversity when a core principle or significant value is at stake. Adversity can emerge in our efforts to defend an object of importance or in our attempts to create something meaningful and lasting. Adversity also often comes in the form of conditions we do not create or are unable to control.

As difficult as adverse conditions and challenges may be, they can also provide amazingly valuable opportunities to learn and grow. Difficulties can present circumstances that enable us to experience our best selves. In fact, adversity might be the impetus to move us from hesitancy to confidence and from moderately skilled to expert.

Interestingly, the natural world offers some excellent metaphors for how experiencing adversity can offer hidden benefits and important opportunities for us to become our best selves. With this in mind, consider the following:

• The water in a mountain stream is fresh and pure because it tumbles over rocks, cascades over falls, and bounces over rapids. The same water caught in a stagnant pool is dark and stale.

Lesson: Facing challenges can keep us fresh and prevent us from becoming stale in our thinking and stagnant in our approaches.

• The brightest diamonds are formed by the greatest, most sustained pressure. Absent the presence of pressure, diamonds remain clumps of carbon.

Lesson: Pressure can be the gift that allows us to shine.

• The brightest lights shine on the darkest nights. On a sunny day, we can easily miss the presence of a strong light, yet the same light can be seen for miles when other sources of light have dimmed or been extinguished.

Lesson: Our work during the most challenging times can offer the greatest hope and make the biggest difference.

• In the face of a storm, domestic cows try to outrun and avoid the rain and wind, whereas buffalo turn into the storm, understanding that facing what is inevitable often makes it pass more quickly.

Lesson: Facing adversity directly can often shorten its duration and diminish its impact.

• Stormy seas make skilled sailors. While sailors might prefer to sail on calm waters, their best skills are developed when the waves are high and the wind is strong. In the absence of adversity, key skills remain undeveloped and untested.

Lesson: Times of adversity are valuable because they create conditions for us to learn and grow.

It is true that adversity is usually not pleasant. Still, it can be important to our growth and the difference we make. Adversity may not be our choice, but it can be our opportunity.

Grades play a crucial role in today’s educational world and students’ educational experience. The general perception is that grades are intended to report students’ academic performance, but many people include in grade calculations information such as participation, extra credit, and other behaviors that are not direct contributors to or reflective of learning. Most people are familiar with the traditional A-F grading system, but even cursory examination reveals multiple shortcomings in its application and ability to communicate the whole picture.

Most experts advise that we need a better way to communicate the nature, amount, and quality of student learning. We need a reporting system that tells those who depend on it the story of what they want and need to know. However, there remains considerable confusion and debate regarding what story grades should tell.

It makes little sense to try and change the current system without having considered the ways in which what we do now falls short and what features would make a new system more effective. Before making any changes, we need to gain greater clarity about what a system for reporting on learning should be able to communicate. Once we know what we need, we can decide how best to shape the system. Of course, this conversation needs to include a full range of stakeholders if we hope to achieve understanding of the need and create support for any change. Here are seven questions to start our reflection and discussion:

• Should grades reflect a student’s learning journey or just their knowledge end point?
• Is it fair for a student who already knows much of what we are teaching to receive a higher grade than a student who began the current unit knowing little and having few related skills but who gave maximum effort and made huge progress throughout the unit?
• If you were to hire someone, would you rather understand what they know or how able and motivated they are to learn?
• Should grades reflect students’ ability to apply what they have learned, or is it enough to show that they can recite, repeat, or record what they were taught?
• Should grades reflect the knowledge and skills students are able to retain or just concept and skills they know at the conclusion of instruction?
• In what ways does the dominant A-F grading system fall short in giving intended audiences enough information to determine what students know and can do?
• What features would you include in a perfect grading system?

Around this time last year, we posted an article regarding the debate invited by the first question asked above (Debate: Should Grades Reflect What Students Learn or What They Know?), and we heard varied responses from our followers. Regardless of where you align on that topic, though, notice how that question is one of many—and more that are not listed.

If, in the end, we might conclude that no single grading system can meet all the needs we identify, we may need to create multiple reporting mechanisms. If this is where we find ourselves, what might those reporting tools look like and do? And what stories would they tell?

