Curiousity & talent are a powerful combination

I've been teaching over a decade now and have seen a lot of students.

Some show up, some don't. Some do the work, some don't. I know the game, having been a student myself for the better part of my life. I've had the pleasure of meeting and teaching some great ones, students who have gone on to solid careers and success. I've also met my share of challenges.

Occasionally, I run across a student that pulls my attention away from the centre mass of the group. One that pulls me in a way I did not expect. One that has talent, but that's not enough. I've had many talented students, gifted to solve problems. To them, answers come easy and solutions are apparent.

But every now and again, a curious student pops up. Ah, that sweet fresh air of curiosity that blows in like a spring breeze. A curious student brushes away all the mild frustrations of those who are just going through the motions. They reignite a slow burning fire to do more. And normally they show themselves with a question.

'I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a question."

They are humble. You see, curiosity doesn't have space for ego; realizing that there is more to learn and asking questions removes all the space needed to hold onto the notion that you might know it all.

I have one such student right now, every week asking deep, well constructed questions outside of the public eye of the class. Asking me to dig a little deeper and provide a well thought out answer to topics not covered by the curriculum. Because a course outline isn't why they are here. It's the quest, the hunger to dig deeper. To ask questions because, well, there are questions to be asked.

Suffice it to say that when someone apologizes for asking for more knowledge, not only is it my job to step forward and engage; it is my pleasure. I too am a student. I too am curious and you have opened up a new lesson for us to challenge.

Thank you.

6 Things To Do When Exams Are Done

For university students, nearing the end of your exam period in April evokes the same feelings as an eight year old on Christmas Eve. Visions of sugar plums and a semester full of course notes dance through the air.

Euphoria that this day has once again finally, magically arrived!
Go celebrate! Enjoy yourself - you've earned it.You are justified to let loose after your exams, embracing the feeling that all of your work has finally come to an end. For many, this means four months without textbooks, assignments or classes.

Yet, this time is a perfect period for preparation. Yup. It’s a wise idea to tie up a few loose ends before you leave your school for the summer and lay the ground for success next year.

Think about it – at this moment, you are keenly focused on your educational path, immersed in both the details of your program of study and the processes of your school. This is the ideal moment to put some plans into place for the coming semester so that you do not come back in the fall cold and ill-prepared.
To help, here’s a quick to-do list, tasks that you should consider before you being your summer adventures:

• Check your academic progress

It will likely be a few weeks before you receive your final grades from the winter semester; however, you should have a fair idea of how you’ve performed based on feedback throughout the semester. Are you reaching your goals from a GPA perspective? Are your overall study skills improving? Review the last year both from a numbers (grades) and process (learning outcomes and habits) perspective. List out your key successes and areas to improve next year.

• Review your degree course check list

Most degree programs have a very specific list of required courses to be completed in order to earn the degree. Some of these courses are offered quite regularly while others are available only on an irregular basis, requiring some deft planning skills. Completing an undergraduate degree with a single major is fairly straight forward, but many students miss out on the opportunity to double major or earn both a major and a minor because they start planning too late in the process. Whatever your goal, why not get the greatest value out of your time at school?

• Pick your courses now

Ninety nine percent of all schools have released their course schedule for the 2011/12 academic year. Many have already opened up course registration! Take this time to pick out at least some of your courses for the upcoming year and either sign up now or, if your school has yet to open registration, make a clear note of the first possible dates to register. It’s always better to be the first person signed up for the courses you want than to be scrambling in August to get into courses you have little interest in.

• Seek the assistance of an advisor

The best part of this time of year is that everyone is still on campus and easily accessible. Faculty are marking exams and submitting grades; the registrar's office is bustling and financial services has few line ups. It is an excellent opportunity to take in a couple of meetings, get questions answered, and sort out issues.

• Review available bursaries and scholarships for the coming year

If you have a reasonably strong academic record, you must (repeat – MUST) take a moment to review all of the available bursaries and scholarships at your school. There is all sorts of money available in a variety of forms to all sorts of people. Are you an athlete? There’s money for that. Have you volunteered a significant amount of time? There’s a bursary to celebrate your work. Perhaps you or your parents have belonged to the Eastern Sisterhood of the Pine Tree Quilters? I bet there’s a scholarship of $500 just waiting for you to apply for. The critical issue here is that many scholarships and bursaries go unused every year simply because no one applies; if you think you are somewhat qualified, get your application in.

• Make decisions on living arrangements for the fall

Arrange for residence or sign that lease before you leave for the summer break. Line up people that you are interested in living with. Nothing starts the fall semester off better than meeting up with your chosen roommates in an apartment/house of your preference. Leave the desperate, last minute room hunting for those that didn’t prepare.
Congratulations on making it to the end of another term!

