Character strengths have been found to be related to children’s and adolescents’ well-being. Initial evidence suggests that they also matter for school success (e.g., Weber and Ruch, 2012). 

TQA believes that students should be given the opportunity to reflect on not just their academic work but on how they adopt strategies of perseverance, self-discipline, or problem-solving to overcome obstacles that may arise along the way. 

It is these social and emotional skills — like grit, perseverance, and collaboration — that are seen as key to success in college and the workplace. These help in developing a strong connection between the social and emotional skills of students and their cognitive development.