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Through the experiences and studies of Dozier (high school principal) and Burke Harris (pediatrician), we understand that student success isn't reliant on the  expensive programs or the latest technology our schools offer them. In low-income schools, mental health must be addressed before we can expect success from them.

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Fenger High School, located in the south side of Chicago, IL., was nationally recognized as a "troubled school." Funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, high school turnaround programs, a separate freshman academy, and transforming into a magnet school still did nothing to boost graduation rates or decrease student violence. Finally, after a video of a Fenger student being beaten to death went viral on YouTube, a $500,000 pledge was made for afterschool programs and trauma counseling. This was the turning point in the livelihood of Fenger High School.

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The effects of long-term stress can be explained by the HPA axis. This is a chain reaction of chemical responses that respond to stress.   When students with adversity face consistent stress in childhood, they not only have to deal with the stressful events themselves, but the aftermath of symptoms and conditions that develop because of the hormonal imbalance in the body.

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"Many of the children she saw in the clinic seemed depressed or anxious, and some of them were downright traumatized, and the stress of their daily lives expressed itself in a variety of symptoms from panic attacks to eating disorders to suicidal behavior" (Tough, pp. 8-9). This quote lends a professional testimony to the link between poverty/adversity and health. For our students, stress isn't just difficult in the moment, but can have serious long-term health effects if they are repeatedly exposed to stress without being comforted.

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Another important area of concern is the development of the prefrontal cortex--the center of emotional and cognitive regulation. Students who consistently face stress/anxiety are at risk of delayed development of their prefrontal cortex. As a result, they aren't able to appropriately regulate their emotional responses, which will affect their relationships and make them more vulnerable to risky behavior. On the scholastic level, delayed development of the prefrontal cortex will affect the decisions students make on tests, assignments, and class discussions.

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How to Think – Through Chess and Responsibility 

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How to Think – Through Chess and Responsibility 

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Elizabeth Spiegel’s approach to chess is somewhat non-standard. When a student returns with a loss, she does not console, but rather demands explanation. Going over every move with painstaking accuracy, and determination finding the point of error and making it known to the student. Spiegel is a chess coach at Intermediate School 318 (IS 318), and she coaches champions, not by teaching them chess, but by teaching them how to think. How to accept the reality that when they lose, it isn’t because they couldn’t win, but because they didn’t (Tough, 2012).

Teaching specific chess moves is only part of what Spiegel focuses on in her lessons. What she does more often is teach her students a new way to think; offering them two important executive functions: cognitive flexibility, and cognitive self-control. These skills are what make great chess players, and great students, because they require thinking from different perspectives, and being patient, being willing to wait for a plan to come to fruition. Another part of what Spiegel does for her students is ensure that they see their mistakes, understand them, and learn from them. Spiegel’s philosophy on losing at chess is that if a student loses it is entirely due to their choices. They had the tools, they just didn’t use them. Spiegel says it is imperative for students to separate themselves from their losses: “Losing is something you do, not something you are” (Tough, 2012).

A rarity in contemporary American schools is holding kids accountable for who they are. Taking them and their actions seriously and allowing them to take responsibility for their own character. Spiegel gives her students the opportunity to gain self-control and mindfulness through her post game sessions. Being “mean” to her students with some light verbal abuse is one way that Spiegel gets her students thinking about what they could have done differently. While Spiegel cultivates warm relationships with her students, she also takes her position as a teacher, and thought process facilitator very seriously (Tough, 2012).

This chapter goes through the mental toughness required to succeed at anything that requires intense study. The chess teacher, Spiegel learned at an early age that she was able to teach herself chess, and in learning that, she understood she could teach herself anything, including math, and science. I think the important take-away from this chapter is that our students crave a passion, just as we do. They crave intense experiences in which their own actions lead to rewarding experiences. Middle school students can thrive on personal accountability and respect. Teaching doesn’t have to be about being “nice” it can also be about teaching students how to accept that their mistakes are their mistakes, but losing, or making mistakes, isn’t what defines them; how they look at those mistakes is what makes the difference between mediocrity and championship.

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Two school leaders from different schools and backgrounds embarked on a journey to increase student success. David Levin founded KIPP Academy (public charter school), and Dominic Randolph is the headmaster at Riverdale Country School (elite prep school). Both men looked to Martin Seligman and Angela Duckworth to learn how to develop their students’ character and grit. Extensive research shows these characteristics are essential for a successful life.  Through Seligman, they saw the importance of “teaching that optimism is a learnable skill, not an inborn trait” (Tough, 2012, 53). Seligman believes pessimists “react to negative events by explaining them as permanent, personal, and pervasive” (Tough, 2012 p. 54). Optimists, however, have “specific, limited, short-term explanations for bad events, and...they’re more likely to pick themselves up and try again” (Tough, 2012 p. 54). Seligman defined 24 character traits that contribute to a more meaningful life, and these traits can be learned, practiced, and taught. Focusing on “personal growth and achievement” (Tough 2012, p.60) can be transformational for students.

