Confronting the problem of the low level of students academic Research Paper

Confronting the problem of the low level of students academic performance - Research Paper Example Excelling in academics is a universal concern in today’s world,where students from a very early age are taught to compete and work hard towards academic success This poses a serious relational and interpersonal challenge not only for the students and their parents, but is also troubling for teachers and professionals linked to the academia. Why is it that despite equal resources being invested in all pupils, some perform well and others don’t? In a school system where academic success spells out life success, this question is as compelling as it is haunting – does a low academic performance in school doom the pupil to eternal failure for the rest of his life? Through this research essay, the problem of low academic performance will be looked at closely through the help of relevant case studies and connected to the fundamental concepts of Social Intelligence. Moreover, the role of leading administrators will be assessed in such academic environments, and the strat egies needed to facilitate academic performance will be elaborated upon. The concept of Social Intelligence, as advocated by Karl Albrecht, is central to the understanding of low academic performance as an interpersonal challenge.First coined by E. L. Thorndike, the term Social Intelligence has been further described by Albrecht in his book â€Å"Social Intelligence:The New Science of Success† as â€Å"the ability to get along well with others and to get them to cooperate with you†. In the classroom, interacting with peers and teachers is crucial for one’s academic performance.Academic performance therefore has a link with academic performance, with multiple researches focusing on whether low academic performance has an impact on poor social relations or vice versa. Results of the research It was initially believed that IQ was an objective means of measuring intelligence, where a high IQ meant a high intelligence (Stanford-Binet, 2013). However, more recent rese arch reveals that an individual’s intelligence comprises of different types, of which IQ is only one part. Although Professor Gardener first spoke of the concept of multiple intelligences, it was Albrecht who placed these multiple intelligences in six categories, namely, Abstract, Social, Practical, Emotional, Aesthetic and Kinesthetic – abbreviated as ASPEAK. He spoke of these six intelligences as â€Å"the six faces of a cube, all come together to form a whole† (Albrecht, K. 2006). Thus, from Albrecht’s words, it is easy to see one’s intelligence as a combination of different skills, and not a result of a single isolated factor. In analyzing a person’s intelligence, therefore, it is important that IQ is not the only factor being taken into account, and the individual’s interpersonal skills are also included in an analysis of his intelligence. The modern education system is a perfect example of a setting where one’s cognitive and social skills are tested together. Excelling in academics is as important as finding acceptance among peers, and pupils often struggle to strike a balance between both (Cillessen, 2010). Moreover, in a context where students have to interact with peers as well as authority on a regular basis, the success one has in his interpersonal relations may have an impact on how well he performs in academics. A student is hesitant to ask his or her teacher for help, or feels awkward while approaching his peers had less chances of having confusions regarding academics clarified. The