Helping learners worldwide to deal with a wide range of emotions on and after results day has always been challenging. There are students running around, hugging each other, thanking their teachers, calling their families and weeping with joy. They have the grades they wanted and, especially if they are Cambridge International A Level or Cambridge Pre-U grades, a confirmation of a place in a university or job.
But then you have others who have worked hard and scored highly in school examinations. Their self-confidence came from doing well in exams. Unfortunately, something has gone wrong this time around, and their CIE examinations didn’t go so well. They are devastated with their confidence crushed.
What does this tell us about the their mindset? They have a classic fixed mindset characteristics. Even though they have succeeded in the past, their previous confidence in themselves have been destroyed and they are utterly devastated. This could mean that they are less likely to ‘turn things around’ next time.
What they need to understand is that doing badly in a test doesn’t correlate completely with intelligence, but the work they put is simply not good enough. Once they understand this, it is crucial to identify the mistakes done and reflect upon it, as it can be their turning point to learn and grow.
Of course, working hard and reflecting do not guarantee top grades. But research of academics suggests that we put too much down to whether a learner were born with the intelligence or ability, rather than whether they are developing the techniques and understanding they need to succeed more highly in the near future. So while we cannot guarantee the students’ grades next time, the determination and resilience which we can encourage them to develop and the reflective approach that they can take about their learning will give them more opportunity to succeed at a higher level. So one day they will be the students cheering upon their successes.