Levin and Randolph learned more from Duckworth, who demonstrates how grit is critical to success.  Grit is “a passionate commitment to a single mission and an unswerving dedication to achieve that mission” (Tough, 2012, p 74). It does not correlate with IQ, but grit impacts goal attainment. Self-control and delayed gratification translate into gains for students, but motivation to achieve goals is of utmost importance. Duckworth calls this motivation and volition: it is possible to impact students’ motivation, which closes learning gaps.

Duckworth also defined seven Character factors:

1. Grit

2. Self control

3. Zest

4. Social intelligence

5. Gratitude

6. Optimism

7. Curiosity

Duckworth, Randolph, and Levin used this to create a character development program in their schools, and  KIPP students receive character grades. Their school culture heavily emphasizes building character, since it can take the place of social safety nets, family support, and financial stability.

Also, KIPP teaches code-switching to help students adapt to different cultural settings. They use SLANT (Sit up, Listen, Ask questions, Nod, Track the speaker) and cognitive-behavior therapy to help students. Through all of this, students gain essential skills for success. Duckworth also recommends MCII (Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions): IF something affects you, THEN do something to push through it. She states, “It’s not like some kids are good and some kids are bad. Some kids have good habits and some kids have bad habits” (Tough, 2012 p.94). Habits are malleable.

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We believe that an excellent college-prep education will set students up for success in whatever life path they choose. Our students complete college at a rate that is above the national average for all students and three times higher than that of students from similar economic backgrounds.

The KIPP Difference, According to Parents

Resource Library

We aspire for KIPP's impact to extend far beyond the walls of our schools. We believe that we only succeed if we all succeed. That's why we eagerly seek to learn from and share what we know with other public schools and education organizations. Our resource library offers tools and resources from four key focus areas: Teaching & Learning, Leadership Development, College, and Character.

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The KIPP Approach | Learn more about what makes KIPP different

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We believe that an excellent college-prep education will set students up for success in whatever life path they choose. Our students complete college at a rate that is above the national average for all students and three times higher than that of students from similar economic backgrounds.

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Learning to Thrive.
Thriving to Learn.

Riverdale is a Pre-K through grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating community in order to change our world for the good.

Yet, Riverdale is more than a school. It is an experience comprised of our mindset, our people, our programs, and our campus. All of us develop our own intellectual agency within an ethical community that fosters open inquiry, builds character strengths, and creates lifelong learners.

Riverdale is an exciting learning hub where learners come to improve themselves and find their unique potential.
dominic A.A. randolph
head of school

From a French classroom, to the theater, to the steps of Mow, Riverdale students show us some of the places...

"Delta" is a ninth-grade course at Riverdale that helps students understand how they learn.

Kay Madati '91, a senior executive at Twitter, urged the Class of 2019 to make a difference.

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Learning to Thrive.Thriving to Learn. Riverdale is a Pre-K through grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating community in order to change our world for the good. Yet, Riverdale is more than a school.

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Positive Psychology is the scientific study of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play.

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Great ideas you can use as a teacher!

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Character Lab is a nonprofit organization that advances scientific insights to help kids thrive. We provide actionable advice for parents and educators.

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Children who could wait to eat the marshmallow had SAT scores 210 points higher than those who could not wait.

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In the last thirty years, the United States college-graduation rate has slipped from first in the world to twelfth. The college conundrum is this: Why are so many American students dropping out of college just as a college degree has become so valuable and just as young people in the rest of the world have begun to graduate in such remarkable numbers?

In the 2009 book titled Crossing the Finish Line: Completing College at America’s Public Universities, William G. Bowen and Michael S. McPherson, two former college presidents, along with co-author Matthew Chingos, came up with an answer to the college conundrum question. They discovered that the most accurate predictor of whether a student would successfully complete college was not their score on the SAT or the ACT, but their high-school GPA. “High-school grades reveal much more than mastery of content. They reveal qualities of motivation and perseverance – as well as the presence of good study habits and time management skills – that tell us a great deal about the chances that a student will complete a college program” (p. 153).

In 2007, Jeff Nelson, CEO of OneGoal, received a phone call about an organization called the Urban Students Empowered Foundation. They supported an afterschool program that was essentially a college-prep boot camp. After accepting the job as the new executive director, Nelson began to reshape and mold the program. He renamed it OneGoal and now works with more than twelve hundred students at twenty Chicago high schools.

OneGoal curriculum is comprised of three main elements:

·         An intensive unit of ACT prep in junior year

·         A “road map to college” which is essentially a structured path for students from sophomore year to the first day of college

·         Helping students develop the specific nonacademic skills that would lead most directly to college success

1.      Resourcefulness

2.      Resilience

3.      Ambition

4.      Professionalism

5.      Integrity

“OneGoal and the theories that underlie it seem like a most valuable intervention, a program that…regularly turns underperforming, undermotivated, low-income teenagers into successful college students” (p. 175).

Most of these programs are geared toward high school students, but what if middle grade teachers applied these same methods? What if more schools focused on the nonacademic skills that lead to college success – really, life success? These are teachable aspects that middle grade teachers can apply to their classrooms.

