Managing Time for Success: Math Confidence Workshop

Managing Time for Success Using productivity and organizational tools, performance and learning can be maximized while leaving time for other important activities including down time.  This talk includes Robin's sharing her own system of time management including setting goals, listening to powerful speakers such as Tony Robbins and Jim Rohn, implementing tools like Franklin Covey planner and Darren Hardy's Weekly Rhythm Register.  This talk can be for students as well as people in the corporate world, parents and anyone who would like to take their life to the next level! College of Mount Saint Vincent, Weds. 1/30/13 4PM  Elizabeth Seton Library

Success Magazine: Focus on Improvement

The August 2009 Success magazine has an inspiring and uplifting article ("If You Don't Fall, You Aren't Getting Better") by publisher Darren Hardy.

Mistakes can be terrific learning opportunities. Math questions often have only one correct answer and can provide practice in admitting and correcting errors. Mr. Hardy expressed this very well -- "they were markers on the journey toward greatness and should be appreciated, even celebrated."

The next time I hear, "When are we ever going to use this Math?", my answer will incorporate Mr. Hardy's words: "Correcting Math mistakes builds more than Math knowledge and skills -- this improvement process instills character traits that help people break through to a new level of academic, professional and/or personal success."

Brain Fitness for Academic, Professional and Personal Success

Proposal for College Board's Forum 2009 Part 1

To break the barriers of college access and success, we need to promote intellectualism by reshaping the view of brain fitness and putting it on par with physical fitness.

Participants will exchange ideas on motivation, instructional strategies and confidence-building with an emphasis on critical thinking and Math.

Success Later = the intersection of Failure, Determination and Thinking

http://thisisindexed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/card2085.jpg

Where failure, determination and thinking intersect on the Venn diagram is success later-- thanks to Jessica Hagy for her terrific www.thisisindexed.com representation!!

Intelligence and How To Get It

From the New York Times review of Richard Nisbett's book

But beyond a certain threshold — an I.Q. of 115, say — there is no correlation between intelligence and creativity or genius. As more of us are propelled above this threshold — and, if Nisbett is right, nearly all of us can be — the role of intelligence in determining success will come to be infinitesimal by comparison with such “moral” traits as conscientiousness and perseverance. Then we can start arguing about whether those are genetic.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393065057

Two important take-aways:

Innate intelligence as measured by IQ can be increased

IQ is not the most important success factor

Linked In Question:
How did you succeed in a difficult course while in high school or college?
Students all over the country are getting ready for major tests and final examinations. It seems that students always have one difficult course or instructor. I would like to hear about strategies that you used to get through a difficult course. What are some of the best study habits? I would like to share your strategies with students. Please confirm that I can share your suggestions.

Math Confidence Response:
As a peak performance Math coach (and a former Engineering and Finance student who made it through Electromagnetics and Corporate Finance), there are key questions for test takers that raise awareness of their thinking process:
How did you get your answer?
Was it Easy? Medium? Hard?
Is that your final answer? (courtesy of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?)

Other Success Factors:
Study Groups turn up the volume of thinking through discussion
Read over the entire test at the beginning
Do not leave anything blank -- write something :)
Know examples rather than formulas (12 divided by 1/2 = 24 is better than invert and multiply) Keep review sheets clean -- do not write the answers on the review sheet! This will force reworking of the problems --increasing the chance of success on the test
View the test as a learning opportunity -- test takers are making new connections while they are in the exam

While studying for finals may not have an exact parallel in the workplace, gaining math (and other academic) confidence can help with the following Life Skills:
Problem-Solving
Critical Thinking
Optimizing Your Potential
Escaping the Perfectionism Trap
Appreciating Effort vs. Obsessing about Ability
Financial / Medical Information Fluency
Expanding your self-teaching Skills
Finding a (new) career
Lifelong Learning
Brain Fitness


Posted by
Robin A. Schwartz, 11/26/08
http://www.mathconfidence.com/
mathconfidence@aol.com

Math Confidence's Robin Schwartz's Letter to the Editor
The New York Times

LETTERS; Ups, Downs and America's Mind-Set

Published: September 29, 2008

To the Editor:
Positive thinking is not about always getting what you want; it is making the best of what you have while planting seeds to create opportunities in the future.
My role as an educator and parent is to empower the learner with independence, knowledge, skills and attitude to achieve personal, professional and academic success.
Motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, Jim Rohn and Stephen R. Covey have helped millions of people stay on course, some of whom might have turned to other coping mechanisms, like alcohol. Their messages may not resonate with all audiences, but they help to motivate and inspire millions of people to persevere through life's (and the financial markets') inevitable ups and downs.
Robin A. Schwartz Bronx, Sept. 25, 2008
The writer is the founder of mathconfidence.com.