Too Smart to Fail?
August 22nd, 2016Grades, or learning? Learning, or grades?
How to set priorities? In the Shrop Ed office, we often talk about learning for its own sake and the importance of not letting the tail wag the dog. While we don’t underestimate the importance of a strong transcript, we believe that engaged students become strong students and pursuit of grades (or activities, community service, or anything else, for that matter) for hollow reasons is not productive.
With the fall semester just beginning, students are getting into a routine and some may be setting goals for the outcome of their school year. While there is so much focus on receiving good grades throughout the year, we don’t want students to lose sight of the importance and true joy of learning.
Joseph Holtgrieve, a Northwestern professor, reminds us of just that. In this article, Holtgrieve touches on his own experiences with students and gives examples of why it is important to set your intention on learning first … and then good grades will come.
Published August 16, 2016
Written by: Joseph Holtgreive
One of my engineering students came to see me recently asking to drop a class late. That was not an unusual request, and since it was shortly after the deadline I was prepared to approve it. But before I did, we talked, and our conversation went right to the heart of an issue I suspect many bright college students are facing: fear of failing to be perfect, ideally an effortless perfection, versus the joy of learning.
The student explained that she had done poorly on the first midterm exam. When I asked her why she did poorly she responded, “I underestimated how much effort it would take; I thought I could get an A without studying.” Though she believed she could still put in effort and raise her grade before the end of the term, she wanted to drop the course so she could retake it and get an A.
Read more at Inside Higher Ed >>Tagged: Choices, Opportunity, Personal characteristics
The Teenager With One Foot Out the Door
June 27th, 2016The test taking, application and essay writing, and acceptance waiting are over. Now one of the biggest transitions in a parent’s life is about to take place: you’ll soon be sending your child off to college or boarding school. Many parents want to make the most of their student’s remaining time at home, but your child may have other plans in mind.
This time can feel like you and your family are on an emotional rollercoaster, particularly for older teens heading off to college, but figuring out the psychology behind certain behaviors and how best to approach much needed conversations is important. Lisa Damour, a psychologist in Shaker Heights, Ohio, recently wrote an article about this very topic to help parents and students make this an enjoyable, rather than embittered, transition. We hope it will prove helpful in your household as excitement and apprehension build prior to the start of the next academic year!
Read more at New York Times >>Tagged: College, Personal characteristics
Summer Fun
June 6th, 2016With the school year behind us (or nearly so, for some), it’s time to decompress. Fun with friends, relaxing activities that we only have time for in the summer … there’s a lot to look forward to! But I wonder: when you think about your ideas for summer fun, is reading included?
Some of you are nodding vigorously, eager to dig into books you didn’t have time for during the school year. Others, though, are wondering why in the world we’d include that in our list of fun activities. Reading is something that’s “important” and “good for us,” right? It helps us build vocabulary, polish grammar and understand new concepts, even new worlds.
Many of you have seen the whiteboard in my office filled with book titles that students have supplied, favorites that they urge other students to read. We call it the “Board of Good Books,” and it holds a wonderful array of suggestions. Here are a few:
– My Most Excellent Year
– Pendragon
– Keys to the Kingdom
– The Things They Carried
– House of the Scorpion
– The Giver
– The Beak of the Finch
– The Lacuna
– The Fault in Our Stars
– Brave New World
– The Prince
– Outliers: the Story of Success
– The Catcher in the Rye
– Hunger Games
– 1984
… and many more!
Need suggestions beyond those offered by Shrop Ed advisees? The Lexington Public Library has a list of 50 books recommended for high school students: http://www.lexpublib.org/50BooksInHighschool. For another great list of books to read this summer follow this link: https://www.noodle.com/articles/10-books-every-student-should-read-before-college. Let us know your choices and whether you’d like us to add them to our Board of Good Books.
Oh, and if you’re wondering what I’ve read most recently, it’s The Good Lord Bird, by James McBride. It transported me to a different place and time, with a protagonist so real that I felt I could reach out and touch him. McBride’s writing widened my understanding of both people and history.
“A book is a version of the world. If you do not like it, ignore it or offer your own version in return.”
–Salman Rushdie
Tagged: Choices, Personal characteristics, Summer
Tips to Finish the School Year Strong
April 25th, 2016At this time of year, students and teachers alike may experience a bit of a slump. So few weeks are left in the school term – summer’s practically in sight – yet energy can be hard to find.
Here in Kentucky, I’ve learned that horses out for a long day’s ride seem to get re-energized when it’s time to go back to the barn. So, I’ve been wondering, how can we help students feel the same? Whether you’re in 7th grade and looking ahead to 8th, or in 12th grade and looking ahead to college, the importance of remaining focused and doing your best remains crucial.
If you follow this link, you’ll find a great set of suggestions that will give you the energy to go back to the barn, so to speak, so you’ll end your school year with a flourish:
http://thejetstreamjournal.com/3207/student-life/15-tips-to-finish-the-school-year-strong/
Tagged: Personal characteristics, Summer
