Question: Why do some children find school difficult?

Joe Bathelt answered on 9 Nov 2016:

We all have different abilities. Some people find it really easy to learn some things and other people find it really hard. There are various reasons why this might be the case. Some of them are genetic – that means that we are born with them. Others depend on our experience. For instance, if you have already solved a lot of maths problems, then solving another one is easy. However, if you are completely new to it, then you will find it a lot more difficult.
I’m trying to figure out if certain thinking skills, like being able to keep things in mind or to focus for longer periods, are related to how well children do in school.