A recent set of surveys I conducted with students in three classes (grade 9-11) indicated that every student believed that changing their study habits would increase their success in their courses. Yet the findings for their actual deliberate efforts to modify study habits were far less encouraging. Why? After just two units, students indicated changes in specific attitudes and study habits, where previously, they believed that these habits were irrelevant to their success. Could it be that students don’t take enough time to think about what works or doesn’t work for them? Perhaps they are merely scrambling to keep up and are never given the opportunity to consider why they succeed or fail.
