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Student success varies; however, students' participation in sessions is a win that leads to students feeling successful.

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Teaching students what meeting their goals would look like.

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Working with a group of students each week to ensure their goal and that progress is being made. Shuruk Garcia

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Working with a group of students each week to ensure their goal and that progress is being made. Shuruk Garcia

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Homeroom has been such a great addition this year to assist with building connections, getting to know students on a different level, and encouraging peer relationships.

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Ensuring that there is reciprocal communication between myself and my students.

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Ensuring that there is reciprocal communication between myself and my students.

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"What is something you're proud of?"
Weekly check-in groups
Having the students praise each other's success
Encourage students to help each other in the form of a question instead of an accusatory statement
Do we make the assumption that all students want to succeed academically? How do we convince the students who don't that it is important to succeed academically? Why doesn't the student care about grades? Something may have happened in their academic career that discouraged them from succeeding academically
What do you do when the only learning coach available is not enough support?

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a conversation between me and the class."
-Adalberto Marta

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Developing a Growth Mindset for students. Breaking down personal barriers to learning

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Struggling
Under
Constant
Challenges
Eventually
Seeing
Success or Triumph

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The first step to success is to make connections, this is something we can really utilize homeroom for.

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Feedback from current and former students, attendance and engagement in Class Connect sessions, analyzing what and how students can produce at the beginning and end of a learning period (Star 360 scores and grades are pieces of a larger puzzle that defines student learning), looking at instructional success in steps/chunks

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Creating, maintaining, and improving interest for all students. Making safe spaces for students in class to risk failure.

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-Willingness to collaborate and ask questions with peers/teachers
-Teaching students skills to take more ownership of their learning and becoming a self-advocate
-Laying foundations/expectations at the beginning of the school year - giving them the tools they need to be successful
-Seeing that students care about their education and show effort (might look like the student participating, asking questions, working hard, etc.)
-Building Relationships/making connections
-Teaching organization skills, motivation skills, navigating OLMS, etc.
-Students show growth, in some aspect, at the end of the year
-Learning necessary skills based on state standards so they are prepared for the next grade level
-Model behaviors
-Helping students create goals/commitments both personal and academic - revisiting those goals throughout the year
-Helping students relate education to their everyday lives

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What Can We Do to Ensure Success of ALL Students?

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What Can We Do to Ensure Success of ALL Students?

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*Community building
*Creating a safe and encouraging culture
*Make connections, keep lines of communication open and available
*Know your students (personal background, strengths, weaknesses)
*Help students understand that their best effort is enough

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Students with self-motivation do well. How can we help those that aren't self-motivated?
Students view success tied to grades
Executive function skills is another thing that students can work towards for success
Virtual school environment gives us the automatic tie to success as students who come to class and turn in homework
Shy kids with less participation need a little push
Finding out why students don't use their cameras or microphones can lead to helping students with their confidence and that leads to success.

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Jim Burgoon
Founder of The Everyday Leader Read full profile

Habits are what sets an average leader apart from a great leader. We can argue that talent is the biggest factor; we may debate how the amount of charisma sets the two apart. Yet, if you were to show me what you believed to be a great leader, I can show you the habits that made her/him great. Great leaders have great habits and know how to work hard the smart way.

What Is Hard Work?

So, what really is hard work? We've all heard it somewhere sometime that we need to work hard if we want to achieve anything in life. I started hearing this before I even started elementary school.

However, for all the fuss about working hard, no one ever really explained to me what hard work is. Again, what is hard work?

This is one of the questions where you don't need a universal definition. Hard work can be whatever you think it is. It may be in the form of putting extra hours at work, or working more intensely, or taking a second job - I'm sure you get the point.

While there is no fixed definition for hard work, there is usually a general meaning the word conveys. It typically means putting in extra efforts and strenuous hours for doing certain tasks.

Many people have had their say in what hard work is, and one thing that always resonates is linking it to success. Consider the words of Colin Powell, "there are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

Whenever any successful person says anything about hard work, it always seems to be linked to success. And, I can confirm it too - success usually accompanies hard work.

Keeping that in mind, I want to revise that earlier definition. Hard work is about putting in extra efforts and strenuous hours for doing certain tasks and not giving up until you succeed.

Hard Work or Talent?

