The document discusses 7 common mistakes students make and provides solutions for each. The mistakes are: 1) having a fixed mindset, 2) failing to engage yourself in learning, 3) failing to manage time, 4) failing to realize that failing is key to learning, 5) failing to realize that learning is social, 6) being a learning monogamist, and 7) not learning how to learn. For each mistake, the document provides 3 solutions such as developing a growth mindset, asking questions to engage more actively, and seeking feedback from others. The overall message is that students can improve their learning by avoiding these common pitfalls and applying the suggested strategies.

1. COMMON STUDENT MISTAKES:
WHAT STUDENTS CAN LEARN FROM SOCRATES,
THE COGNI T IVE SCIENCES, AND THE SIMPSONS

2. 1
HAVING A
F IXED MINDSET

3. “The mind is everything;
what you think you become”

5. "Imagine that one day, you go to a class that is
really important to you and that you like a lot. The
professor returns the midterm papers to the class.
You got a C+. You’re very disappointed.
That evening on the way back to your home, you
find that you’ve gotten a parking ticket. Being
really frustrated, you call your best friend to share
your experience but are sort of brushed off.”
How will you react?

6. But I thought you were smart …

7. Will you react with …
I am a failure;
I'm a loser;
I'm stupid and life just stinks;
or even something as grim as
“I’m the most unlucky person
on this earth.”

8. HAVING A
FIXED MINDSET
SOLUT ION:
CONQUER YOUR MIND
TO REAL I ZE YOUR
POTENT IAL

9. A better approach
“I’d start thinking about studying harder (or studying
in a different way) for my next test in that class, I’d
pay the ticket, and I’d work things out with my best
friend the next time we speak.”;
“I’d look at what was wrong on my exam, resolve
to do better, pay my parking ticket, and call my
friend to tell her I was upset the day before.”;
“Work hard on my next paper, speak to the
teacher, be more careful where I park or contest the
ticket, and find out what’s wrong with my friend.”

10. A. HAVE A GROWTH MINDSET

11. B. A IM FOR MA S T E R Y

12. C. USING
INTRINSIC
MOT IVAT ION

13. 2
THE FAI LURE TO
ENGAGE ‘ Y O U R S E L F ’
IN LEARNING

14. “To move the world,
we must move
ourselves.”

15. THE FAI LURE TO
ENGAGE ‘ Y O U R S E L F ’
IN LEARNING
SOLUT ION:
KNOWLEDGE WI L L NOT GIVE A
PART OF I TSEL F UNT I L YOU
GIVE TO I T AL L OF YOURSEL F .

16. A. ASK QUEST IONS

17. B. S TUDY
MORE
ACT I V E L Y

18. C. ENJOY YOUR STUDIES

19. 3
THE FAI LURE TO
MANAGE T IME

20. THE FAI LURE TO
MANAGE T IME
SOLUT ION:
UNT I L WE CAN MANAGE T IME,
WE CAN MANAGE NOTHING ELSE.

21. A. FORM GOOD HABI TS

22. B. MINDFULNESS AND
THE ART OF FOCUS

23. C. PRIORI T I Z A T ION
AND DI SCI P L INE

24. 4
FAI L ING TO REAL I ZE
THAT FAI L ING IS KEY

25. “You tried your best and
you failed miserably.
The lesson is: Never try.”

27. MISTAKES ARE NOT A
PROBLEM;
NOT LEARNING FROM THEM IS.

28. FAI L ING TO REAL I ZE
THAT FAI L ING IS KEY
SOLUT ION:
ERR UNABASHEDLY AND
LEARN— L IKE A CHI LD DOES

29. A. EMBRACE FAI LURES

30. B. D O N ’ T BE
INT IMIDATED BY
CONFUSION

31. C. VALUE EFFORT OVER
INTELLIGENCE & THE
PROCESS OVER REWARDS

32. 5
FAI L ING TO REAL I ZE THAT
LEARNING IS SOCIAL

33. FAI L ING TO REAL I ZE THAT
LEARNING IS SOCIAL
SOLUT ION:
NO ONE CAN DO I T FOR YOU,
B U T Y O U C A N ’ T D O I T A L O N E .

34. A. HAVE A MENTOR
OR A COACH

35. Daniel Coyle
Advice on finding effective mentors
1. Seek Someone Who Gives Short, Clear Directions;
2. Seek Someone Who Loves Teaching Fundamentals;
3. Seek Someone Who Does NOT remind you of a Courteous Waiter;
4. Seek Someone Who Scares You a Little.

36. DREAM
BIG
AND HAVE
IDEALS

37. B. SEEK FEEDBACK

38. B. SEEK FEEDBACK

39. C. TO
LEARN,
TEACH

40. 6
BEING A LEARNING
MONOGAMIST

41. BEING A LEARNING
MONOGAMIST
SOLUT ION:
ENCOURAGE LEARNING
POLYGAMY.

42. A. AVOID THE
I L LUSIONS OF LEARNING
Frogs are Frogs, and Fish
are Fish. And That is That.
THE TADPOLE TEL LS
THE F ISH THAT
BIRDS HAVE WINGS

43. B. SEEK DIVERSE
KNOWLEDGE SOURCES

44. C. DIVERSI TY IN
STUDY
TECHNIQUES

45. 7
NOT LEARNING
HOW TO LEARN

46. “Books are useless!
I only ever read one book,
“To Kill A Mockingbird,”
and it gave me absolutely
no insight on how to kill
mockingbirds!
Sure it taught me not to
judge a man by the color
of his skin... but what
good does that do me?”—
Homer Simpson.

47. "Good books are
over your head;
they would not be
good if they are not”

48. NOT LEARNING
HOW TO LEARN
SOLUT ION:
D O N ’ T B E A N H I G H L Y
QUAL I F IED A GRADE SHEEP.

49. A. DEVELOP
METACOGNI T IVE
SKI L LS

50. B. LEARN CRI T ICAL THINKING

51. C. BECOME
A L I FELONG
LEARNER

52. COMMON STUDENT MISTAKES:
“ I S T H E R E A N Y O N E S O
WISE AS TO LEARN BY
THE EXPERIENCE OF
O T H E R S ? ” —VOL TAIRE.

53. 7 COMMON STUDENT
MISTAKES
1 Having a fixed mindset
2 The failure to engage yourself in learning
3 The failure to manage time
4 Failing to realize that failing is key
5 Failing to realize that learning is social
6 Being a learning monogamist
7 Not learning how to learn

54. 7 COMMON STUDENT
MISTAKES