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OneGoal is working to create a world where all students can earn a college degree and define their future.

What we do

We develop the model.
Schools invest teachers.
Students succeed.

Why it matters

Students from low-income communities are three times less likely to earn a postsecondary degree.

Coast to coast

12,500 Fellows.
12,500 unique experiences.

Many paths

Hear stories of the OneGoal experience.

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OneGoal is working to create a world where all students can earn a college degree and define their future. We develop the model. Schools invest teachers. Students succeed. Students from low-income communities are three times less likely to earn a postsecondary degree. 12,500 Fellows. 12,500 unique experiences. Hear stories of the OneGoal experience.

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Program Directors work with a group of high school juniors in a credit-bearing class every day during regular school hours.

Goal One

Develop the skills that will help Fellows increase their GPA and college entrance exam scores, which in turn increases acceptance rates into more selective post-secondary schools.

Goal Two

Identify seven best-fit colleges.

Goal Three

Begin to develop the non-cognitive skills and mindsets needed to graduate from college.

Goal Four

Understand and put into practice OneGoal's Leadership Principles: Ambition, Resourcefulness, Resilience, Professionalism, and Integrity.

Online ACT/SAT prep

How to improve GPA

Research best-fit colleges

Career and major exploration

Goal setting and action planning

Personal statements: The power of storytelling

High school road blocks

Summer opportunity search

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Program Directors work with a group of high school juniors in a credit-bearing class every day during regular school hours. Develop the skills that will help Fellows increase their GPA and college entrance exam scores, which in turn increases acceptance rates into more selective post-secondary schools. Identify seven best-fit colleges.

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High school seniors apply for and enroll in their best-fit college. Their Program Director supports them through tactical steps, including applications and financial aid, while also honing non-cognitive skills and Leadership Principles that will prepare them for the year ahead.

Goal One

Apply to at least seven best-fit colleges

Goal Two

Continue to strengthen and put into practice noncognitive skills and OneGoal Leadership Principles

Goal Three

Enroll in a best-fit college

Application progress checks

Race, class, and college

Enrollment checklist

High school vs. college academics

Getting involved on campus

Financial aid: FAFSA, verification, aid award comparisons, roleplay scenarios

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High school seniors apply for and enroll in their best-fit college. Their Program Director supports them through tactical steps, including applications and financial aid, while also honing non-cognitive skills and Leadership Principles that will prepare them for the year ahead.

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Program Directors continue to support the same cohort of Fellows remotely through the first day of their second year of college, or other postsecondary institution. They focus on intensive one-on-one coaching, providing support and direction to ensure Fellows are applying the skills and mindsets they developed in the first two years of the OneGoal program to overcome barriers and earn their degrees.

Goal One

Accomplish academic, financial, and social Steps to Success.

Goal Two

Enroll in the first day of sophomore year with the mastery of the skills, mindsets, and experience that will lead to college graduation.

There are many building blocks during the first year of college that give Fellows the scaffolding they need to establish a foundation that will sustain them through their college experience, including:

Meeting with an advisor

Registering for classes

Filing FAFSA

Developing study plans

Accessing academic supports

Attending the OneGoal Winter Break Gathering

Student account balance check

Connecting with on-campus supports

"I think Year 3 is what sets OneGoal apart from other programs. It is incredibly important to be able to work with students when they are in college and they are homesick, lonely, or struggling. Every kid deserves to have somebody behind them who believes in them. They deserve to feel that there was somebody who cheered them on even when they made mistakes or failed. I want to be that person for my Fellows."

Shilpa Sarang

Program Director, OneGoal - Houston
English II Teacher and English Language Arts Team Lead
Northside High School

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Program Directors continue to support the same cohort of Fellows remotely through the first day of their second year of college, or other postsecondary institution. They focus on intensive one-on-one coaching, providing support and direction to ensure Fellows are applying the skills and mindsets they developed in the first two years of the OneGoal program to overcome barriers and earn their degrees.

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Paul Tough reflects on his own decision to drop out of college and pursue other interests in his life. This leads him to question many things about himself, including what kind of grit and perseverance he possesses. Through the process of reflection about his research, he is led to seek active solutions for not only his own family but for all children. He contends that to help all children to succeed we need reformation of a different type than what society has tried before. By creating a new system that starts at a pediatric level, children’s chances for success would increase greatly. These systems could include parenting interventions, pre-K programs, and character development assistance.

Overall, Tough argues that helping children overcome their circumstances will involve multiple focuses. “Character strengths that matter so much to young people’s success are not innate…They are rooted in brain chemistry, and they are molded…by the environment in which children grow up” (Tough, 2012, p.196). As we work with individuals who are climbing out of poverty, it is important to recognize that “they did not get onto that ladder alone. They are there only because someone helped them take the first step” (Tough, 2012 p. 197). Our job as teachers, then, is to work on closing the achievement gap for our students by knowing them and advocating for them on a local and national level. We should know about the available resources, health services (both mental and physical), programs, and additional opportunities for our students and continually work to improve them.