'There is hope!' - Motivators encourage students to persist despite bad grades
Published:Wednesday | August 30, 2017 | 12:00 AMJodi-Ann Gilpin
There is still hope!
That's the advice from at least two motivators who are seeking to reassure those students who might have failed subjects during the last academic year or who are still trying to adjust to school life that there is still time to get it right.
Yaneek Page, one of Jamaica's leading entrepreneurs and trainers, shared with The Gleaner that as students prepare for the start of the new academic year, they should keep focused on their strengths and not be daunted by past mistakes.
"You have no idea how many persons are walking around unfulfilled. The main thing is for students to recognise that patience is key. It will take time, so be patient with yourself. If you make mistakes and the grades are not so good, it's OK. You have time to recover," she said.
Indicating that she was a C-average student while attending the Immaculate Conception High School, Page said that once students persist, they will gradually experience breakthroughs.
BE PATIENT
"I think at the end of the day, people have different career paths and you will have different outcomes. Just focus on what you love and what makes you happy. You won't grasp every single subject as quickly or in the same way, and if you think about it, it's an unrealistic task," she said.
"Everybody has a different role. No one person can do everything. It is actually a recipe for disaster. Focus on your strengths, and understand that you will get bad grades at some point. That's how life is. The aim, however, is to recover and improve. You can create wealth in so many different areas."
Similarly, Krystal Tomlinson, communication specialist and momentum speaker, said it is critical that students work at creating the right mindset.
"I was a late bloomer. In grades one and two, I was failing everything, but it's a moment when you just have to make up your mind and make a decision as to the student you want to become. Parents have to be a part of that process, too. Your average might be very poor, but you always have an opportunity to change the way you're doing it and do it better. For the most part, all it means is that you need to read more and practise more."