It is often said that schools have little impact on individual student outcomes. Despite the perpetually high rankings of some schools and occasional dramatic turn-arounds of others, we keep hearing that all things being equal, all schools are equal.
Academic accomplishment is supposedly a matter of a child’s socio-economic background, how many books are in the home, the parents’ education level, and so on. In other words, high achieving parents produce high-achieving children regardless of the educational environment. Rarely is a school’s outperformance acknowledged as the work of the staff.
But parents intuitively know that a good school can make a huge difference. Probably because we all went to school ourselves. Usually more than one. And we all remember the most effective teachers, the school counsellor who truly understood kids, the principal who ran a tight ship — or not. We know how we were shaped by the schools we attended and we know what we want a school to do for our children.
Our faith in the power of a good school is not misplaced. US research shows that proficient teachers lift more than test scores. They also lift lifetime earnings.
A US National Bureau of Economic Research analysis of more than 1 million individual tax records, sorted by school district, found that teachers who improved academic results also had a long-term positive influence on their students.
Data showed that just one year of skillful teaching produced students who were more likely to finish school, attend university, and earn higher salaries relative to their cohort. Ten years after graduation, those students were earning 1.3% more in annual income, which, in this sample, was projected to add $US39,000 to their lifetime earnings.
The cumulative effect of a series of talented teachers on individual incomes was outside the scope of this study. But it seems self-evident that the more students achieve, the greater the benefit to their career prospects and future earning capacity.
Education experts explain the ongoing effect of transformative teaching as being about more than knowledge acquisition. To help students significantly improve their grades, teachers have to instil a range of non-cognitive skills in their students, such as self-discipline, perseverance and resilience, which also help children to achieve greater success in adulthood.
High-performing teachers can’t operate in isolation though. They need school leadership that supports them to efficiently manage classroom behaviour so they can nurture those vital non-cognitive skills. They need skilled ancillary staff to maintain high levels of student wellbeing and the time and resources to attend to individual learning needs of students.
It’s a team effort and the results speak for themselves. Good schools lay the foundation for children to grow into successful adults — and it all starts with great teaching.
References:
Measuring the Impacts of Teachers II: Teacher Value-Added and Student Outcomes in Adulthood — Raj Chetty, John N. Friedman & Jonah E. Rockoff, US National Bureau of Economic Research, 2014 https://www.nber.org/papers/w19424
Boasting stately buildings and manicured grounds, Knox Grammar School on Sydney’s Upper North Shore would appear to be the epitome of old school.
But looks are deceiving. Knox is in its 10th year of a transformational project to bring pastoral care to the forefront of the school’s culture. Its Total Fitness program broadens the school’s remit to cultivate students’ characters as well as their minds. Integrating the principles of Positive Education into a traditional academic setting, Knox’s cutting-edge methodology seeks to equip students with the knowledge and life skills required to flourish in a globalised economy.
“We are renewing the traditional model of education through thoughtful innovation and a focus on preparing students for a rapidly changing world,” says Scott James, the school’s newly appointed headmaster.
“The 21st century is an interconnected, diverse world. Students need to develop empathy and collaboration skills to prepare themselves for the evolving workplace of the future.”
The program has special relevance for Mr James who initiated a re-think of pastoral care when he came to Knox in 2009 as head of the Senior School. An extensive research review lead the school council to adopt Positive Education as an evidence-based framework for a rejuvenated school culture. Working with Sydney’s Positive Psychology Institute Knox developed its data-driven Total Fitness Positive Education program in alignment with the school’s unique heritage and values.
“Total Fitness is about holistic education. We focus on the whole student — academic, social, physical and spiritual aspects — based on the science and evidence of Positive Education. All our staff are trained in it, which allows them to focus on the optimal functioning of students in our care,” says Mr James.
Since its implementation in 2011, Knox has tracked the program’s impact on staff and students. The results demonstrate improvement in key areas of the school with the Knox community enjoying significantly greater stakeholder satisfaction than that of comparable schools.
While the data offer quantifiable proof that Knox is tracking in the right direction, Positive Education has made a difference at every level of school life, Mr James says, by nurturing “non-cognitive life skills, such as “empathy, tolerance, compassion and understanding of other people’s points of view”.
“I can see it in the everyday development of these skills in the staff and students. You can see it in the classroom and on the sporting field.”
The equal emphasis on staff wellbeing distinguishes Positive Education from other pastoral care models and underscores the school’s holistic educational approach.
At Knox, every activity presents a mentoring opportunity. “All our teachers are also mentors trained in Positive Education,” says Mr James.
Adult guidance is supplemented by ‘boy to man’ mentor programs, Mr James says, “because we believe boys learning from boys is critical”.
Knox is a perennial high achiever in the HSC but recent years have seen even better results with the school ranking in the top 20 last year.
Mr James attributes this happy outcome to the extensive support the school offers students in those stressful senior years. “In years 11 and 12 we have a senior academic mentor to help the boys with time management and goal setting. Students have a mentor for the pastoral side and the academic side,” Mr James says.
In the school’s boarding houses Positive Education extends to every aspect of student life. “Our staffing structures facilitate a family atmosphere for boarders with a husband and wife team leading each house, while our “whole of life” boarding programs give boys opportunities to acquire life skills and credentials,” Mr James says. “We support them to do their RSA course, barista courses, learner driving as well as co-curricular activities.”
“Our boarders are extremely successful academically. There’s no doubt that the academic support and availability of resources 24/7 that contributes to that,” he says.