After considering the definition of hard work, the question that may pop up in the head of many is, "so, where do you put talent?"

Well, talent is also critical. In fact, some people believe it is more important to success than hard work. While I wouldn't like to be drawn into any such debates, Tim Notke apparently does. He had this to say - hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

And, quite frankly, he couldn't have put it any better. Both are important to success in the long run, but talent without hard work will take you absolutely nowhere.

So, the summary of all of this is - it is not "hard work or talent,"; it is "hard work and talent."

Benefits of Hard Work

There are tons of benefits that accompany hard work. So many that we cannot possibly fit them all, even if we were to write a separate article. However, below are four of the most relevant benefits of hard work to you.

Success

Yes, of course! The primary goal of working hard is to become successful, and with the right dose of hard work and smart work, that goal is very achievable. Hard work means not giving up and increasing efforts to complete a task. When the right tasks are in place, it is only a matter of time before one makes an actual and true breakthrough.

According to Napoleon Hill, "some people dream of success, while others wake up and work hard at it." This again reiterates what you already know - you need hard work for success.

Self-Development

One underrated aspect of working hard is the mentality change that follows it. Success is usually what everyone sees on the outside, but self-development is the part no one ever really notices but yourself. You have that strong conviction that you are always improving, doing better than you were some time back. As people commonly say, the only room that is never filled up is the room for improvement - the room for self-development. Hard workplaces, you are solidly on the right track for this.

Build Confidence

Hard work often brings, along with it, success, which, in turn, builds confidence. This is why successful people take more and bigger risks than others. They already have such confidence in their abilities that they are not afraid to make tough decisions. All of this all boils down to the results of working hard.

New Opportunities

One thing hardworking people notice is the abundance of opportunities that come their way. From the outside, no one really gets it. You hear side talks and murmurs of, "what is he doing right?" "why is she so lucky?" If you find out well enough, hard work is in the mix somewhere.

Hard work will open doors of opportunities for you, setting you in a prime position to be even more successful. Thomas Jefferson once said, "I am a greater believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work, the more of it I have."

Developing Great Habits is Hard Work

In my early college days, I had spent a lot of time learning how to play the trumpet. Playing the trumpet took time and discipline. I had some natural talent, but not enough to hide my lack of ability. My trumpet teacher was a man of discipline, and there was no doubt he had talent. What stood to me was his work ethic. He had to be one of the hardest working mentors that I had the privilege of working with.

One afternoon, I was in his office getting ready for my weekly trumpet lesson. As I was preparing, my eyes scanned the room and saw that there were quotes all over his office. My eyes rested on one quote that forever changed my thinking about my playing. It was a quote from my high school basketball coach Tim Notke that would become popular through professional athletes Kevin Durant and Tim Tebow:

"Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."

Hard work trumps talent. The key to success is not found in your talent or ability. Talent and ability are necessary, but they are not the primary factors. They are supporting roles in the story you are writing.

Ultimately, hard work is the key to your success. A good work ethic creates the momentum that propels you forward towards your goals.

Motivation is Not the Answer

How many times have you seen someone go to a conference, get inspired, and then come home and do nothing?

If motivation were the answer, the world would have transformed hundreds of times over. Yet, when we look out our doors or turn on the news, we do not see a utopian society.

We have thousands of people who become inspired but lack the work ethic to apply anything they have learned. Time and time again frustration creeps in. We are so motivated and inspired by what we see but fail to put in place the things that would change our lives.

Frustration happens when the gap between what you expect to be true and what is true gets bigger. Motivation tends to create an expectation that is not rooted in reality. We want to take on the world but cannot get off Netflix long enough to do so.

Motivation is not the answer, but working hard is. Good habits and routines that produce success are the by products of a strong work ethic. The habits and routines we create and follow are the foundation on which we build a winning life.

How to Motivate Yourself to Work Hard

Motivation, in itself, will get nothing done. You can be motivated and still not channel that motivation rightly. However, motivating yourself to work hard can lead to you actually working hard. And this is the beginning of success. Below are tips that can help you motivate yourself to work hard.

Surround Yourself with Hard Workers

If you want to remain motivated to work hard, surround yourself with hard workers. "Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are" is the perfect phrase that illustrates this. If you are always around lazy and unmotivated people, it is only a matter of time before it rubs on you.

