Question:
How do you define success?
Evaluators:
Kate Lorenz, Hannah McNiece, and Martha Schull
Introduction:
In this section, we will discuss the themes observed in the responses to the survey question “How do you define success?” We received many different types of responses due to our large and diverse sample. Some participants outlined many needs to be met and areas of life to be developed in order to achieve success; others responded with simple statements like “to live an engaged and fulfilling life.” After review, we were able to categorize most of the responses into three different themes: professional, communal, and personal success. Some respondents’ definitions fell into more than one of these categories, leading us to believe that the data collected provides a well-rounded definition of success. The findings obtained from this portion of the questionnaire urge us to consider how we can use what we have learned to help students of the 21st century grow and succeed. As a result, for each theme, we examined the implications that these definitions of success pose for K-12 schools and how these results could influence curriculum and coursework.
Theme 1: Professional
Categories:
Economic, Initiative, Financial
Findings/ Interpretations:
Professional success was the most common response mentioned by respondents when asked to define success. Typical responses included making enough money to support yourself and others. Having a steady job was also mentioned frequently, which in turn provides a person with more freedom to make other areas of life more successful (see the forthcoming themes below). This finding may be especially telling since our largest demographic group consisted of K-12 teachers.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
Schools have an obligation to prepare their students for success in a 21st century environment. Economic and financial literacies may be pushed aside in schools by more traditional subjects, and they may be misunderstood by individuals who believe they push students toward narrow, vocational forms of learning. If business and professional subjects and skills are needed to survive in today's society, then schools must find a way to integrate them into a curriculum that is not only holistic but also allows students to explore related career pathways.
Theme 2: Communal
Categories:
Relationships, Community Engagement
Findings/Interpretations:
Communal success was also a common theme within our responses; the phrases “good citizen" and “being able to provide for my family” were used frequently. Mentions of communal success may have been less common than professional success, but most of the responses related to relationships and community engagement were associated with terms also connected to professional or personal success. That said, the number of responses related to communal success was a little surprising since P21's Framework itself says very little about notions of communal success. With this consideration in mind, it is important to note that while not explicitly stated, many of the P21 exemplar schools do focus on making schools feel like a community or providing opportunities for students to engage with their community. This attention is likely because many of P21's suggested life and career skills come from interactions that take shape within one’s personal, professional, and social networks.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
Schools often teach to a basic curriculum, and that instruction may or may not always be aligned to teaching the whole child. We see so much focus on teaching to the test in today's educational landscape, and we realize this form of instruction likely has an impact on how students are prepared, or ill-prepared, to become good citizens and learn to contribute to their communities. However, if these traits are as vital for success as our respondents suggest, teachers and administrators may want to spend more time considering ways to integrate communal activities into their school's daily practices.
Theme 3: Personal
Categories:
Well-being, Fulfillment, Education
Findings/ Interpretations:
Most participants included at least one item from this theme in their response to how they define success, whether it was being happy (well-being), doing something they were passionate about (fulfillment), or building excitement about reading and learning (education). It appeared, according to participants, that if they were able to achieve a sense of well-being, fulfillment, and/or education in their lives, they would be satisfied with their own personal success. This category feels unique because it was one in which people had the capability to determine their own definitions of success. While it may be harder for a person to ensure that they will have economic success or be able to influence a community initiative, a person may be more likely to have control over (and therefore achieve) personal success with a mindset built around learning more about their own interests and passions.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
The responses from this portion of the survey reveal the importance of empowering children in the classroom. First, children must be exposed to learning and allowed to grow excited about educational inquiry and discovery. Then, students must be able to seek their passions and pursue them, and teachers must consider whether or not students' interests and passions are found in the books they are reading, the assignments and assessments they are completing, and the presentations they are giving to display their work. Finally, evaluating how students achieve personal success in schools must consider that students learn to prioritize their well-being no matter what else is going on around them, as students need to be taught that fulfilling their basic needs is of utmost importance to achieving professional and communal goals.
