Chapter 7: Succeeding in the classroom

 

Chapter 7: Succeeding in the classroom

Some random tips:

 1. Learn from Failure, don't be scared off by it.

The only way you can really fail, is if you stop trying.  

 'The way you learn anything is that something fails, and you figure out how not to have it fail again.” ― Robert S. Arrighi, Pursuit of Power: NASA's Propulsion Systems Laboratory No. 1 and 2

 2. It's ok if you don't know everything.  
No one knows everything.



3. It's ok to be a little insane.... most successful people are.

 4. Be a team player, and be the MVP. 

5.  Be patient, go with the flow, your chance will come.

Read through the 7 habits book - link 
 - this book is a best-seller for a reason!

Habit 1: Be Proactive

Take initiative in life by realizing that your decisions (and how they align with life's principles) are the primary determining factor for effectiveness in your life. Take responsibility for your choices and the consequences that follow.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

Self-discover and clarify your deeply important character values and life goals. Envision the ideal characteristics for each of your various roles and relationships in life.

Habit 3: Put First Things First

A manager must manage his own person. Personally. And managers should implement activities that aim to reach the second habit. Covey says that rule two is the mental creation; rule three is the physical creation.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win

Genuinely strive for mutually beneficial solutions or agreements in your relationships. Value and respect people by understanding a "win" for all is ultimately a better long-term resolution than if only one person in the situation had got his way.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Use empathic listening to be genuinely influenced by a person, which compels them to reciprocate the listening and take an open mind to being influenced by you. This creates an atmosphere of caring, and positive problem solving.

Habit 6: Synergize

Combine the strengths of people through positive teamwork, so as to achieve goals no one person could have done alone.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

Balance and renew your resources, energy, and health to create a sustainable, long-term, effective lifestyle. It primarily emphasizes exercise for physical renewal, prayer (meditation, yoga, etc.) and good reading for mental renewal. It also mentions service to society for spiritual renewal.

7.2 Attitude
Ability is what you're capable of doing
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz

  

7.3 Goals
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind 
Create a mission statement - define a standard, and strive for it.

 
 7.4 Keys to effectiveness
Take time to study!  2 hours of study outside of class for every hour in class.
 

Go to class, keep up with class, participate in class, take notes in class.

Practice - read example problems, then solve a few problems on your own.

Study in groups 

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  7.5 Test Taking
  
  Come prepared (be there early, with pencils, paper, etc.)
  Skim through entire test before starting
  Do the easy problems first
  keep track of the time 
  Go for partial credit - don't leave anything blank - if you know it's wrong, explain that you know it is wrong, and write down your thinking process.
  
  Don't erase your work - just put a single line through it (you might get more partial credit)
   Check over your answers, and re-check them.  Don't leave early.
   
   Go over the graded test - correct mistakes, study it for the next test. 
  
  
  
  • 7.6 Make the most of your professors / tutoring centers
      You paid for it - might as well use it!
    
    
    http://www.lonestar.edu/learning-kingwood.htm
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1.  Do your math homework.
2.  Form good study habits.
3.  Get to know your professors.
4.  Work in a study group.
5.  Get a life.  Have friends, hobbies, recreational activities.


  Group Discussion:1. Think about a time when you struggled in either a class, or at a job.  In hindsight, if you could go back and change something that you did, what would you change?


2. Think about your classes and work load this semester.  What is going to be your biggest challenge?  What are you going to do to meet that challenge?

Fwd: Fwd: In case you need it!

Faculty Senate Emergency Fund – Report

The faculty senate emergency fund committee met over the summer and arrived at the following recommendations. 

1.       The Faculty Senate Emergency Fund will remain a pool of money intended to be used by students who experience an unforeseen emergency that would otherwise affect their academic performance. Lee Ann Liebst will continue to facilitate this by accepting applications from students sent to her by Faculty, Counselors, and other staff members. 

2.       An electronic database has been developed for record keeping and the committee will present the data periodically at FS meetings.  In addition to contact information, a record of the intended use of the money will be collected and categorized as: health, utilities, rent, transportation, food, academics, or other. 

3.       In order for the silent auction donations to be classified as a tax write-off, the proceeds had to be deposited into the Foundation account.  There are different rules and regulations associated with this account compared to the fund previously used which has led to the following changes:

a.       The previous amount of $75 set by petty-cash rules is no longer valid and an amount of $100 is the committee’s recommendation for the limit.

b.       The money from this fund will be distributed as a scholarship so no promissory note will be signed and no expectation of repayment will be communicated. 

c.       The money will be distributed directly from the Foundation account to the student in the form of direct deposit or check.

d.       We will discontinue the practice of purchasing text books from the bookstore for the student and instead they will be allowed to price-shop and make their own purchases. 

e.       In addition to the scholarships described above, the committee has also worked with the library to establish a separate process for loaning of textbooks.  Faculty who are able to obtain additional texts from the publisher can now get the books barcoded through the library and loan them to students who cannot afford the text.  Using the library check-out process will ensure that we receive the books back at the end of the semester.  The library does not have space to store them, but is willing to handle the circulations needs.  The process will be:

·         Faculty or staff member takes text books to library to be entered into the system (barcoded). 

·         Lori O’Dell in reserves at the bookstore is willing to store a few books if you prefer or you can keep the books personally. 

·         When a student approaches Lee Ann with a need she will contact the instructor for the course and ask if they have a book available.  If not, the student can apply for the scholarship.  If so, the book is checked out. 

CHECK-OUT/CHECK-IN: If book is housed at the library student simply checks out like they would a reserve book.  If the book is housed by the professor or a staff member then the student can simply get it from them and the professor/staff member will copy front and back of student ID and the barcode on the book and email to Lorelie.E.Odell@lonestar.edu.  Alternately, the professor can walk the book over to the library with the student.