What Smart Students Know: Maximum grades. Optimum learning. Minimum time.
I was at the Ocean Beach library yesterday taking inventory of books available to help local students and I came across a brightly colored soft cover gem called “What Smart Students Know”. Under the title is the phrase “Maximum Grades. Optimum Learning. Minimum Time.” It was written in 1993 by Adam Robinson, co-founder of the Princeton Review. His claim to fame is developing a method for getting high scores on standardized tests, such as the SAT. After perusing this book from cover to cover, I would have to say that the information it contains is far more valuable than a high score on the SAT's. In fact, it will enable any student to ace the SAT and empower them to succeed in college and beyond.
I find this book fits perfectly with the Limelight Education philosophy because Robinson focuses on long-term results achieved through student self-empowerment.
The secret according to Robinson is not expecting teachers to teach. Not allowing the teachers to ask all of the good questions. Not spending hours struggling on homework. Smart students don't like boring assignments any more than “regular” students – they are just better at doing them quickly and efficiently.
Robinson suggests that it is the student's responsibility to change her own attitude about learning and realize that: YOU ARE BETTER AT TEACHING YOURSELF THAN ANY TEACHER (ESPECIALLY IN A CLASS OF 30 STUDENTS).
This graphic below was found at the Mind Map Blog and is an excellent representation of Robinson's twelve principles that all smart students know.
Limelight Education strongly recommends the book What Smart Students Know. This book should be required reading at the beginning of each year.
References:
Mind Mapping
http://mindmapblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/what-smart-students-know-maximum-grades-optimum-learning-minimum-time/