5 Simple Tips to Help Prepare for Exams

April is always an interesting time of year.

As I look out my window, the sun has climbed over the horizon to brighten another beautiful spring day. Birds are singing as they gather around the feeders for their first meal of the day. The first tiny buds are developing on the trees; signs of life are everywhere.

Unfortunately, many students won’t have the pleasure of enjoying this sight today. Heads are still on pillows after long nights of studying. It is, after all, exam season.

As a student myself for 14 years of post-secondary education, having taken far more than my fair share of exams, I’ve learned a few tricks and tips. Mostly, planning is key!

1. Understand the exam you will be writing. Will it be multiple choice or short answers? Calculations or essay questions? This will fundamentally change how you will need to prepare for you test. Some question styles allow you to be familiar with concepts while others require that you have clear, concise definitions and examples ready.
2. Review the course outline and notes from your first class. During the first class, your instructor discussed the goals and desired outcomes of the course. Most exams are written to test against desired skill sets and outcomes; you can easily forget the ‘purpose’ of the course after 13 busy weeks of course work. Start at the beginning.
3. Understand your course and instructor. Subject matter is important, of course. However, the person crafting the exam will have certain styles and preferences that you can pick up on. Note that if it’s a large, common exam for many instructors teaching the same course, you should to try to gather this information ahead of time.
4. Take care of your body and mind. Granted that during exam periods, a lot of studying will take place. It is during this time that you must pay special attention to your diet and sleep habits. Caffeine-fuelled all-nighters might seem like a bright idea, but you can hardly do this for a whole exam period. Sleep and nutrition keep you calmer and help you focus. Plus, you’ll avoid the energy spikes and crashes that inevitably come with CWC (cramming with coffee).
5. Schedule everything. Yes, everything in your exam period should be scheduled, including study time, eating, and sleeping. A schedule will boost your confidence that you have sufficient space to prepare for your exams. This is not the time to take on those extra work shifts or catch up on visits with family and friends; they can all wait until you are finished your exams. Stay focused.

Finally, relax a bit. Exams are meant to test your knowledge on subject material and allow you to demonstrate new skills. Faculty (for the most part) write exams as a way to examine your knowledge, not to trick you.

Remember that everyone is invested in your success!

Short time is hard time

An open letter to university / college students:

Final exams begin in six weeks or so. Perhaps it's a great stressor that final exams are coming up. Maybe it's the 'or so' part.

My experience in teaching tells me that this is crunch time for many students; a time to reflect on their performance in the last six weeks and six months. It is a time to pull up socks and engage with material. A time to jump into the game.

The weather is changing - spring is in the air. No wait. Employment is in the air! Jobs and money, work and reward.

Yes, it is time to successfully finish one journey and move on to another. If you are in a position at school that brings your success into question, consider the following:

1. Time management - Everything you need to know about success in your courses is contained in your course outline. Read it again. Put every single date into your calendar.
2. A calendar - If you do not maintain a calendar, do this NOW. Not in 5 days, not in 5 hours - NOW. Plan every single thing that you must do over the next 7 weeks, then work backwards so that it gets done. Daunting I know, but it must get done. (If you're not willing to build yourself a calendar, flip over to that blog on self-esteem. At least you'll feel better.)
3. Working hard - Yes, you'll need to put in some hours reading, writing and studying. Good news is that you still have time to turn things around. Bad news, you'll likely need to sacrifice some of the other activities in your past activity list.
4. Get help - Every student questioning their status right now should book an appointment with a faculty member to assess performance and get suggestions on improvement. Trying to succeed in school without feedback is like trying to get to the Olympics without a coach. Could happen, but not likely.

Six to seven weeks left. Keep it simple and straight forward.

But that's just my two cents.

WCM

When the voices of tomorrow speak today.

 In 1989, during my first year of undergraduate education, I paid $1,100 for the year of school. Yup - for the whole year! Two semesters of school. Eight months. Ten courses.

Today, that cost is approximately $1,110. Per course. In 21 years, the price of post secondary education has gone up over 10 fold.

Metro News

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that this has been a rather large increase over the last two decades. Sure, everything has increased; the average wage has gone up, the cost of gas has jumped, even a can of Classic Coke (not new Coke - don't get me started on that) has increased. But none of these items have gone up 1000% in the past 20 years, have they? We don't put a ten dollar bill into the pop machine today and didn't pay workers a minimum wage of $0.96 in 1989.

