Successful Students |
Unsuccessful Students |
Take (and make) good notes. |
Take sloppy or no notes. |
Read the textbook before and after the class. Reread sections covered in class alongside their lecture notes. Engage fellow students in discussions about the material covered. |
Attempt to do all the reading at one sitting near the test date or the night before the test. Never talk about what they learned or discussed in class. |
Read the textbook carefully and try to link new knowledge with old - trying to put the concepts into their own words. |
Skim the textbook at best and try to memorize definitions using the language of the text. |
Try to understand before memorizing. |
Try to memorize before understanding. |
Try to find examples that have meaning for themselves. |
Never bother to think about the material. |
Focus on learning and try to remain engaged with the material whatever it is. |
Just want to get the grade and get out of there. |
Do not skip class and come to class awake and ready to learn. |
Skip class often and when in class, frequently day dream or fall asleep. |
Ask meaningful questions because they are engaged with the material. If something is not clear they will ask questions because they are sure that they have done the required reading and won't come off looking stupid. |
Don't ask questions because they are afraid that their lack of reading and lack of attendance will be obvious. |
Have pictures, diagrams or maps on the walls and will visualize these to practice their mental mapping skills. |
Will look at the diagrams, pictures or maps in the textbook the night before, and become frustrated at their lack of recall skill. |
Will regard maps as flat books and will tend to read them as such. |
Will see maps as strange shapes on a piece of paper. |
Get adequate sleep. |
Frequently, or always have a sleep deficit. |
Are cognizant of their 'world view'. |
Have no idea where they are going believing that 'something' will come along! |
What Makes a Sucessful Student?