The Success Cycle

by Charles Debelak 

This article was written for the Birchwood community by Head of School Charles Debelak. His writing provides parents with information about sound educational principles and child development issues gleaned from history, contemporary research, and his 50+ years of educating, coaching, and counseling children, young adults, and parents.

The Success Cycle first develops a child’s competency in specific subjects. To develop competency is simply to “get good” at things, like math or reading or writing. But just as importantly, through the Success Cycle, children recognize and acknowledge their continual improvement. Through measurable achievement, students prove to themselves, to their teachers, and to their parents that they are capable. In addition, because their competency is growing in these subjects they spontaneously enjoy them and develop an affinity for learning. It is no surprise that everyone likes what they are good at, and children’s measurable success in academic subjects creates an interest in learning more. 

Second, the Success Cycle builds confidence. In turn confidence nurtures self-worth and self-efficacy. Self-worth is a product of real, quantifiable success. When children, through their visible achievements, prove to themselves that they can do things, that they are good at “stuff,” self-worth follows. Children, like any human being, derive self-worth from their real-world, measurable achievements. They can point to their accomplishment with pride and say, “I did it.” 

As a companion to self-worth, self-efficacy describes children’s perception of themselves in relation to opportunities for new learning experiences. Self-efficacy is a product of a child’s learning history. For example, if a young girl has had success in mathematics, then she believes she is good at math. When the next opportunity to learn math arises, she is eager to engage and learn. Her sense of self-efficacy says, “I can do this.” Such an attitude is essential for all forms of advanced learning. 

Of course, the opposite example is also true. If she has not had previous successes in mathematics, she will doubt herself and her abilities when faced with new opportunities to learn math. She will withdraw and claim “I can’t do that,” even without trying. 

The third objective of the Success Cycle is to create internal and personal motivation for lifelong learning. When children experience growth – in reading or mathematics or writing or in any academic subject – an internal, motivational light goes on. Growth feels good. Competency feels good. Spontaneously, a positive attitude, not only about academics, but also about life itself, begins. The successful young boy or girl wants more success and more achievement. Every individual experience of success corresponds to children’s human nature that seeks to become the best person they can be. 

When the Success Cycle is repeated throughout primary, elementary, and middle school, children possess a positive and productive attitude toward growth opportunities in their teen years. They like growing. They are proud of themselves. They are intrinsically motivated to grow and become.

The Success Cycle in Practice
First, we assess a child’s present level of ability including readiness and interest. This is always the starting point for learning. But it should be noted that it is a starting point built upon the child’s confidence, that is, on their history of successful performance. Such a beginning helps children embrace the “I can” attitude at the onset of learning. I have found it helpful to begin with lessons that give children a chance to “show off” what they can do, thereby establishing confidence early on.

Second, after assessment, we identify the next step for achievement. This next step has two requirements. On the one hand, it should require some degree of dedication and hard work. The goal must be a “stretch.” To make the lessons in the Success Cycle endure, children must learn that progress in learning always requires hard work. The level of work might be minimal in the early stages of the Success Cycle but it is a central tenet.

At the same time, the goal should be evidently achievable. This is important especially for young children, because if the next step is too difficult, children become frustrated and they will quit. Also, the degree of difficulty should be such that the student is willing to engage. The goal should cause them to say, “I can do this.” Of course, this perception of success will vary by student and needs to be carefully analyzed.

Third, as children commence work toward their academic goal, we encourage and guide them with motivational language. “This is a big step, but I think you can do it. Let’s try.” If there is failure, we adjust the goal to make it achievable, and we sprinkle the next round of effort with positive language and support. “Let’s try this together. Let me guide you a little. You can do it. Of course it is hard work, but you are a good student, and we can do it together. Let’s persevere.” In this stage, you must make sure the child will be successful. Adjust the goal however is necessary so that child achieves success.

This third step is a bit “mushy” and vague. That’s because each child is different. Their tolerance for hard work, self-control, or failure varies. Birchwood teachers learn to walk the narrow “coaching line” where students discover the process of success, even if it has been greatly manufactured by the coach.

Included in this third step, is verbal praise once the goal has been reached. The motivational research recognizes the power of positive, verbal feedback that simply reinforces what the child has personally experienced and can validate. When you say, “Great job. Look what you did.” Your words of praise are simply an external validation of what they know to be true: “I did it.” Research shows that this combination of meaningful external verbal praise coupled to the child’s self-acknowledged success, nurtures the pathway toward internal motivational habits.

Once children experience success, their faces beam with the satisfaction of “I did it,” and we continue the cycle. Success breeds success. So it is time for another challenge. When I work with students, I like to tease them after they have experienced success. I tell them, “Well, the next step is really hard. Maybe we should wait a few months to begin. I think it is too much for you right now!” Given the power of the Success Cycle, you can guess how my students respond. “Let me do it now!” they argue. “I can do it. Let me try.” They are emphatic, and their show of confidence is an automatic reaction to the success they have just experienced. They are motivated. They are inspired.

Through all my years of teaching and coaching I have found the Success Cycle to be one of the most powerful tools I have to inspire and motivate children and young people.

This practice sounds simple, but it takes a great amount of work because locating each new goal and supporting the child to reach that goal requires constant attention. Teachers need to know the child and the subject content. Teachers invest a great deal of time and energy to be sure each new goal is reached.