ABSTRACT
Nurturing students’ academic habits and identities can be an important place to start. The trouble with a strictly logical approach to academic preparation is that many of the teenagers we’re trying to reach don’t use deductive reasoning to make decisions about their schoolwork. Global economic competition may not matter much to teenagers, but social identity sure does. The statements in Academic Identity Confidence survey ask students to assess how confident they feel in different scenarios or performing different academic tasks. Kids who see themselves as “good” students tend to trust their efforts. Self-efficacy can be especially important for low-income and minority students. A strategy for encouraging inspiration-driven flow is to have students keep a Brainstorm Board. Teachers can structure the experience by inviting students to Bring a Brainstorm to Class. Students who have little control over their home environments can often find a safe space to study at school.