So when I saw the students of Nova Scotia stand up and have their voices heard in a peaceful protest on February 2nd, I was nothing but proud. Here in Nova Scotia, our Premier has raised the cap on provincial tuition to 3%, up from the former increase of ... right - nothing. To compliment this increase, he has served our post secondary institutions with a 4% decrease in funding. Welcome to the second decade of the 21st century and a 'social' government.

If you're a fan of ice cream cones, this in analogous to getting less ice cream on top of a crappier cone. Plus a kick to the knee cap.

When we decide that budgets need to be tightened, why is it that we target those who are eating the least at the table first? Today, our students are saddled with personal debt. Parents, if they can, are having a tougher time supporting their kids to get an education. So, in debt they become, to the average tune of $28,000, with the greatest burden of debt falling to students in the Maritimes.

Nova Scotia is Canada's Education Province. We have 11 universities and 13 community college campuses. Students from our province can confidently remain in their home to earn an outstanding education; students from across Canada and around the globe flock to our schools. Instead of embracing the social values of an education for all, our most socialist government party has decided to turn capitalistic. This is something that frustrates me.

However, over two thousand students here in Halifax decided to take to the streets on Feb 2nd's Day of Action to have their voices heard. They marched in the middle of a snow storm strong enough to close the very schools they attend. They marched in the middle of the downtown streets in which their annual investment of tuition, books and recreational capital flows. They marched in the middle of the day, peacefully expressing their disgust at a tuition increase that serves political gains over provincial growth. They claimed their voice in a process that often moves around them without speaking with them.

My livelihood is made from teaching these young voices. I work with them everyday. And I am thrilled every time they take action, using their voices and intellect to stand up for their opinions and beliefs. They are the leaders of tomorrow. They are strong, smart and stellar, deserving the best that we have to offer. When they stand tall in one voice under one cause, all of those negative whispers of an apathetic generation are rightfully brushed aside.



Putting financial barriers in their path is not the way. They know it, we know it. Could someone tell our government? Better yet, we must encourage our non-apathetic youth to tell them in the next election. For the most powerful tool to bring in a government that supports funding education is through votes.

Politicians understand the marketplace. Show them that the demand is there and they will no doubt supply you with what you desire. They have the ultimate job in customer satisfaction and popularity. They know it and we know it.

From what I see, it's time to start shopping around. But that's just my two cents.

WCM

Walking the walk in the first week back

I haven’t written much here in the last few days. The first week or two back into a new semester are always a tad chaotic and disjointed, no matter how well you plan. So I have been writing, but just other things.

The first exciting piece of news is that I’ve resubmitted a chapter of my dissertation for review. This little victory came from following my writing goal (captured Jan 2nd on Mark Leslie’s blog) and getting up very early each day to craft bits and move it forward. Yeah me! Now I’m starting to work on some administrative paperwork and ethics approval forms, followed by the next chapter and then likely some revisions.

Mostly though, I’ve been reading textbooks, taking notes and solving problems. Yup, just like a student. And no, I’m not taking these courses – I’m teaching them.

There is a method to my madness. I’ve encountered the ‘we don’t read the textbook’ groups; maybe it’s a generational thing, but who has time for a new research project right now. Many of my students are buying the textbooks, but not reading them. Boring, they say. But sometimes that’s just how the presentation of information is the first time.

At first, I pondered about the demise of attention spans in this, the YouTube generation. (I don’t hate me YouTube; I spend more time than I should watching stuff there.) Then, I thought about the ramifications of the whole group of parents/teachers who focused on self-esteem over real accomplishments. This might be the outcome of that failed esteem love fest; Johnny won’t read the textbook because is makes him feel confused and sad with all the new information he has to work to understand.

The question I was faced with is how to address this, not accept it. Do I rant about it? Perhaps waggle my finger and shout “thou shalt read the text!” Fear is an effective motivator? Then I had a different thought.

My students struggle with reading, with writing and math. (Do not get me going on the public education system teaching actual skills.) Perhaps it’s just the case that no one ever taught them how to independently approach the material in a textbook.

So, for the next few weeks, if not the whole semester, I will read everything that I assign to my students, approaching it from their point of view. I’m highlighting key items and definitions right in my text, making notes in the margins, and summarizing the chapters in my own words and with my own examples. On paper. With a pen.

I’m showing them what I’m doing as well. I pass around my notes so they can see. We spend 5 minutes talking about the structure of the chapter, how to deconstruct it, and what the author is actually trying to focus your attention on. I’m sharing my stories of what I think the material is saying to me. I want them to start sharing their notes, their stories of engaging with the textbook, even where they thought it was dry or thick. I’ll tell you how this ends up, success or a failed experiment, down the road.