Occasionally, we have all found ourselves in situations wherein we felt manipulated. It may have been a request, an expectation, an insinuation, or something else that left us feeling confused or uncomfortable. Regardless of the specifics, it was generally not a good feeling.

Some manipulation is the result of happenstance and is not intentional. At other times, we might bring the situation on ourselves by failing to be clear or feeling obligated to cooperate. Fortunately, most people do not attempt to manipulate others as their primary approach to relationships.

Yet, there are certainly people who rely on manipulation as a go-to behavior to get what they want. They may be a colleague, student, friend, or even a family member. They reveal themselves through their frequent reliance of any, some, or all the following behaviors:

• Guilting—Making us feel guilty for not cooperating with or volunteering to carry out their wishes or taking responsibility for their emotions.
• Playing the victim—Seeking sympathy and claiming that others are responsible for their problems and feelings.
• Blame-shifting—Claiming that everything bad is someone else’s fault, even when the fault clearly lies with them.
• Lying—Refusing to admit falsehoods even when the evidence is obvious.
• Gaslighting—Raising suspicions about what we know or have experienced, leading us to question our reality.
• Intimidating—Making subtle threats, threatening to exert power, or hinting at consequences if cooperation is not forthcoming.

Unfortunately, regular engagement with emotionally manipulative people can take a significant mental, emotional, and physical toll on us. We can experience depression and anxiety, feel helpless and lack of confidence, and suffer from guilt and shame. We may even engage in unhealthy coping behaviors and suffer from exhaustion.

The good news is that there are several useful strategies we can tap to protect our well-being and manage manipulators and their behavior. Here are seven approaches to help you gain control and remain sane.

Set and enforce emotional boundaries. Be ready for the manipulator to press and test your boundaries. Expect attempts to ridicule and guilt you for not prioritizing the manipulator’s interests and priorities. If pushed, refuse to engage; instead, respond by stating your commitment to prioritizing your well-being.

Refuse to take responsibility for the manipulator’s emotions. Don’t take what the manipulator says personally. Your guilt, shame, and vulnerability are what they crave to be successful. When you break that link, you diminish their power. Their feelings and behavior are their choice, not your responsibility.

Remain calm. When the manipulator attempts to pull you in, refuse to react. Detach emotionally from what the manipulator is saying or doing. When manipulators do not receive the reaction they expect, they often lose interest. If the manipulator persists, you may need to create physical space, including walking away or ending the relationship.

Avoid power struggles. Manipulative people excel at power competition and advantages. They have lots of strategies and are not reluctant to use them, no matter how they may impact you. Resist debating, forget trying to win, and detach from determining who is right or wrong. The manipulator is trying to escalate the situation to achieve an advantage. Don’t take the bait.

Be clear about your needs and expectations. State what you mean in direct terms. Resist sending open-ended messages, invitations, or requests. Vagueness and mixed signals are the manipulator’s playground. They will reinterpret what you said or meant and leave you feeling guilty, regretful, and bewildered. Meanwhile, expect vagueness and mixed signals from the manipulator, often followed by an interpretation that favors what the manipulator wants or expects.

Listen to your intuition. Manipulators can be difficult to spot. They are often friendly, even seemingly genuinely helpful, when it fits their purpose. They may compliment and smother with kindness when they want something. If you find yourself second-guessing your interpretation or feeling “icky” following a conversation or experience, manipulation may have been at play. If something feels manipulative, it probably is.

Tap sources of support. Manipulators often attempt to isolate those whom they are trying to manipulate. Their tactics work best when their intended victims are not testing their experiences against reality or others’ perceptions. Talk to friends, colleagues, or family members about what is happening and get their reactions. If they have experience with the manipulator, they may be able to validate your experience and offer advice. Consider seeking professional help if the situation is becoming serious and you are having difficulty finding a path forward.

Of course, the “through line” for each of these strategies is that we need to take care of ourselves. Self-care is a critical element in successfully countering an emotional manipulator. They depend on others’ emotional and physical exhaustion for their success. But we are not powerless, and we can prevail. Own your own!

