The purpose of this extended assignment was to have first semester
freshmen reflect on what is expected of them as college students. As this
was a Pathways class, the students had no upperclassmen in any of their classes
to serve as successful role models. The goal was to guide the students into
honestly looking at their personal role and responsibility as college students
and ultimately to discover for themselves that they create their own academic
experience.
Description:
The core of this assignment came from the book Becoming a Master
Student, used by College Now. Each student received a photocopy from Chapter
5 "Notes," pages 138-140. Although this chapter is on the note taking
process, I felt that the 20 topics included here covered many of the basics
essential to becoming a successful college student. The 20 tips and techniques
covered were:
Complete outside assignments.
Bring the right materials.
Sit front and center.
Conduct a short pre-class review.
Clarify your intentions.
Accept your wandering mind.
Notice your writing.
Be with the instructor.
Notice your environment.
Postpone debate.
Let go of judgments about lecture styles.
Participate in class activities.
Relate the class to your goals.
Think critically about what you hear.
Be alert to repetition.
Listen for introductory, concluding, and transition
words and phrases.
Watch the board or overhead projector.
Watch the instructor's eyes.
Highlight the obvious clues.
Notice the instructor's interest level.
The students' first written assignment was to respond and rate
their current academic performance on each of the 20 individual topics. For
one month following, the last five minutes of each class were dedicated to
this project. The students were given a blue book in which they had to evaluate
their performance in class that day. They had to address and comment on their
strengths, and especially their weaknesses by number. I collected the bluebooks
each day, and they got credit for their responses. Each day was worth two
points. Responses such as "Did #7," were not worth anything.
Results:
During the first half of this semester, this class, as a whole,
did not respond nor exhibit responsible college study habits and study skills.
I found that there was no way I could teach them French unless. Along with
the French, they learned some college basics. Therefore, this project was
only started during the second half of the semester. When the students did
their first written assignment and evaluated themselves on each of the 20
tips and techniques, most of them wrote about the "ideal" student
- certainly not about themselves. But as they wrote daily in their blue books,
the truth about their study habits began to surface. My intention at the end
of the semester was to have the students, once again, evaluate themselves
on each of the 20 tips and techniques, looking and reflecting on how they
addresses and hopefully improved on each topic. Unfortunately, we ran out
of time to do that final assignment. Now in their second semester, these students
are still only with their fellow freshmen Pathways students, and the only
role models they have are themselves and their own successes, as well as their
failures. I wanted the students to understand that they could, indeed, create
their own positive academic experience, not only in French class, but in all
their other classes as well. Most of the students responded positively to
the project, and as for those who would not be truly honest and open with
themselves, my hope is that it at least planted a seed.