Right now, I would love to hear your thoughts on getting students engaged in the reading process, whether textbooks or other resources? Let me know. But, I have to run now; a few more pages call out to me before tomorrow’s class.

Starting to run when the starting gun fires

First week of a new semester is always an enlightening time. You learn a great deal about students in the first class.

For example, who shows up to the first class? I've had the 'first' class in two different courses this week; roughly 75% attendance in the first class and 60% in the other. Now every student knows when the first day of classes is held - they signed up for the course, right? And they paid tuition. Approximately $550+ if you’re a domestic student and over $1000 for international students. So why not come? Curious.

But to the students that show up, what do I learn from them? Firstly, who is really paying attention and who is going through the motions. Some already have a copy of the course outline and have purchased the textbook. Others seem to be happy having found the classroom and are curious when the introduction class will be over. First impressions are powerful, as they should be in a world in which first impressions are so powerful.

Speaking of, after stating in one class that I would be forming students’ teams for a major project, I was approached by a handful of students asking if they could actually form their own team. I said that it wasn't my habit to make exceptions but was curious why they asked? Their response was "We would prefer not to work with students that didn't show up to the first class. They have already made a bad first impression."

It gives me hope; my students have learned some valuable lessons already.

When Ideals meet Reality

A decade of teaching. I still have the rose coloured glasses on when it comes to my students. They come in the first day and I’m eager to see who will shine, who will strive. I’ve learned that natural ability is only a small portion of the equation. It takes drive, integrity and the will to succeed.
By the end of a semester, I has undoubtedly seen my fair share of short cuts taken by students, under the name of pressure, or desire for the richest of grades, or that next scholarship. Generally, these instances have to do with the lack of ethical boundaries, or what we call ‘ethics by consequences’ in class. If no one is getting hurt, then the actions, whatever they are, must be ok.
But who is getting hurt. The educational system? Undoubtedly. If the educational community cannot self-police (ah yes, I do mean police) issues of academic misconduct, it erodes the fundamental building blocks of the entire system. The class? Yes, in fact the class is being damaged. Firstly, one of their peers is showing such little regard for their fellow classmates as to flaunt the hard and long work the others put in. Secondly, should they be successful in their misconduct, it not only raises the assignment assessment level but demonstrates that there is more value in purchasing / borrowing / plagiarising than in actually doing the work; the good students immediately understand cost/benefit and will invest resources appropriately.
How about the student – are they hurt? Without a doubt. $600 in tuition for one course plus $100+ for the resources, and they decide to borrow/purchase the knowledge of others instead of collecting what they have paid for. Some already get this and fail to care; others (and this is even worse) do not have any understanding as to the problem of cheating for higher grades. School has been commoditized to such an extent that skill sets have been exchanged for papers in a frame.
It is truly disheartening to have yet another conversation with faculty peers and students about academic misconduct, to read about mass offendes being caught at schools in this province, to have to deal with the issue in my own class on assignments designed to help my students really understand critical concepts. Most often, it is simply insulting; there is an assumption that we, as trained professionals, cannot tell the difference between original and borrowed work. I watch as academics become jaded, cynical about the new crop of students. Unfortunately, it is also understandable (not acceptable, just understandable).
However, regardless of the extent of what my grandparents would call ‘tom-foolery”, each and every semester, there are success stories. Events that recharge my battery and bring hope to the wonders that the next generation are bringing. The student who makes a good first impression that ends up shining by the end of the semester; the meek one who lacks confidence but has desire and achieves authentic success; a student with various learning challenges who not only survives their first university experience but thrives with straight A’s.
So this posting tonight is to thank those who work hard, who choose to earn their stripes, and bring passion to their learning journey. You are often the gems that keep us in this profession, even when we are forced to spend a disproportionate amount of time with negative issues. Know that we would rather be investing in your success.
When faced with obstacles, I often return to the wise words of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, when he said,
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”
Press On! Happy Holidays everyone.

