Shortly
after any term begins, some students start to fantasize about an
invention they'd love to have: the Remote Control Teacher Zapper.
| Is
the class too boring? |
Press
Fast Search and speed through the boring parts. |
| Is
the instructor talking too softly? |
Increase
the volume control. |
| Is
the class too hard? |
Press
the pause button while you get help. |
| Is
the instructor annoying? |
Change
the channel and find another one. |
Many
of my students have wished for such a magic device.
And even I have to admit that, if such a device had been around
when I was a freshman enrolled in a killer psychology course, I might
have bought one myself.
Of
course, there are no "magic" answers to help you face these
problems, but I can make two simple suggestions that will allow you to
handle these and other classroom problems:
Listen
Well and Take Notes
Once
you've adjusted to the idea that school requires a certain amount of
work--no matter how good or bad the instructors, no matter how
interesting or boring the classes, no matter how difficult or easy the
subjects--you're ready to learn how to listen.
Although
listening and hearing are related, listening goes way beyond the
mechanical process of actually hearing sounds.
You may find it easier to think of listening as
"Hearing--with Attitude."
That is, listening has as much to do with being ready to listen
as it does listening.
To
listen well in class, you must be prepared.
This means that you should:
1.
Read your assignments
before coming to class. And once you're in the classroom or
waiting for the classroom to be free, skim through your notes--both from
the previous lecture and from the current reading assignment.
Or if you prefer, talk to some of your classmates about the
reading assignment. Can you
listen well if you don't know what the professor (and the class) will be
discussing?
|
Q.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF THE CLASS IS TOO HARD?
A.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PREPARED YOURSELF THOROUGHLY FOR,
THEN LISTEN AND TAKE NOTES.
|
2.
Find a seat where you can listen well. Can you listen well
if you sit by the door (people coming in or leaving), by the window
(outside noises), in the back of the room (too distant), in the front
of the room (too much pressure)?
Can you listen well if you sit next to talkative or distracting
students?
|
Q.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOUR INSTRUCTOR IS TALKING TOO SOFTLY?
A.
MAKE SURE YOU SIT CLOSER TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM, THEN
LISTEN AND TAKE NOTES.
|
3.
Go to work as soon as the teacher begins class. By that, I
mean, act like a professional who has a job (as a student).
Leave your personal feelings and judgments at home.
Don't critique the class or the teacher; don't give in to
distractions or annoyances. Don't develop a bad attitude that will
only prevent you from reaching your goal. Every teacher isn't
wonderful and every class won't be memorable.
But your goal is to graduate from college (not to take classes
from teachers you like).
Of
course, the best way to act like a professional and "go to
work" is to take notes.
|
Q.
WHAT DO YOU DO IF THE INSTRUCTOR IS ANNOYING OR THE
CLASS IS TOO BORING?
A.
LISTEN ANYWAY AND TAKE NOTES.
|