We spend significant time thinking, exploring, planning, and preparing before we begin a new unit of study with our students. During this time, we identify key learning goals and objectives, determine key concepts to present, choose strategies for engaging students and building new skills, select resources and arrange for necessary equipment, decide how we will assess learning, and address other elements that will be key to our instruction and our students’ learning success. However, all this preparation typically happens away from the view and experience of our students.

As professionals, we have a good grasp of what we want to accomplish in any given learning cycle, but our students are largely unaware of what lies ahead until we introduce the unit. Meanwhile, the success of our instruction and the learning of our students depend heavily on their engagement in and commitment to the learning we have planned. If we want our students to be interested and ready to learn, we need to prepare them.

We can start by thinking about what students will want and need to know. They will likely have several questions about what they will be learning, and our responses will likely influence the level of learning engagement and commitment our students will demonstrate as we begin the new teaching and learning cycle. Here are five of the most likely questions our students want us to address.

What are we going to learn—and why is it important, valuable, or useful? Understanding the purpose and utility of what they will be learning can be a significant motivator for students to engage in what lies ahead. Sharing learning goals and objectives can offer clarity and reassurance for students, but, when possible, we also need to connect new learning with non-school-related, “real world” applications. The connection might be with interesting and attractive career possibilities, applications for hobbies and areas of current interest, something they have enjoyed learning in the past, or preparation for an important future challenge, such as state assessments or college entrance exams. The key is to make any connections real and relevant to our learners. Of course, there will be times when sharing a compelling connection or important application may be a stretch. When we face this challenge, we might consider ways to “gamify” the learning or consider other inviting or interesting ways to introduce and engage students that make the experience more enjoyable. Mary Poppins’ advice that “a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” might apply in these circumstances.

What past learning and skills will be important to our success? Now is a good time to help students connect their past learning with future learning. When what we want students to learn next builds on what they have already learned, we may be able to get by with a quick reference and conducting a quick review. However, if significant time has passed, we will likely need to lead a more in-depth review or even do some reteaching to be certain that students are prepared to engage with what comes next.

What activities and strategies will you use to help us be successful? We might preview for students some of the activities we have planned, highlight learning strategies we will teach or reinforce, and review other learning resources available to help students find success. We might discuss the mix of individual and group work we have planned and how these strategies will contribute to what students will be learning. Now also is an opportune time to share our confidence that students will succeed and assure them that we will be ready throughout the teaching and learning cycle to provide support and offer additional tools and options. Our confidence in students and our commitment to have them succeed can provide important reassurance, especially if students anticipate that the learning will be especially challenging.

What have past students found helpful or challenging with what we are going to learn? Students can feel more confident when they learn that previous students, especially students like them, have found success with the new content and skills. We might share stories about the various approaches students found helpful, strategies they employed, and learning paths they found useful. We might also show the work of previous students as exemplars. However, we need to be sure to share multiple artifacts to avoid having students focus too narrowly on a single student’s approach or product. Our goal in responding to this question is to provide reassurance that success is within reach while also reinforcing key criteria and crucial elements to show evidence of learning.

How will my learning be assessed? Students of all ages often find it reassuring to know what type of assessment we plan to use to document their learning. If students know that their learning will be assessed through a demonstration, they are likely to approach their learning differently than if they expect a multi-question, short-answer assessment. Of course, our choice of assessment tool also needs to be guided by the nature of the learning in which students will be engaged. For example, a project-based learning activity may lend itself to a presentation or defense, while learning a set of established processes and procedures might be better assessed by analysis of a case study or demonstration of the best procedure for solving a problem or process for arriving at a solution. We might also discuss grading criteria or rubrics that we plan to apply. While we need to avoid having students focus too heavily on grades, it can be helpful for students to understand what will evaluated and how success will be judged.

We invest considerable time and energy in planning the learning we intend for our students. However, success—for our students and us—is heavily dependent on the investment and commitment of our students. Spending time at the beginning of the teaching and learning cycle to enlist the interest and grow confidence for learning in our students can pay rich dividends.

Few people are likely to disagree with the observation that the frequency and acceptance of disrespectful behavior has grown. Behavior that used to generate outrage and embarrassment too often feels normalized. Actions and words that were once met with demands for immediate apology and behavior change seemingly barely raise an eyebrow. Even public figures appear to have fewer filters for their speech; cursing, insults, and insinuations are common fare among people whom we used to look to as models of decorum and properness.