The 7 Ways to Succeed in University

As the semester winds down and everyone takes a breather after exams, it’s an excellent time to reflect on some of the tips and tricks to succeeding at university. As my good friend always told me, there is no great secret!
1. Read the Course Outline
Every course begins with a course outline. In it, you will find all the gems of wisdom, including readings, assignments, and due dates (more on these below). Your professor has put in hours thinking about their course layout and design.
The easiest way to learn something about your professor is to read the outline. You’ll know what you need to prepare every week for the entire course, when the busy sections will be, and perhaps find ‘low hanging fruit’. Asking questions to your professor about course layout that is clearly in the outline sets a bad tone. However, asking a ‘clarifying’ question, such as ‘Question 1-4 are to be prepared in week 4. Will you be using them as material for class discussion or collecting them?’ immediately shows off your attention to detail. Yup – impression management…
2. Go to Class
Really. No, really!
Yes, professors rarely take attendance. However, material covered in class most often appears on exams. Techniques used to solve problems, approaches for case work, or simply how your professor is looking for an argument to be fully developed all come out in class. Students who attend and actively participate do better and have less stress. Note that this normally works best when you have your reading and prep work done before class; however, attending class unprepared is better than not attending class.
Hints, tips and tricks (not to mention changes in assignments, topics, and due dates!) are also all delivered in class; as it’s the scheduled meeting place, this changes do not need to be announced anywhere else.
3. Listen to your Professor
Professors can’t help but stress certain pieces of material or provide examples that naturally show up on evaluations. They passively tell you how we structure questions, what material to focus on, and which is less important to your immediate success.
Most importantly, we tell you what we expect. If you’re told to submit a 4 page paper on topic XYZ, double spaced with 6 references, it means that a strong paper cannot be accomplished in 1.5 pages (not enough detail) and that 10 pages is too much (don’t pad your work), that some research is required to support your arguments and that you need to leave space to written feedback within your document.
If your prof is clear about their expectations, you should work on meet / exceeding them. Your single spaced, 20 page paper might be the greatest written work ever, but when your prof has 100 papers to grade, you’re just annoying the person grading your work.
4. Complete ALL of the required readings
They’ve been assigned for a reason. Look for this material on exams and as expected referencing within your assignments. More and more, professors are moving away from traditional readings and selecting articles, stories, and other forms of media that provide a base of knowledge that you can then apply in your work. Use the information and demonstrate that you have engaged with the readings as often as you can.
And really, you had to expect some reading…
5. Do ALL of the Assignments & Tests
It never ceases to amaze me the number of students who miss tests or fail to submit assignments. It all adds up – not handing in work is just bad math! I have had students say to me that they didn’t submit that paper worth 15% of their grade because it was still wrong and not ‘up to their standards’. Ok, basic logic says that getting a D+ on a poorly written paper is still better than a zero.
And to deal in advance with the question of ‘Is there anything I can do to bring up my mark?’ typically asked by students with outstanding work, the answer is almost always “Plan better next time’.
If you hand in all of the assignment work at a reasonable level, you pass the course. Worry about perfect later.
6. Treat Due Dates as Non-Negotiable
Write out all of your due dates in one big, semester-length calendar as soon as you receive your course outlines (I told you they were handy!) and then move them all up one week. Yes, you’ll front load your first few weeks, but this is typically the time without many projects and tests. This way, you’ll be early on all of your work, have a built in buffer zone in case ‘life’ happens, and likely have more time available at the end of semester to focus on exam prep.
7. Play Nice with Others
Most courses now include a large group component; to successfully navigate group work, you need to work well with others. Step up as the team leader or group manager. Maintain influence in your group’s direction and progression. Listen and consider other people’s needs, motivations, schedules, etc… Essentially, treat people better than you would want to be treated.The investment in people will be rewarded.
As the new semester begins, I’ll post up some survival skills in time management, classroom management, and other topics!
Good luck and good learning. WCM

The Last Day of the Semester

Ahh, the last day of class has come and gone. It's that time of year just before exams, where the marking is piled higher and deeper (sounds phd-ish) and students are feeling the pressure to either catch up on marks lost or finish their courses with an equally high level of success that they achieved throughout the semester. It is also that time of year when students who otherwise cannot find the the campus or their scheduled classes can locate the office of their professor's office without the aid of GPS or directions.

So, in honour of this transition time, I leave you with this translation of undergraduate questions from http://www.phdcomics.com/. Enjoy!

The ‘academic’ advisor

Like many schools, we here provide the service of academic advising. On it’s face, this would look like dealing with questions about majors, concentrations, electives, and overall direction. I’d even toss in some questions about university process, like ‘who do I talk with about dropping a class?’ or ‘when might I go to have such-and-such paper signed and submitted?’. However, more and more, I’m finding academic advising constitutes questions on what courses to take when going into second semester or which language option should I take? I’ve asked people of my generation if and when they would go in for advising. Generally, the consensus is that advising would only be sought if serious implications were at stake and then only if options could be presented to the prof; less a matter of ‘what’ than ‘what do you think of option a vs. option b.?’ Have we actually not taught a generation to make decisions? Are they this coddled or is it something worse? I’m personally looking forward to the rebound on this trend.
Knock on some wood for me.
What are your thoughts?