Name: The boost students need to overcome obstacles
Uploaded: 2017-09-25T15:10:16Z
Duration: 6 min 55 s
Description: How can disadvantaged students succeed in school? For sociologist Anindya Kundu, grit and stick-to-itiveness aren't enough; students also need to develop their agency, or their capacity to overcome obstacles and navigate the system. He shares hopeful stories of students who have defied expectations in the face of personal, social and institutional challenges.

Anindya Kundu: The boost students need to overcome obstacles

The boost students need to overcome obstacles

How can disadvantaged students succeed in school? For sociologist Anindya Kundu, grit and stick-to-itiveness aren't enough; students also need to develop their agency, or their capacity to overcome obstacles and navigate the system. He shares hopeful stories of students who have defied expectations in the face of personal, social and institutional challenges.

Personal determination matters, but students facing hardship thrive when their agency is nurtured by support and opportunity. One student, raised by his extended family while his mother struggled with addiction, finally earned her bachelor’s degree at age 36 after years of setbacks and timely mentorship. Stories like hers show that achievement springs from both inner resolve and the social scaffolding that sustains it. Treating educational equity as a shared responsibility can help more students overcome systemic barriers.