Achievement

When it comes to achievement, Americans basically falls into one of two groups. The first group believes the truth: Achievement requires hard work in most cases. The second group believes the opposite notion: Achievement requires luck, and better genetic traits (good looks, intelligence, etc.). 

Certainly, most of us will agree that good looks and intelligence might increase the probability of achieving one’s goal. However, in virtually all cases hard work is an additional requirement. I suspect that Thomas Edison’s comment was aimed at the second group when he said, "Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration."  His point being, of course, achievement requires hard work and the greater the achievement the greater the work required.

I think of this quite often these days as I read and hear the political and public outcry for increasing students’ achievements. Missing in their outcries is the understanding that greater achievements require greater efforts. The students with the best reading abilities (at all grade levels) are the students who spend the most time reading. The best math students are the students who spend the most time doing math. The best individuals, in any discipline at any age, are the individuals who spend the most time working and studying in the discipline. “Time on task equals achievement” is a fact. “A greater achievement requires a greater amount of time on task” is also a fact. For example, learning to play the trumpet requires work. Making the state honor band requires more work. Becoming an all-American high school musician requires a great deal more, and all these pale in comparison to the work required to graduate from an elite conservatory.      

Children who achieve high levels of knowledge and skills in reading, writing, math, science, music, sports, drama, chorus . . . usually have parents who provide the structure, supports and guidance that help them to develop the understanding that hard work is the key to success.

However, it seems that our politicians and the public in general are sending the opposite message to children with low achievement. It seems as if we are always telling them they don’t need to work hare or take ownership for their own achievement. Failure is never their fault; bad teachers, instead, are to blame.

Obviously this is the wrong message! And the sooner we begin to make failing students aware that hard work is the key to success the better it is going to be for them and everyone else.     

 by

James A. Porter