Working with a study budy 8 docx

Practice Tip

Keep track of yourself daily! When are you at your best: most confident,

focused, and clear-headed? What is it that distracts you when you try to

concentrate?

In a notebook, track yourself for at least a week. If it’s reading you’re

concerned about, focus on reading. Concentrate on making things a lit￾tle more comfortable than usual. For example, if you’re eating cereal

and reading the box and you suddenly realize that reading is easier for

you than usual, write down the situation: “yellow box, green large let￾ters, my eyes looking down.” You may very well find that switching to

large-type books is a help, and so is using yellow note paper instead of

white. If you discover that you’re really enjoying your new class because

the teacher often explains concepts in big circles with connecting lines

between them, make note of it and try to repeat it in other learning

situations.

KNOWING WHEN YOU NEED HELP

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situations that are helpful. Write in your log at least once each day. After a

week or two, you should have a clearer picture of how you learn.

If you are meeting with someone at your school or workplace such

as a learning consultant, psychologist, or tutor, bring your log and review

it with her. The service is usually free for you. When you take an active

part in diagnosing your learning weakness, you’ll be better able to con￾trol it, and even use it to your advantage.

IN SHORT

You’re a unique learner. You’re different from everyone else—and

everyone else is different from everyone else! Each of us has a learning

difference. When you realize how your seesaw of learning strength and

weakness operates, you can use your strength to get a handle on the

learning weakness. You might even find a way to use it to your advantage!