Page 354 - Learning to Learn

READING EXPERIENCE 12: USING FAILURE AS A STEPPING STONE TO SUCCESS
354 L EARNING TO LEARN: BECOMING A SELF-GROWER
Challenges Along theWay
Anyone enrolled in college today knows that arriving at that first class is not as easy as filling out a few
forms and walking in the door. Many students must first hike over rough terrain and around several
obstacles in their lives to get to college. And then, all too often, the juggling act begins: school, work,
family, finances, and personal factors of all kinds. The term “student” no longer calls up one face or
one pre-college life, if it ever did. Students are athletes, parents, veterans, and full-time workers. Many
students are also “first generation college students,” the first people in their families to go to college.
Many students are also the first in their group of friends to attend college. Students are also often people
in various kinds of recovery processes. All of these issues may factor into an individual’s sense of himself
or herself, and a student’s preparedness to meet the challenges of college.
The demands of school and the demands of life can, at times, seem overwhelming. However we have
shown throughout this book that if you are aware and prepared, you can overcome almost anything on
your path to becoming a successful learner and professional in your chosen field.
Sandra went into the National Guard right out of high school.
She wasn’t sure what she wanted to do at that point in her life.
Both her dad and her brother had been in the Guard, so she
decided to join in the family tradition. Sandra had been stationed
with a supply unit, first in Afghanistan and then outside Mosul,
Iraq. She is very proud of her service and the service of h e r
friends in the Guard. It hasn’t been easy adjusting to
civilian life though. Many of Sandra’s classmates
have come straight from high school and can’t
identify with her experiences. Sandra was
also injured in Iraq; she has had surgeries
on one leg and has lost some of her
hearing. She can usually hear her
instructors if she sits in the front row,
but is considering getting a note-taker
in some classes. One of the counselors
has done a lot of work with vets and
knows it is often hard for them to ask for
any extra help. But as the counselor pointed
out, Sandra has earned this education.
Becoming a Self-Grower
Self-growers represent the highest level of performance for learning; they also provide a good model for
engaging in the process of personal development. Self-growers have the greatest capability to develop
their skills and improve future performance in all areas. Now that you have strengthened your identity
and gained stronger learning skills, you can move on to new processes for personal growth. Look at the
different characteristics and behaviors of a self-grower listed on the following page. How would you rate
yourself as a self-grower?