Nature and Nurture

Amandine

Bubble 1b

        Students’ successes at school are sometimes difficult to explain and interpret.

The evaluation of nature and nurture leads to longue and vast interesting studies, to which no concrete and definitive answers have been provided yet. Both have numerous advantages but also several limits which can be highlighted to determine their impact on the obtention of high marks.

        Nature, which we can also describe as the innate, is the biological and physical abilities that someone inherited from his parents. It has been proven that not everybody is born with the same number of neurones, or the same memory capacity. Therefore, some of us were birth gifted with more brain power than others. This difference gives a considerable advantage to those who beneficiate from this innate intellectual superiority. As someone who has an efficient memory, I am aware of how helpful this trait can be in my studies. I will spend less time than some of my classmate to learn a definition, retain a diagram or remembering my precedent lesson.

However, it is not a promise and a guarantee of reaching the highest marks at school, or to be rewarded in obtaining the most wanted jobs. Indeed, we can only considerate these inherited forces as advantages, tools which need to be strengthen and well applied in the academic system. We can take the example of the wonder children. These gifted kids have a higher IQ than a majority of the population, but some of them are still confronted to academic failures.

As a personal example, my brother has a strong capacity to quickly understand logical, scientifical and mathematical problems. However, it does not mean that he always has outstanding results. Indeed, his way of solving problems is not the one expected by the teacher and the Department of Education; thus, he can’t reach the highest scores.

        Nurture, defined as the environment influence on human development, gather loads of different and essentials topics such as education, culture or human relations.

Education and school assessments are design to offer a chance of success to each motivated and determined student. Therefore, it is clear that it is not only based on innate and thus, on inequal abilities. It offers a fair program. In fact, the educational system aims to improve, complete and develop student’s understandings and their capacity of applying a giving method. Teachers want students to acquire the best learning methods, because studies have shown that daily and efficient training is one of the most important keys to reach the highest marks.

Tests and assessments do not judge the innate capacity either. For example, one of the most important exercise to master in the French topic is the ‘dissertation’. This application is only focusing on the ability to restore some knowledge learnt in class and to follow the academic methods of writing.

Therefore, it is sure that nurture as a way more important impact on education’s success than nature.

However, nurture still has limits. Indeed, it is also closely linked to the relations between someone and his close entourage such as family and friends. Most of the time, their impact is positive because they tend to motivate the student. But in some cases, their influence can ruin every accomplishment made in school. Some parents do not care if their child has great mark and a successful academic background. This behaviour can stop the child from improving himself due to the lack of rewards.

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