Stay Focused

Stay focused on the goals. This is one of the secrets to working hard. It is easy to derail or lose focus in the face of failure, but you need the discipline to focus on your goals. Constantly ask yourself why you need to work hard in the first place and, more importantly, remain focused on those goals.

Reward Yourself

Don't be too hard on yourself every time. There are days where you just need to cool off and appreciate where you have reached and what you have accomplished. Reward yourself. This may be with as little as a drink in a bar or a year-long vacation - the principle remains the same.

4 Daily Rituals to Help You Work Hard And Work Smart

Know the outcome you desire.

Declare the outcome in specific, meaningful terms.

Write the outcome down.

Set your activity list to only do that which will complete your goals.

Here are 4 routines that will help you learn how to work hard and achieve your short term and long term goals:

Let me give you an example. 15 years ago, I started speaking professionally. As a young and naïve speaker, I thought winning meant that I had to get a reaction from the audience. If they cheered, smiled, or cried, I considered myself a winner. The problem was my lack of understanding of what a win looked like. As a seasoned speaker, my wins look different.

As of today, when I speak, I am not looking for any emotional reactions from the audience. I win if, and only if, I clearly communicated my point so that anyone hearing the talk can take it and apply it to their lives that day. That is how I define a win when I speak now.

Create a habit of declaring a win. When you do, you will see your productivity soar and your encouragement increase. Pairing a hard work ethic with wise decisions creates victory. Stop being a mouse on a wheel that goes nowhere, and start being the captain of your fleet.

1. Define What a Win Looks Like

In football, a player that crosses into the end zone gain points. In soccer, a player kicks the ball into the net to score. Hockey, lacrosse, and basketball are all the same. The player takes the object and moves it into the designated area to gain points. The team with the most points wins the game.

Why is it that we can define what a win looks like in sports, but we fail to do so in our leadership, our businesses, or our homes?

Learning how to work hard without setting a target is futile. It is insanity to work hard without having a clear direction to place your energy. I would argue that defining a win is one of the most important routines that a leader can have. Defining a win separates superficial activity from meaningful activity.

When I define a win, I know the goal line I have to cross. Knowing where the goal line is informs me of the activity I have to engage in to cross it. Without a clear direction, I am spinning my wheels hoping that I will get to a destination I haven't defined. It is like asking a GPS for directions but failing to input the destination.

2. Evaluate Your Activity

Not all activity is equal. There are things you must do, things you need to do, and things we can either give away or delete. The greatest challenge of a leader is understanding the difference. Understanding what activity is busywork and what activity is mission work is pivotal.

Not only do we need to learn how to evaluate our activity, but we must make this a core routine in our arsenal of success. Stop working so hard on everything and start learning how to work hard on the right things.

Not every activity will move the needle forward for you. In fact, you were never meant to do everything yourself! Once we stop trying to be a martyr in our leadership, we can start looking at how to take things off our plates through delegation.

Based on the Eisenhower box, there are 4 things that we look at when deciding on which activities are important:

Does this activity move me towards or away from my goals?

Do I have to do this activity or can I give this activity away to someone else?

Does this activity have to be now right now or can it be scheduled for later dates?

Does this activity have to be done at all?

Powerful questions are the way you discover if the activity is right or not:

Evaluating the type of activity you engage in should be a routine that you do daily. Learning how to work hard should create progress. Having a system of evaluation and a routine to do it will help.

3. Prioritize Your Calendar

If you were to show me your calendar, I could show you why you are not further along. When you lack the routine of placing things on your calendar, two things happen.

First, what does not make it on your calendar does not get done.

It is a simple truth that is often overlooked. Your calendar contains the power to change your life. Yet, we don't use our calendars to their fullest potential.

"You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine." -John C. Maxwell

Also, if you don't mark you activities on your calendar, you are leaving it open to other's priorities.

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." -Stephen Covey

Having a routine in your life where you place things on your calendar is pivotal to your success. This is not a routine one should overlook.

It's time to take your leadership and business to the next level. It's time to start putting your daily routines on your calendar, along with your priorities.

4. Reflect on Your Day and Plan the Next

We are all about the morning routine. Whatever that looks like for you, there should be a routine in the morning that sets you up for success.

