Kids do well when they can vs. kids do well when they want to is a concept that made me rethink my philosophy on the education practice. I think educators get sucked into the latter statement, wanting to believe they've done all that they could and kids will only succeed if they have the willpower. I think we all know what students who do well when they want to look like--unmotivated, forgetful, argumentative, or lethargic. However, perhaps these kids are lacking resources they need to succeed. I believe when we look at students who lack resources and have obstacles put in front of their successes, they still look a lot like a student who perhaps choosing to not succeed or put in the work. Educators are valuable resources, but we cannot be the only resource.