Of course, this trend is not confined to adults. “Respect your elders” used to be a common mantra. At one time, “We don’t talk/behave that way” was a powerful admonishment and cause for shame. Unfortunately, for too many young people, models of respectful behavior are scarce or missing, and lessons about proper discourse are absent. Meanwhile, what they observe and experience in daily life presents few boundaries and little guidance for proper behavior.

We might wish that we could wave a magic wand and return to times when respect was a sign of good character and proper upbringing. We might long for days when disrespectful behavior was less frequent and the people who engaged in disrespect understood that their behavior did not reflect well on them. Correction was a matter of pointing out the behavior, not teaching why it was not acceptable.

Nevertheless, we can choose to wring our hands and complain, or we can work to at least improve the level of respect we experience in our work with colleagues, students, and others. Unfortunately, life does not issue magic wands and there is a limit to how much we can control the behavior of others. Any change we want to see must begin with us and what we can control.

The good news is that the behavior we choose in our interactions with others can have a powerful effect on their behavior. If we want to feel more respect from others, we can start by taking these seven actions:

• We can consistently show respect in our attitude, speech, and behavior. People who are respectful almost always experience higher levels of respect from others.
• We can assume respect from others. What we expect influences what we find. If we expect disrespect, we are more likely to interpret undefined behavior as disrespectful.
• When we experience what feels like disrespect, we can choose to remain calm and composed. If the disrespect is intended to stimulate a negative reaction, the purpose will have been thwarted. If we misinterpreted the words or behavior, we will have avoided awkwardness and embarrassment.
• We might refuse to take the other person’s words or behavior personally. In many situations, what feels like disrespect for us is an expression of frustration, the result of a misunderstanding, or a manifestation of confusion. Even if what we experience is intended as disrespect to us, we gain little by making it a personal issue.
• We can set boundaries and expectations with colleagues, students, and others with whom we interact regularly. Boundaries of acceptability are often enough to moderate behavior. Stating that what was said or done feels disrespectful can signal what is and is not acceptable to us.
• We need to reject the disrespectful behavior, not the person. The other person’s behavior is something that can be changed. Regardless of the behavior, the person still has worth. When we reject the person, we risk creating a divide that may make a future relationship difficult, if not impossible.
• We do well to avoid responding with criticism or blame. Focusing on resolution and solutions is not only likely to be more productive in the moment, but our behavior can also leave the door open to address what we see as disrespect later when emotions are under control and a level of trust is present.

In the context of a classroom, we obviously have more influence on what is acceptable through rule setting and behavior management. The seven actions still apply, but some additional steps may be useful:

• We may need to explicitly teach the difference between respect and disrespect and examine the subjectivity behind certain examples of each. In some cases, some students may not be fully aware of how their words and actions impact on others. There are some things that are more generally considered respectful or disrespectful, though, and those more objective examples are worth discussing.
• We can include respect for oneself and others in the expectations we establish for classroom behavior.
• We may need to intervene more directly in response to disrespectful words and actions, but our approach needs to be in private, when possible, and informed by the seven actions presented above.
• We might give students opportunities to build respect for themselves and from their peers. Offering students meaningful choices in their learning, providing leadership roles, and giving students a voice in classroom operation can be good places to start.
• We can increase our influence and reduce the frequency of disrespect by forming strong, consistent, positive relationships with students. Our interest in and caring for our students matter.

This list could go on, but the truth is that our consistent practice of respect for ourselves and others can have a powerful impact on the behavior of those around us.

We all have experienced times when our students seemed to have learned what we expected and may even have performed well on an assessment, only for us to discover weeks and months later than they retained little of what they learned. Consequently, if what we are teaching now requires students to utilize the previous learning, we must reteach it. Obviously, this is not an efficient or effective way to build the knowledge and skills of our students and prepare them for their future.

So why does this happen, and what can we do about it? The problem is not ineffective instruction, nor is it the result of a lack of effort or poor student memories. The problem has its roots in how we use time and space to our and our students’ advantage as they learn.