Hard work starts when your feet hit the ground in the morning. Creating the habit of winning starts with the first thing you accomplish that morning. If you win your morning, you will win your day.

But how often have you heard people talk about an evening routine? Tomorrow is won the day before it happens. When you fail to plan your day, you may put your effort toward in the wrong things. Route replaces routine. Indecision replaces decisiveness. Losses replace wins. The discouragement will deflate your momentum and increases the chances of procrastination. That is why we set our schedule the night before.

"Every battle is won or lost before it is ever fought." -Sun Tzu

Working hard doesn't have to be hard work. It shouldn't take much out of you learn how to work hard as long as you work smart. Having a time where you reflect on the day and set your priorities is the difference-maker.

What went well?

What didn't go well?

What can I change?

What do I need to start doing?

What do I need to stop doing?

Use these questions to reflect on your day:

The Bottom Line

Navigating through life is hard work. Yet, the work doesn't have to be hard when you work smarter. When you create routines that support your mission, you create wins. Working hard, the smart way will tip the balance in our favor.

Boxing legend Joe Frazier said:

"Champions aren't made in the ring; they are merely recognized there."

Champions put in the hard work behind the scenes. The world recognized them as a champion when they saw the results of the hard work. Right now, you are doing the work of creating a champion in yourself.

That work is setting your routines in order because you now know that success flows from your daily routines. If you are not experiencing the success you desire, then it is time to change things up.

More on Creating Healthy Routines

Featured photo credit: Zan via unsplash.com

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19 Definitions Of Success You Should Never Ignore

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Jim Burgoon Founder of The Everyday Leader Read full profile Habits are what sets an average leader apart from a great leader. We can argue that talent is the biggest factor; we may debate how the amount of charisma sets the two apart.

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Measurement of short term objectives and long-term academic goals, quantifiable measurement of personal growth and a positive change in themselves, steady plotting toward the finish to the race - perseverance through the development stage to the mastery stage

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Success is dependent on building a foundation of connections, trust, and relationship.

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Growth. Any growth. Effort, engagement, willingness to try AGAIN. 

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Growth. Any growth. Effort, engagement, willingness to try AGAIN. 

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Marissa M

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Ryan Gauci - Students can be successful in so many different aspects of school. Just them getting on the microphone or turning their cameras on can be a small success that leads to larger successes.

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Ryan Gauci - Students can be successful in so many different aspects of school. Just them getting on the microphone or turning their cameras on can be a small success that leads to larger successes.

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STAR 360, grades, ILPs so many ways to measure with data but growth is very much based on the individual student success'.
Celebrations of success are important
Reflection of goals is also important

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Effort translates to growth.  Growth is success. :)

- Irma

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If you understand something today more than yesterday, you are successful.

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I hear you!

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To always be learning and growing

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What does a successful CAVA student look like: Engaged, trying, knowing how to learn, asking questions, attending class connects, complete school work.
How do we know they are successful: How does a student feel about how they are doing.  Student feedback. Can they retain what they have learned. MOY STAR data. Can they repeat what they have learned?
Goal for all students: always be learning, one years growth.
Questions: Do students understand growth.  Do students understand one years growth.
Success: Always be growing (student friendly terms)
Growth Mindset-Ways to have a growth a mindset. Knowing the power of YET.
Understanding failure is a part of growth. Winners fail more often than losers because they stay in the game.

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Sucess can look different based on the area of which is being measured.

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Students that have had a successful year should:

*show some growth (academic, emotional, etc..)
*have good communication
*be familiar with fractions, variables, math vocabulary
*upload an assignment to the OLS
*be familiar and comfortable with the online school (grades tab, content tab, email!
*set and meet a goal however small, if they FEEL successful then they ARE successful
*find their personal definition of success

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What Does a Successful Student Look Like?

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What Does a Successful Student Look Like?

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*Positive attitude (trying their best)
*Self-motivated
*Good communication skills
*Supportive Learning Coach
*Strong study skills
*Ability to navigate the OLMS/tech savvy
*Able to work together (in peer groups)

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It all depends on their self-esteem. What makes them feel great about themselves.

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Successful School Year = developing the whole student (mind, body, spirit), not defined by letter grades alone, persevering through the process - not just the outcome, growth through opportunities to learn and struggles, developing a self-reflective mindset upon succeeding, increasing understanding, recognition of challenges and strategies for how to improve in those areas

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A successful student has a desire to learn and grow.  They strive to do their best and ask questions, learn where to go for assistance.