Improved wellbeing and academic outcomes are just the beginning though. Mr James has an ambitious and wide-ranging plan for the school’s progress in the years to come.
He is “committed to building a learning community of the highest quality” that will empower students to succeed to their fullest potential. Central to this project is the cultivation of core character traits: integrity, resilience and the pursuit of excellence.
“My vision is to be an exemplary school developing within a caring, Christian environment to produce young people with a sure knowledge of who they are and how they want to live,” Mr James says.
“I have key focus areas for the school: leadership, teaching excellence, learning excellence, Knox Total Fitness and global mindfulness, which is critical to give students the opportunity to engage in social justice programs, community service and immersion activities. These experiences give students a sense of mastery and efficacy and help to develop rapport with other people,” he says.
“Knox is a school for boys of all abilities, races and creeds where they’re supported as equals. With our understanding of mental fitness we can teach boys to deal with setbacks and develop grit. We emphasise ‘stickability’ — staying on task and employing a growth mindset.
“Intelligence is not innate but can be developed.”
There are as many different ways to raise children as there are parents and kids but some styles are definitely less effective than others.
Too permissive or outrightly neglectful child rearing are obviously problematic but research shows too-close supervision can be almost as detrimental to children’s development.
Interestingly, this holds true not just for human parents but for canine carers as well.
A study on guide dog training released this week, shows that overprotective canine mothers produce less capable offspring as measured by guide dog training completion rates.
The researchers attributed the dogs’ handicap to their mothers’ propensity to shield them from adversity in the first few weeks of life. Over-zealous protectiveness inhibited the development of resilience in puppies with lifelong temperamental consequences.
“It seems that puppies need to learn how to deal with small challenges at this early age and, if they don’t, it hurts them later,” lead researcher Emily Bray said in a University of Pennsylvania media statement.
“A hypothesis might be that you have to provide your offspring with minor obstacles that they can overcome for them to succeed later in life because, as we know, life as an adult involves obstacles,” said Bray’s co-researcher, Robert Seyfarth.
Indeed. A growing body of opinion sees overcoming failure in childhood as integral to long-term success.
To counter our modern tendency to coddling, Lahey offered these words of parenting wisdom to Psychology Today readers:
Failure helps children learn about themselves…and they will recover
Be patient and trust in your kids
Remember that when we say “Let me do that for you,” we are telling our kids we don’t think they are capable
Let kids make mistakes that test their abilities. This is a good thing that will strengthen learning and teach them how to be resilient
Remember that intelligence is malleable. The harder kids work to overcome challenges, the smarter they become
The children of parents who support autonomy are more competent and resilient in the face of frustration, so give kids space to work through temporary setbacks
Kids who pursue their own goals are far more likely to meet those goals and stick with activities for the long haul
Experts agree that allowing children to make and learn from their own mistakes is of primary importance but knowing exactly when — and how far — to let go can be difficult to judge.
An “authoritative” parenting style that tempers discipline and clear expectations with warmth and acceptance is generally considered to be the approach most conducive to raising resilient and successful kids. It is also the most closely associated with good academic results.
As children move into the later stages of adolescence, it’s important to allow them greater autonomy but within the framework of “a secure and predictable environment”, says Andrew Martin, professor of education psychology at UNSW.
Some parents may be reluctant to pull back at this stage, fearing the worst; but it’s a normal and necessary part of helping them grow up, Dr Martin says.
“Undoubtedly, they will push and exceed the boundaries, but that and its consequences are part of the development of their identity and understanding the social ‘norms’ to which they will be held to account in adulthood.”
To help parents find the right balance between strictures and structure, Trinity Grammar offers this excellent advice:
Encourage independence Don’t be tempted to do everything for your child because it’s quicker, they need to gain some independence from a young age, so even a pre-schooler can be encouraged to do things on their own, like dress themselves. For older children and teens, resist the urge to solve their problems and protect them from disappointment – they will learn much more from making mistakes and considering the consequences of their actions. Demonstrate your belief in your child’s abilities to boost their self-esteem and confidence.
Maintain stable and loving relationships This applies to relationships between parents, children, other family members and with the Church. Ensuring a child experiences secure relationships based on respect, trust and love shapes the way they manage relationships for the rest of their lives. If they experience conflict being managed in a respectful way, children in turn will learn to manage conflict in a passive rather than aggressive manner. If you apologise to your child for a wrongdoing, they learn the importance of acknowledging mistakes and considering the feelings of others.
Be there for your children It is easy to get bogged down in the routine of daily life and chores that need our attention. Regularly put aside some of those tasks and make a point of spending time with your children and simply having fun. This will strengthen your relationship and is rewarding for both you and your child. Properly engage with your children, whether it be through play or really listening to what they have to say.
Set clear rules Children crave boundaries and need clear rules for behaviour. Try to avoid making threats you do not plan to carry out and instead be consistent and ensure you and your partner provide a united front to avoid confusion for children. Although the equilibrium can sometimes be difficult to maintain, parents must balance empathy and support with structure and clear expectations.
Be a good role model We can try to teach our children morals and values by talking about it, but children learn far more from the behaviours of their role models. Try to be the person you want your child to be, whether that be patient, loving, trustworthy, respectful or all of these things. For example, if you demonstrate sensitivity, your child will develop empathy for others.
Love unconditionally You teach your children many life lessons through the simple act of loving them. They learn when you show them affection, play with them, provide encouragement and advice, and offer them security. By remaining steady, being attentive and listening to your children, they become self-confident with higher self-esteem. Praise them where it is due and try to avoid comparing siblings to each other.