“Good learners are good learners precisely because they believe and do certain things that less effective learners do not believe and do.  And therein lies the key.”*

 

                                                                                                                WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?

 

CHOICES OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

 

                        SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS                                                             STRUGGLING STUDENTS      

…ACCEPT SELF-RESPONSIBILITY, seeing themselves as the primary cause of their outcomes and experiences.

…see themselves as victims, believing that what happens to them is determined primarily by external forces such as fate, luck, and powerful others.

…DISCOVER SELF-MOTIVATION, finding purpose in their lives by discovering personally meaningful goals and dreams.

…have difficulty sustaining motivation, often feeling depressed, frustrated, and/or resentful about a lack of direction in their lives.

…MASTER SELF-MANAGEMENT, consistently planning and taking purposeful actions in pursuit of their goals and dreams.

…seldom identify specific actions needed to accomplish a desired outcome, and when they do, they tend to procrastinate.

…EMPLOY INTERDEPENDENCE, building mutually supportive relationships that help them achieve their goals and dreams (while helping others to do the same).

…are solitary, seldom requesting, even rejecting offers of assistance from those who could help.

…GAIN SELF-AWARENESS, consciously employing behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes that keep them on course.

…make important choices unconsciously, being directed by self-sabotaging habits and outdated life scripts.

…ADOPT LIFE-LONG LEARNING, finding valuable lessons and wisdom in nearly every experience they have.

…resist learning new ideas and skills, viewing learning as fearful or boring rather than as mental play.

…DEVELOP EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, effectively managing their emotions in support of their goals and dreams.

…live at the mercy of strong emotions such as anger, depression, anxiety, or a need for instant gratification.

…BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, seeing themselves capable, lovable, and unconditionally worthy as human beings.

…doubt their competence and personal value, feeling inadequate to create their desired outcomes and experiences.

Table adapted from Skip Downing’s ON COURSE Principles

 

 Click on the link and take an online self assessment to find out how you rate in these eight principles of human achievement.

* Neil Postman and Charles Weingarter.  Teaching as a Subversive Activity.  Dell. 1969.