Page 390 - Foundations of Learning, 4th Edition (Revised)

Where Are They Now?

Before we ask you to reflect on your Level of Performance,
let’s hear from a few of your old friends from Chapter 1.

Level 5: Star Performer Paula

Paula was a focused and serious student when she came to college, as you know. She had already decided
to go pre-med, the kind of commitment many beginning students aren’t ready to make. Paula had some
challenges this semester, though. She was used to being in control in learning situations in high
school. As one of the “smart kids” at a small school of students from similar backgrounds, Paula
was often the leader in projects. At college, Paula found she was not automatically seen as the
leader. And—she became aware of others’ strengths, different backgrounds, and learning
styles. The teamwork assignment was a real challenge for Paula because she was not the
captain in her group.

Paula writes: “This was a more challenging course than I had anticipated. I
see that I probably am not quite yet a Level 5 performer, and if I’m honest,
I learned a great deal about controlling my emotions in challenging
situations. During the teamwork assignment, it was very stressful at first
to not be in total control. I’m always worried about my grades, and I don’t
really like teamwork assignments for that reason. I know I was somewhat
standoffish—even snippy—at the beginning of the assignment. I quickly
learned how much and how well we were doing as a team, and then I became
a real team player. Medicine will involve a great deal of teamwork, I know. And
it’s clear to me that understanding team roles and how to work well in a team
will be a real asset.”

Level 4: Self-starter Sam

Sam had a great semester. His relationships with his mentor and his fellow business majors
have grown. Because of the support of these colleagues, he has had the confidence to take
on new challenges and responsibilities. The paper he co-wrote for the Journal of Global
Business was very well-received, and Sam and two other students are already working on
another paper. The research and writing skills chapter in this textbook helped Sam a great
deal, he feels.

Sam writes: “I think I’m really on my way to Level 5 now. I’ve been so lucky
to be in with such a good group of students and to have such a great mentor.
I heard something once about luck being preparation meeting opportunity—
so, I know I can give myself credit for making the most of these great people
and the great opportunities I’ve had this semester. I’m feeling so much more
confident in my researching and writing skills now. It has really helped to
have peer reviews on my work and I’ve grown as a writer because of the peer

reviews I’ve done, too. I’ve also become a much more consistent at problem
solving thanks to this course. This has been a great semester!”

384 Foundations of Learning