How to Be a Successful Student

O It’s easier than you think…

Show Up. Period.O 90% of life is showing up. Really. Seriously.O Show up to class.O Show up for peer reviewsO Show up for the computer labO Show up for discussions.O But if you miss class, don’t tell me why; it really

doesn’t matter why you’re not there.O And if you do miss class? Never ask the teacher

what happened when you weren’t there. Ask a classmate, check the schedule.

Turn in Your WorkOTeachers can’t pass students if

there is nothing to grade.OThe easiest way to fail class is to:ODon’t show upODon’t turn in your work

Communicate EffectivelyO When emailing your teacher, pay attention to

you’re your writing (its it’s an English class!)O Use real words (not “u” or “gonna”)O When asking questions, be specific.O When given advice about your writing, follow

it; make the effort to fix your own mistakes.O Merely saying “I’m confused” doesn’t work. O Avoid sounding helpless.

Be PracticalO Buy the textbook. Bring it to class. Every class. O Buy a stapler – turning in a bunch of loose papers

shows that you don’t care about your work.O Keep all the handouts and refer to them; there is

a reason they were given to you. They’re not trash.

O Bring your drafts for peer review workshops.O Start working on your essay when it is assigned – never say “I don’t know what to do” on the day it is DUE. That’s a guaranteed F.

Learn to LearnO Take responsibility for improving your writing.O Read the feedback comments on essaysO Use the homework information to address

your writing strengths and challengesO Use the website to help to improve your

writing challengesO Don’t rely on a tutor to “fix” your writing.O Tie your own grammatical shoelaces.

Why Care about Writing?

E. M. Forster, who wrote Passage to India: “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?”National Commission on Writing: “If students are to make knowledge their own, they must struggle with the details, wrestle with the facts, and rework raw information and dimly understood concepts into language they can communicate to someone else. In short, if students are to learn, they must write…The reward of disciplined writing is the most valuable job attribute of all: a mind equipped to think.”Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a pioneering aviator and author: “I must write it all out, at any cost. Writing is thinking. It is more than living, for it is being conscious of living.”

Seriously, Why Care?O Good writing will get you the good job.O Strong writing will show strong character.O Clear writing will show clear thinking.O Effective writing will persuade others.O Organized writing will organize your thoughts.O Elegant writing will give you personal style.• Note – If I care about your writing• more than you do, there’s a problem!

How to Be an Unsuccessful Student

O Stare at your phone or answer calls in classO Avoid buying the textbookO Play games and/or Facebook on your laptop O Come in late and disrupt the classO Ask what you missed when you weren’t thereO Wait until the last week to turn in homeworkO Ask what to write about – two weeks late.O Sit in class for 15 weeks and then disappearO Use your personal life as an excuse. For everything. TMI.