Consider the typical way skills are introduced and taught in schools. Teachers provide instruction and monitor and correct while the students practice until the skill is mastered or it is time for an assessment before moving to the next unit. Despite how common this approach is, it suffers from two significant liabilities. First, some students need more time and opportunities to fully learn what is intended. Second, teaching skills in a concentrated block too often results in short-term learning followed by significant memory loss once the skill has been assessed.

Learning that is deep and lasting is more often gained through repeated exposure, regular practice, and frequent refreshing over time. We know the downsides of cramming for a test. In many ways, teaching and learning in a concentrated time block is the same; it just takes longer to experience the disappointing results. The good news is that there is a better approach that does not require more resources or effort and that is strongly supported by multiple research studies. The key is to use the time and space we have available in different ways.

We might think of this adjustment to our instruction and our students’ learning as spaced learning, spaced practice, and spaced retrieval. Let’s explore this combination of strategies and how they can support better learning and longer retention of what students learn.

Spaced learning breaks instruction into smaller pieces and spreads the introduction of new content and skills over time. Instead of a week of focused instruction and learning a topic or skill, introduction and exploration occurs over two to three weeks or longer, if needed. As a result, students have time to consolidate and digest new information. They experience less cognitive overload and lower stress. Intervals between learning sessions also often lead to more active engagement and deeper understanding.

Spaced practice occurs in tandem with spaced learning. In brief sessions, students practice what they have learned to refresh and apply it. These spaced practice sessions build students’ competence and confidence, and they reinforce what students have learned and make processes more automatic. These experiences also highlight for students where they have learning gaps or may be confused. As a result, learning barriers can be addressed and corrected before being “papered over” by the next level of learning.

Spaced retrieval follows up and reinforces the learning gained through spaced learning and practice. During brief sessions, possibly at the beginning or end of class, or during transitional periods, students are challenged to recall all that they can about a previously learned topic or skill. The activities may be as simple as making a list or concept map or as challenging as self-quizzing and using past learning to teach a classmate. The experience of recalling past learning has the effect of deepening and extending memory and making the content easier to access in the future.

Interestingly, redistributing how we use time and space for instruction and learning does not mean that we necessarily need more time. The key is to use time and space differently. We do need to rethink the organization of lessons and how we can distribute our instruction and student practice over longer periods of time. But, after a few attempts, the routine and pace become more natural, and the results can make the effort more than worthwhile.

We may not think much about the attitude or demeanor we bring to the classroom and share with our students every day. We might assume that the instructional strategies we employ and the materials we use are what matter most. Or we may think that our students’ dispositions and their readiness to learn are what will determine whether the day will be successful. We might even assume that how challenging the lesson objective is will determine its outcome. 

It goes without saying that instructional strategies and support materials are important, that student readiness to learn matters, and that what students are learning can make a difference. However, these factors can be quickly and heavily eclipsed by the attitudes we ourselves present with and to our students every day. The unseen but pervasive atmosphere in our classroom on most days is formed by the mood and tone we project. For students who struggle, the influence of how we present how we feel about the day—and them—can have an outsized impact.  

When we are grumpy, students pull back and may even become grumpy, too, in response. When we are angry or depressed, students might search for the reason and/or keep their distance. When we do not feel good about what we are doing, students pick up on it and may worry that it is in some way connected to them. 

On the other hand, when our attitude projects caring, support, confidence, and persistence, all the other factors that can impact success become contributing rather than determinative. Let’s examine six key attitudes that can have an outsized influence on the success of our students—and by extension, us.  

Patience supported by belief in potential. High expectations rest on an understanding that our students have the potential to improve, perform, and succeed. We may need to adjust the pace or moderate our approach, but when students feel that we believe in them and their ability to succeed, they are more likely to take learning risks and persist until they are successful.  

Readiness to adapt and be flexible. We cannot accurately predict what the day will bring. We may plan meticulously only to face an unexpected interruption, encounter an unanticipated barrier, or experience the malfunction of a key tool or piece of equipment. Our willingness to shift, modify, or even abandon what we planned without undue complaint can reassure students that we know what we are doing and will not be deterred in our commitment to support their learning.  

Empathy and emotional support. Students want to know that we care about them and value what matters to them. An attitude of listening and caring can have a lifelong impact for a student who is struggling or may be facing a significant life challenge. Taking the stance that our students are people first can make a big difference.   

