ROBINSON: Seven habits for successful students

How old are the students who come the Tutorial Center? is a question I’m often asked.

“We work with anyone who struggles with learning,” is the answer. Our youngest student was four and a few years ago we helped a 40-year-old pass her insurance licensure exam. The Tutorial Center loves to help people learn how to learn.

We are enjoying the company of a variety of students this summer. Some children are improving their reading and writing skills. Many students are making great progress learning how to think with numbers. Mattie has learned that because she knows 7 times 321, she also has the answers to 21 divided by 7 and 21 divided by 3.

This was a happy discovery for her and I was delighted to be around to witness the grand event.

This summer will prove to be eventful in many ways because we are also enjoying the company of a few very interesting high school students.

Each of these students are especially bright but their intellectual gifts are not reflected in their grades at school. Why the disparity? Their internal discipline and organizational skills lag way behind their academic capacity. What’s a tutor to do?

I read “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People,” by Steven R. Covey last year. This book teaches the reader the skills and habits needed to obtain success. Covey’s book ruminated in my mind last fall as I attempted to help high school students learn how to learn civics, history and science.

“These kids are probably smarter than me,” I observed. “They just lack organizational skills and self discipline needed to become a successful student.”
“JUST!” I exclaimed to myself. “Self discipline and organizational skills are huge and complicated life skills. YOU aren’t exactly the poster person for self discipline and certainly couldn’t win an award for your organizational skills. What makes you think you can teach these students these essential life skills?”
That’s when I remembered Covey’s excellent book. I took a trip to the library.

Much to my surprise and delight I discovered “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Teens,” by Sean Covey, Steven’s son, the perfect tool for the job.
I believe in divine intervention.

Sean’s book begins with a riddle that intrigued my students. I asked each to read it aloud and then asked them to read it again silently. We talked and then I asked them to read it out loud again.

“Guess the answer to the riddle,” I requested. Their answers were really fascinating.

I am asking the same of you. Read the following riddle A FEW TIMES and answer the question “Who am I?” Call me if you want validation of your answer.

Enjoy!

“Who am I?

“I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you upward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half of the things I do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.

“I am easily managed — you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great individuals and, alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who area failures, I have made failures.
“I am not a machine though I work with all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a human. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin — it makes no difference to me.

“Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you. 

“WHO AM I?”