Ramos, 1

Caleb Ramos

ENG 1201

Simon Workman

3/23/20

Literary Review

Some say a good education is the best investment you can make towards the success of

your life. Our society runs off a piece of paper granted to you after long hours of study and work.

Everyone wants to be successful but it may not be as easy as everyone wants it to be. Students

often face many struggles that keep them from being able to to do well in the classroom.

Our nation is slowly coming to understand exactly how students’ academic performances

are affected. It’s so easy to see the surface level of situations. The kid who is acting up may not

just be doing it because he enjoys the demise of his peers; the one who always walks into class

practically sleepwalking may be having a hard time at home. Some may not be getting enough to

eat, others may be having family issues, or are feeling isolated and alone. Each individual and

their education is affected by their own environment.

Among these factors, sleep is a common topic talked about. Students who do not get

enough sleep are prone to more stress and improper brain functions that affect academic

performance. A study by William E Kelly, Kathryn E Kelly and Robert C Clanton in 2001,

found that sleep deprivation significantly affects students' ability to perform. Their research

showed that students who got better sleep (around 9 hours or more) in a night had better GPA’s

than those who got less than 9. Those who slept for 6 or less showed higher rates of anxiety, lack

of creativity, and more prone to hallucination.

 Ramos, 2

Another important factor that can really affect the student is their diet. The brain

functions of nutrients obtained by eating healthy and sufficient food. If there is a need in the

body that is not met by eating food, it can compromise some important abilities needed to learn

and work well. For example, an iron deficiency can negatively impact cognition due to decreased

dopamine transmission as said in the article Healthy-Food-Choices-In-Schools, by Dr. David

Just. There are countless studies that tie the strings from academic performance to the diets and

nutrition of students. Essentially, the quality of the food taken in will reflect the overall

performance of the student. Scientists place an emphasis on getting students the nutrition they

need to succeed in the class.

Students may also struggle with their mental and emotional health. Studies show that

students who reside in abusive homes are significantly less proficient on tests than their other

peers. These students may have a hard time focusing, enjoying their time at school, and they

could also be facing some psychological issues as well.

Anxiety and depression are two major issues that many students face throughout

highschool. It can come from different physical health issues, mental health issues, or it can be

generational. Studies show that around 20-30 percent of students suffer from depression. This

can cause lack of desire to be at school and do work, lack of motivation, being overwhelmed, and

even suicidal thoughts in extreme cases. It is important for students to reach out and talk to

trusted adults.

It is easy to say that the performance of students is, in total, dependent on the students

themselves. This is not entirely true. Studies have shown that academic performance is affected

by students who may live in harsher environments, or who have had traumatic experiences.

These unfortunate situations that have impacted the individual carry over into the classroom and
 Ramos, 3

their behavior. Authors Brian Jacob and Joseph Ryan state that in a scientific study done by the

University of Michigan and the State revealed that students confirmed to have experienced any

bit of maltreatment were significantly less proficient in their exams.

The struggle to better protect our students rights to education and ensure their success is a

tricky stumbling block, but is one that can most certainly be obtained. Schools have the option to

possibly reevaluate their schools start time, what they feed their kids, and how to get them better

nutrients. Schools could also look into partnering with other organizations from around their city

that have envisioned seeing students free from their traumatic experiences and their broken

homes, in order to see them pursue success and education, free of any weights holding them

back.

Work Cited

“5 Things You Should Know About Stress.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S.

Department of Health and Human Services,

www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml.

“Common Problems for Students.” Common Problems for Students - Purdue University

Fort Wayne, www.pfw.edu/offices/family-outreach/for-parents-from-

sap/commonproblemsforstudents.html.

“How to Look after Your Mental Health.” Mental Health Foundation, 20 June 2019,

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health.

Jacob, Brian A., and Joseph Ryan. “How Life Outside of a School Affects Student

Performance in School.” Brookings, Brookings, 10 Apr. 2018,

 Ramos, 4

www.brookings.edu/research/how-life-outside-of-a-school-affects-student-performance-

in-school/.

Just, David. “3 Ways Nutrition Influences Student Learning Potential and School

Performance.” Healthy Food Choices in Schools, 13 June 2019, healthy-food-choices-in-

schools.extension.org/3-ways-nutrition-influences-student-learning-potential-and-school-

performance/.

Ratliff, Sarah. “How To Get Better Grades: How To Improve Your Grades.” EduNova, 4

Feb. 2013, www.edu-nova.com/articles/get-better-grades/.

Segaren, Sharuna. “The Impact of Sleep on Academic Performance.” Study International,

9 Oct. 2019, www.studyinternational.com/news/the-impact-of-sleep-on-academic-

performance/.

Zave, Shivangi. “Factors Influencing Learning: Education.” Psychology Discussion -

Discuss Anything About Psychology, 5 Nov. 2016,

www.psychologydiscussion.net/learning/learning-theory/factors-influencing-learning-

education/2531.