January 23, 2025 - Success is something that most people are interested in achieving and maintaining. Nobody likes or wants to fail. So what can be said about school and success? There are some very important things that we need to stress in education and helping students succeed. Businesses and business leaders want to succeed. I don’t know of anyone who sets out to intentionally fail. I sometimes suspicion politicians who want to guarantee failure on the part of some programs. I have known some teachers who got it in their head that some students should not succeed or even pass. They determine to assure failure on the part of whatever student they came to dislike or disagree with. I’ve also known in many years of teaching of administrators who are mean-spirited, hateful who make it their goal to prevent some from succeeding.
In some institutions of higher education there are academic supervisors that insert themselves in such a way as to demean faculty, pressure faculty, over-supervise and intrude into the individual instructor’s classroom in both management and content. Sometimes that comes from administrators who have little actual classroom or teaching experience. There are those administrators who respect faculty and understand the classroom situation permitting the individual instructors the liberty to express themselves freely, responsibly and appropriately. Such thoughtful administrators see their role as encourager and enabler, helping the individual instructor succeed in the teacher-student relationship, the collegial environment. Instructing at the college level began with my mentor, Professor Kerney Adams at Eastern Kentucky University, when he recruited me as a sophomore for his senior-level class “Ideological Foundations of Western Civilization” that became the beginning of college teaching for two or three of his students in the 1965-66 two-semester class. I shall never forget Professor Adams calling me aside that first semester to tell me I was going to lead the class discussion and teach what I was learning for the next class meeting. That began an intellectual adventure with this great teacher. I succeeded because he determined, and said unreservedly, that I could and would succeed in what he assigned me to do. He helped me. That became my pattern for teaching wherever I have been privileged to do so, whether in colleges, churches or other settings. Teaching, in part, is working alongside students encouraging them, inspiring them and enabling them to achieve success in the study of whatever the subject or class. What can we do to encourage success?
First, we all need to recognize that success really is linked to how hard a person works. There are those who argue that it doesn’t matter how hard a person works, it is just who you are or who you know. In part that may be true, but there comes a time when who you are or who you know can’t smooth the way for you. Hard work and serious study makes a great deal of difference in relation to success in education. Professor Adams insisted that reading, thinking, writing and orally-expressing one’s self will guarantee a student’s learning and achieving. He believed in his students and trusted them in their efforts and expressions.
Second, time and talent also figure in the equation that equals success. As a person spends time working, studying and using the talents and intellect with which he/she has been blessed, then there will come success. You can’t spend your time playing and relaxing while giving little time to study and reading and hope to succeed as a student. School takes time. Education is related to time and talent. A person needs to use the skills and experience acquired to make success a reality.
A third and vital point in dealing with success involves persistence. When I was working on my Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky several years ago, the chairman of my graduate committee talked with me about finishing my degree. I was getting discouraged trying to please the committee, meet all the University requirements and complete my research/writing projects. He said, “Many doctoral students don’t finish their degree. They complete all the class work and take their preliminary exams and sit for their oral examinations, but then they don’t complete the dissertation. You need to keep on. Success is directly related to persistence and perspiration. Keep at it. Don’t give up.” So I did. It took me about 12 years of hard work and time, but I finished. That has been the strategy and determination I have exercised all through my academic journey in studying and teaching. I have been a student at Georgetown College, Eastern Kentucky University (B.A. and M.A. in history), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Texas Christian University, Regent’s Park College (Oxford University, England), Lexington Theological Seminary, Louisiana Baptist University, Panola College, East Texas Baptist University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas A&M University (College Station), West Texas A&M University and the University of Kentucky (earned Ph.D.). In some of these institutions of higher education I have been privileged to teach while also a student. I taught at Midcontinent Baptist Bible College, Panola College (where I also served as an administrator for an off-campus center), and East Texas Baptist University (2001-2016).
The saying that goes with this point is important. “If at first you don’t succeed, then try again.” We need to keep working. The day will come when you will succeed. Of course, there must be other qualities associated with this persistence and perspiration. We need to have a polite and congenial spirit as we determine to keep working. Insulting behavior and obnoxious, offensive language should never be tolerated anywhere or in anyone. We have an obligation to present the best in ourselves and stress the best in others.
Success is important and we need to work toward succeeding at whatever we attempt. Education is inseparably bound up with this matter of success. We want to see students succeed and achieve the very best they are capable of achieving. I know from personal attention the institutions of higher education in this area want to be part of the equation that results in students succeeding—getting a grade, earning a degree or achieving whatever maybe the goal.
An important part of our community conversation is this question of success in studying, teaching and in leading wherever we find ourselves. I look forward to hearing from you and learning, not just what you think, but also what you are doing. You can share your ideas with me at drjerryhopkins@yahoo.com. You can also share with me at Dr. Jerry Hopkins, P. O. Box 1363, Marshall, Texas 75671. Dr. Jerry Hopkins is a historian and retired university professor.