How do you define success?
Evaluators:
Kate Lorenz, Hannah McNiece, and Martha Schull
Introduction:
In this section, we will discuss the themes observed in the responses to the survey question “How do you define success?” We received many different types of responses due to our large and diverse sample. Some participants outlined many needs to be met and areas of life to be developed in order to achieve success; others responded with simple statements like “to live an engaged and fulfilling life.” After review, we were able to categorize most of the responses into three different themes: professional, communal, and personal success. Some respondents’ definitions fell into more than one of these categories, leading us to believe that the data collected provides a well-rounded definition of success. The findings obtained from this portion of the questionnaire urge us to consider how we can use what we have learned to help students of the 21st century grow and succeed. As a result, for each theme, we examined the implications that these definitions of success pose for K-12 schools and how these results could influence curriculum and coursework.
Theme 1: Professional
Categories:
Economic, Initiative, Financial
Findings/ Interpretations:
Professional success was the most common response mentioned by respondents when asked to define success. Typical responses included making enough money to support yourself and others. Having a steady job was also mentioned frequently, which in turn provides a person with more freedom to make other areas of life more successful (see the forthcoming themes below). This finding may be especially telling since our largest demographic group consisted of K-12 teachers.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
Schools have an obligation to prepare their students for success in a 21st century environment. Economic and financial literacies may be pushed aside in schools by more traditional subjects, and they may be misunderstood by individuals who believe they push students toward narrow, vocational forms of learning. If business and professional subjects and skills are needed to survive in today's society, then schools must find a way to integrate them into a curriculum that is not only holistic but also allows students to explore related career pathways.
Theme 2: Communal
Categories:
Relationships, Community Engagement
Findings/Interpretations:
Communal success was also a common theme within our responses; the phrases “good citizen" and “being able to provide for my family” were used frequently. Mentions of communal success may have been less common than professional success, but most of the responses related to relationships and community engagement were associated with terms also connected to professional or personal success. That said, the number of responses related to communal success was a little surprising since P21's Framework itself says very little about notions of communal success. With this consideration in mind, it is important to note that while not explicitly stated, many of the P21 exemplar schools do focus on making schools feel like a community or providing opportunities for students to engage with their community. This attention is likely because many of P21's suggested life and career skills come from interactions that take shape within one’s personal, professional, and social networks.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
Schools often teach to a basic curriculum, and that instruction may or may not always be aligned to teaching the whole child. We see so much focus on teaching to the test in today's educational landscape, and we realize this form of instruction likely has an impact on how students are prepared, or ill-prepared, to become good citizens and learn to contribute to their communities. However, if these traits are as vital for success as our respondents suggest, teachers and administrators may want to spend more time considering ways to integrate communal activities into their school's daily practices.
Theme 3: Personal
Categories:
Well-being, Fulfillment, Education
Findings/ Interpretations:
Most participants included at least one item from this theme in their response to how they define success, whether it was being happy (well-being), doing something they were passionate about (fulfillment), or building excitement about reading and learning (education). It appeared, according to participants, that if they were able to achieve a sense of well-being, fulfillment, and/or education in their lives, they would be satisfied with their own personal success. This category feels unique because it was one in which people had the capability to determine their own definitions of success. While it may be harder for a person to ensure that they will have economic success or be able to influence a community initiative, a person may be more likely to have control over (and therefore achieve) personal success with a mindset built around learning more about their own interests and passions.
Implications for K-12 Schools:
The responses from this portion of the survey reveal the importance of empowering children in the classroom. First, children must be exposed to learning and allowed to grow excited about educational inquiry and discovery. Then, students must be able to seek their passions and pursue them, and teachers must consider whether or not students' interests and passions are found in the books they are reading, the assignments and assessments they are completing, and the presentations they are giving to display their work. Finally, evaluating how students achieve personal success in schools must consider that students learn to prioritize their well-being no matter what else is going on around them, as students need to be taught that fulfilling their basic needs is of utmost importance to achieving professional and communal goals.