Are You a Successful Student?
Do you want to be one?
Attendance
Preparation
Goals
Comprehension
Personal
Characteristics
Relationships
RESULTS
Successful Students
Unsuccessful Students
SSs attend class. It is that simple. Their
attendance shows that they are in class to learn,
not to “do time”. In class, SSs also actively
participate, asking questions, responding to the
instructor and joining discussions with other
students.
SSs are prepared. They complete assignments on
time, viewing deadlines as requirements.
Readings are completed prior to the scheduled
discussion date on the syllabus.
USs often miss class. Because there is no one is right
there telling them to go to class, they put other
priorities (e.g. sleep) ahead of class. When in class,
USs appear to simply be “doing time”, waiting for
the class to end.
The goals of the SSs are all about the learning.
They want to better themselves through this
educational experience. Grades are important, but
they won’t be satisfied with the course unless
they have gotten something out of the class.
SSs work to connect their past learning
experiences with the present, and they use these
experiences to help them understand new
material. Learning becomes personal for SSs.
SSs have a positive attitude toward learning and
school. They create the self-discipline necessary
for success and are curious about the subject
matter at hand, continually relating it to their
everyday experience.
SSs make a point of meeting other people in the
class and developing relationships. This provides
them with help when necessary. Also, SSs
establish a relationship with the instructor,
beyond just sitting in a classroom.
SSs get good grades. Because SSs view errors as
opportunities to learn new ways to be successful,
their performance steadily improves during the
class. They value the feedback from the
instructor and apply recommendations.
USs often finish assignments at the last minute.
Consequently, the assignments are often incomplete,
inaccurate and/or incorrectly completed. USs also
are frequently late in turning assignments, and expect
extensions on time limits.
The goal of the USs is to pass the class, and not have
to take it again. In this sense the grade is important,
but only in terms of passing. Actual learning is
relatively unimportant to the US.
For USs, learning often means nothing more than
memorization. After all, “it worked in high school”.
In class they are often more concerned with the
specific words, without trying to understand what is
meant by those words.
USs are not committed to the class or the subject
matter. They do only what is required. In fact, USs
appear to be enrolled in the class for reasons that
have nothing to do with the class, for example
because they wouldn’t have to get up early to take it.
USs may go an entire semester and not have a real
conversation with anyone in the class. They lose the
value of discussing issues from the class. USs often
would just as soon the instructor did not know who
they were.
USs get poor grades. The least successful students
frequently rely on common sense, rather than on
studying, in a futile attempt to overcome their lack of
effort.