Secrets of Straight A Students.
English Motivational essay
Many people will agree that some Singaporean subscribe to the mentality of ‘kiasu-ism’ (meaning ‘afraid to lose’)in order to get ahead in our competitive world. Indeed, many of us will testify to having friends whose schedules are cramped will have all kinds of enrichment or tution programmes because their parents are worried that school is not providing enough instructions. Often, parents have no qualms stretching their children to the limits where academic excellence is concerned. Unfortunately, education who has conducted major studies of super achieving students revealed that top grades do not always go to the brightest students. According to education experts and top students themselves, it is far more important for a student to know how to make the most of his or her innate abilities.
The students at the top of the class attain academic excellence by mastering a few basic principles that others can easily learn. To begin with, top students know how to set their priorities right. Study time is never compromised for phone calls, television programmes or snacks. In other words, it is always placed above recreation. In addition, top students make it a point to study anywhere or everywhere. A top student who is also a top athlete memorises biology terms as he works out everyday. A top student learns a new word every morning while brushing his teeth. Among all the students interviewed, every one agreed that study times are strictly a matter of personal preference. Some thrive at night when all is silent. Others prefer to study as soon as they come home from school when the lessons are fresh in their minds, However, all agreed that consistency is a main factor if one is to perform well at all times.
A student must also learn to be organised. For example, a top student who is actively involved in his cool band, track and field, rugby association and debate team disclosed that he keeps his things in their proper places because he simply cannot afford time-wasting searches. Other students immediately file the day’s notes in colour-coded folders so that they are available for review nearing examination time. Another technique advocated by top students is to read effectively. This includes speed-reading, improving one’s memory or retention ability, and actively asking questions that will lead to a full understanding of the author’s message.
It is also important for students to know how to schedule their time. They must know how to pace each assignment, project or dateline according to their daily timetable and work ability so they might not be overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Being able to set timetables not only allows students more time to review and polish their work, it also prevents them from procrastinating. Top students believe that a secret of their success is the taking down of good notes during lessons and using them for revision. One student revealed that she writes notes from the text on one side of her notebook and those from the teacher’s lectures on the other side. This allows her to review both aspects of each lesson at once. The student also revealed that instead of wasting time, whispering to friends and getting ready to rush out of the class just before the bell rings, she uses those few minutes to jot down a two or three sentence summary of the lesson’s principal ‘s points. She then sans the notes to refresh her memory before the next day’s class.
Another winning formula which the teacher promotes lies in a student’s ability to hand in neat work. According to a professor, a student who turns in neat work is already on their way to scoring an A. In the classroom context, it is equally important for students to speak up and ask questions. This is perhaps the best way for students to clarify any doubts. Classroom participation also demonstrates a student’s intellectual curiosity. As a student succinctly puts it, “Better grades come from better understanding”.
The value of studying together was demonstrated in an experiment conducted at a top university in the world. The study revealed that students who discussed their homework, and problems together, tried different approaches and explained their solutions to one another scored higher than those who laboured on their own.
Another technique employed by the students is to do more than the assignment homework. A student revealed that if her teacher gives five problems, she will undertake ten. In the students’ words, “Part of learning is practice. The more you practise, the more you learn”.