Valuing effort and progress. Not every student will immediately grasp a new concept or quickly master a new skill. Learning can take many paths, and students often begin their learning journeys in different places. Of course, we need to be concerned about outcomes, but the greatest value in the learning we foster is found in teaching our students how to learn. Helping students to find the best strategies, coaching the best type of effort to give, and supporting the progress they are making can have a much greater impact than a pat on the back for earning a good grade.  

Passion for teaching and learning. Our students are perceptive, and they can feel when we want them to be inspired by what they are learning and curious about what more they might learn. Our excitement when they overcome a challenge or achieve a learning victory can send a powerful message about why we choose to teach and how we feel about them and their learning.  

Consistency and fairness. Students want to know that we will treat them and their classmates equitably regardless of who they are or what their learning history is. Being consistent when enforcing rules and fair when students misstep can build trust and create a sense of security. When students know what we expect and trust that they will be treated fairly, they are more likely to engage in challenging work and listen to our guidance and advice. 

When students feel a sense of optimism, patience, possibility, and empathy from us, we set the stage for success. We may make a mistake, students may struggle, and many things might go wrong, yet learning will still grow, students will still feel connected and cared for, and we can still have a successful day. 

What students believe about themselves and their learning matters. When students make unfounded negative assumptions about their potential, they are likely to give up quickly in the face of struggle, if they are even willing to try. When students assume that the lack of immediate success signals a lack of ability, they risk losing motivation and waning commitment.  

Learning is challenging enough. We should not have students fighting myths and misconceptions about learning that introduce doubts and make the work even more difficult. When we suspect that students are misinformed, are making unfounded assumptions, or hold misconceptions related to their capacity to learn, we need to act. Here are five common misconceptions about intelligence, studying, memory, assessment, and struggle that we need to dispel.  

If you do not recall information or skills learned earlier, you did not learn them. Learning and memory are related, but they are not the same. It is possible to learn and be able to demonstrate a concept or skill and not recall much about it later. The fact is that something was learned, but forgetting is less a reflection on the learning and more on how it was stored in memory. Forgetting information and skills is common when they are not reinforced or used frequently. Known as the forgetting curve, what we learn is easily forgotten unless we review, apply, and retrieve it frequently.  

If you struggle to learn something, you will never be good at it. While each of us has specific areas of interest and finds some things easier to learn than others, research studies show that we can learn almost anything if we use effective strategies, engage in repeated attempts, seek and accept feedback, and persist. Interestingly, the same research studies have found that people vary less in the rate at which they learn than most people think. The difference is found in what people already know and are interested in when they begin the learning process.  

Studying more means that you will learn more. In fact, how long students study is less predictive of what they learn than how they study. When studying, the quality of the strategies students use matters more than how long they spend doing it. As examples, self-quizzing is more effective than highlighting, reading and explaining what was read is more effective than reading the same content multiple times, and spacing study sessions over time is more effective than long, concentrated study sessions.  

Test scores are complete and accurate measures of learning. Tests, by definition, can only evaluate certain things. The number and type of questions asked, the way questions are framed, and the scope of content and skills assessed are just a few of the evaluation elements that can influence how completely learning is captured. Some students do best when questions are specific and draw heavily on memorized content, while other students excel when they can demonstrate, explain, or teach what they have learned. Few tests can measure the full scope of learning. Consequently, excessive dependence on test scores as the sole measure of learning should be avoided.  

If you do not do well in school, you are not smart. There are many reasons why students may struggle in an academic environment that are not necessarily reflections of intelligence. School performance can be influenced by numerous factors, including motivation, personal interests, time management, academic background knowledge, and emotional and psychological maturity. Consider the number of people who do not do well in school but later find exceptional success in business and other aspects of life. The key is to find learning strategies that work and allow intellectual abilities to show through.  

Myths and misconceptions can exert powerful influences on how students see themselves and the concept of learning. What students believe affects the level of motivation they feel, their willingness to persist when they struggle, and even how they see themselves as learners and people. We need to do all that we can to help students develop an informed and accurate picture of what it means to learn and how they can find learning success.