Re: Why.. students can't read directions

[Cooper John N <jcooper@BUCKNELL.EDU>]

On Tue, 9 Oct 2001, John Clement wrote:

> > I wonder if my students are different?

> Part of the problem is that we are overloaded by information, and we
> tend to skim rather than read every word.
   Precisely.  I know that I do the same thing.  It's a crude attempt to
'save time' .. until I rediscover that it takes more time to unscramble my
false assumptions than to work through things carefully.  But I still do
it, thoughtlessly.
   To Tina, I'd say they have to discover, you have to show them, that
skip reading doesn't save time in the long run.
   But I don't hold out much hope.  Fifteen years ago I converted my
course notes to handout form for my classes.  Much easier to update and
revise than theretofore.  Then my kids blessed me .. it was like having my
'voice' in their ear while they studied; now they damn me .. too many
words, too many syllables.
   Learning is hard work, too much for some; there is no royal road to it,
and few shortcuts work.

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