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A successful student has a desire to learn and grow.  They strive to do their best and ask questions, learn where to go for assistance.

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Being a team member!

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Students taking responsibility for their own learning. Taking responsibility for turning in assignments, coming to class, etc.

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To me that is personal, interpersonal, academic, and work related (and especially for 8th graders, confidence level)

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2. What would successful student look like at BOY?

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2. What would successful student look like at BOY?

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A student who is coming to class and participating. They are wanting to engage in their own learning. They are comfortable with the tech they will have to use at CAVA.

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Engagement in school (OLMS and CC), becoming self-aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, advocate for themselves, demonstrate
growth academically

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Becoming self-aware of progress/weaknesses/strengths. Tracking their own data, and helping students become advocates for themselves.

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When students are comfortable contacting me outside of live session time - they ask questions or just share something about themselves - like a new puppy or winning their soccer game.

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Participation...polling, chat box, no communication barriers. Star 360 scores-growth

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Growth, High school readiness, Social skills, Confidence, Starting to turn on cameras and microphones, The student loves going to school when they maybe didn't before, Starting to like a subject that they may have not liked before, improvement in motivation

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A successful student changes since students are dynamic as people. I see a successful student as someone who has not only grown, but has begun to advocate for themselves, set goals for themselves, and reflected on their learning.

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Students who ask question show the desire knowledge. Students that are present and try to follow the schedule. Communication is HUGE!!! One of the most important is trying!

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Challenge of not seeing our students in person but also have advantage of individualizing our program

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Students that are satisfied/happy with their growth, even if just a small amount, could be considered successful.

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when a student makes small and/or big strides or growth towards his or her SMART goals.

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Those coming in in the Fall - believing they can learn versus those that don't believe that.   Growth mindset!

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A successful student coming into my classroom will be motivated to learn, organized, and willing to ask questions.

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A successful student coming into my classroom will be motivated to learn, organized, and willing to ask questions.

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Showing growth over the year, and mastering major ideas both on paper and being able to apply them to real life

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I like to set my students up for success in the Fall when I first see them by providing them with tools for planning; daily planners, weekly planners, lesson/unit planners, graphic organizers for activities.  Weekly check ins with students to help them keep up with those tools.  Each student is different and I give them multiple examples of planners to choose from.
~Sarah L.

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Demonstrates grow and determination.

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Growth on STAR60 test, even if they are not meeting bechmark standards yet.

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A successful student would put in the appropriate amount of time and effort based on what they can do at the moment and continue to make growth.

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Success for CAVA- students are comfortable with technology and use all platforms.  Take ownership of their learning (running their own show)

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Success is seeing growth in any subjects/testing. Putting in effort.

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Success is seeing growth in any subjects/testing. Putting in effort.

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Successful schoolyear- math 8th grade Kristin McCaffrey

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Successful schoolyear- math 8th grade Kristin McCaffrey

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A successful school year looks different for different students. Sometimes success looks like growth in math but sometimes success looks like a student that has learned student behaviors or how to take care of themselves but didn't necessarily learn the academic part so much.

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Social Emotional Growth (specifically with the pandemic, online learning, and unique challenges to honors kids)

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1 years Growth, mastery of priority standards.

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Growth on Star 360

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Success is personal growth. Students can grow based on their personal goals, growth from one assessment to another, one written assignment to another, etc.

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A successful student has been challenged and has grown. They have reached a goal.

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Success begins with showing up. I know students feel successful when they continue to come to Class Connects.

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Willingness to take academic risks as the year moves on

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Willingness to take academic risks as the year moves on

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SPED students are coming close to or meeting their IEP goals

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SPED students are coming close to or meeting their IEP goals

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Success is seeing growth in each student in all different avenues - using the mic, getting on camera, understanding slope, writing a paragraph with a hook and thesis

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Success is seeing growth in each student in all different avenues - using the mic, getting on camera, understanding slope, writing a paragraph with a hook and thesis

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making demonstrable progress toward their academic goals (not just test scores)

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making demonstrable progress toward their academic goals (not just test scores)

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Meeting IEP goals