The reward is in proportion to the exertion. ~Ancient Jewish wisdom
Perseverance, Grit, Failure, Success....
Resilience! Perseverance is the characteristic of steadfastness in doing something, despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Grit is courage and resolve; strength of character. Part of being a student -- even just part of being alive! -- is learning how to handle independence, and gaining the ability to face failure along the path to learning. Psychologists and researchers call this "productive struggle" (Kapur 2012) and studies show that the more we struggle to learn (and even fail at) something, the more likely we'll be to recall and apply that information later. They cite a "hidden efficacy" that gives understanding of the deep structure of problems. And since in the real world, problems rarely come neatly packaged, being able to transfer knowledge and to discern the deep structure of problems is key. |
A song from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! reminds us that mistakes along the way are part of the learning process.
|
1. Ways to succeed at school
The point of education is to think (see my Home page). But most people want good grades along the way. Here's a brief excerpt from Jack Rawlins book The Writer's Way that lists things good students do:
" 'We hold these truths to be self-evident' :
1. Go to class every day.
2. Be on time for class.
3. Do all the assigned reading by the time it's due.
4. Hand in all assignments, on time.
5. Study the course syllabus
6. Take part in class discussion
7. Take notes during class.
8. Rewrite all papers.
9. Use a word processor for all essay-style assignments*
10. Follow directions slavishly.
"Less self-evident truths:
11. Sit near the front of the class.
12. Become an expert on the course grading system.
13. Come to each class session with a question about the material.
14. Visit the instructor during office hours.
15. Study for tests over as long a period as possible.
16. Take notes recording your thoughts and reactions as you're doing the course reading -- not after.
17. Write in your textbooks (as allowed) -- highlight, underline, jot marginal notes.
18. After all assigned readings and all class sessions, write answers to these questions:
What happened? or What did the reading say? (or What main points were covered?)
What was the point? What am I supposed to learn from it?
Why does it matter?
19. Before each class session, remind yourself where the class left off last time.
20. Muse on assignments off and on, all the time, from the moment they're assigned until they're due.
21. Study by talking with classmates, not by reading or note-taking (but use your notes for reference).
22. Act like a good employee; treat your teacher like a boss.
*this text was originally published in the 1990s! so, this point is old-school/obvious/redundant now!
2. No Bumper-Sticker Thoughts!
(Or: Appropriate responses)
If a question says list, you may bullet-point phrases, single words, ideas.
If a question uses verbs like consider, explore, reflect on, contemplate, explain, that indicates you should probably write in sentence/paragraph format. Don't respond with a single word or fragment of a thought. The acts of considering, exploring, reflecting, and explaining take more time. And words. And structure.
It's always better to write all that you know so as to be comprehensive in your response than to write only one idea. More ideas garner more credit.
If a question asked is about a quotation, properly introduce the quotation by giving (1)the speaker of the quote (that can be a narrator, a character, or you can use the author's name and the verb "writes"), and (2)the context or situation the excerpt comes from.
Then write an explanatory sentence that uses a verb of analysis (try: conveys, suggests, reveals, demonstrates), as in: "Vader's final recognition of Luke as his son shows......" or "Shrek's awareness that he loved Fiona demonstrates the point....."
(Or: Appropriate responses)
If a question says list, you may bullet-point phrases, single words, ideas.
If a question uses verbs like consider, explore, reflect on, contemplate, explain, that indicates you should probably write in sentence/paragraph format. Don't respond with a single word or fragment of a thought. The acts of considering, exploring, reflecting, and explaining take more time. And words. And structure.
It's always better to write all that you know so as to be comprehensive in your response than to write only one idea. More ideas garner more credit.
If a question asked is about a quotation, properly introduce the quotation by giving (1)the speaker of the quote (that can be a narrator, a character, or you can use the author's name and the verb "writes"), and (2)the context or situation the excerpt comes from.
Then write an explanatory sentence that uses a verb of analysis (try: conveys, suggests, reveals, demonstrates), as in: "Vader's final recognition of Luke as his son shows......" or "Shrek's awareness that he loved Fiona demonstrates the point....."
3. Consider the process of learning. (see diagram below)
I've heard it said that a F.A.I.L. = First Attempt In Learning!
I've heard it said that a F.A.I.L. = First Attempt In Learning!
4. Make sure you are distinguishing between a theme and a topic.
Themes are statements about the ideas, opinions. They can be "argued"* in the sense that someone could say the opposite. For example, Love Stinks: Love turns us into petty and jealous beings.. Okay, maybe Love's been great to you. So your thesis/claim might be that Love makes us into our better selves. Check out this video for more explanation.: How to find a theme.. (11:05)
Themes are statements about the ideas, opinions. They can be "argued"* in the sense that someone could say the opposite. For example, Love Stinks: Love turns us into petty and jealous beings.. Okay, maybe Love's been great to you. So your thesis/claim might be that Love makes us into our better selves. Check out this video for more explanation.: How to find a theme.. (11:05)