Are we failing students where it matters most?

They come eager to learn, eager to study, eager to get good grades. Graduation day comes, their hats fly, their smiles shine and we’re all celebrating. Time to finally get started, right? WRONG!

photo credit: Karl Fredrickson

We live in an age were employment has never been so unnervingly complex and fast-paced. Long, long, long gone are the days were a university degree from a respected institution was an almost guaranteed ticket to a top-notch job, brimming over with benefits and a hefty retirement plan. Today, relevance is the name of the game and in such an economic environment, ex-students who are not naturally inclined to thrive out of their comfort zones tend to suffer the most. Those who are avid, life-long learners, optimists, risk-takers, non-conformers and critical thinkers on the other hand enjoy the ride.

I feel that the entire education industry is still, sadly, bogged down in the 1990’s. We award good studying, good memorization, good exam scores. Yet we know that this kind of academic success is woefully inadequate in the real world. In this turbo-charged, digital information age, where it takes literally seconds to access the most sophisticated knowledge out there does it really matter if you know your text-book stuff well? I tell it to my students all the time, what’s in your text-books today may not be so tomorrow. So why are we still attached to the antiquated modalities of knowledge?

Perhaps the time has come to drastically redraw our teaching strategy. Our goal can no longer be to impart facts that are rapidly replaced almost as soon as they graduate by updated ‘versions’. We need to teach students to think, to dream, to rise. We need to teach students above all, that they can learn, and learn to love, any subject they set their sights on.

The future belongs to those who can embrace all the intricacies of a world so mind-bogglingly connected and we, as professors, may very well be the only thing that prevents them from learning all this the hard way.

Marc Mikhael, PhD

The Apprentice's Compass - Navigate University!

Two reasons why the way you sit in class really matters

I'm constantly observing my students to see how my message is coming across. Are they comfortable, are they bored, are they challenged? And you know what, I can tell so much more about them just by carefully noting certain details. I can tell if they value intelligence and knowledge. I can tell if they want to get ahead, cruise on autopilot or have no idea why they're sitting in a biology class. And I'm doing this while teaching! The truth is the way you stand, sit and talk can usually give people - and teachers - a pretty (to roughly) accurate picture of what you're going through and how you are as a person.

Photo by Charlie Foster

Here are two reasons why you should be more intentional about your posture during class:

1) The way you sit in class affects how much you learn

I can't stand the bored student. It innervates me! Why is he bored? How??? I mean, you know... I'm not a boring teacher... ok, I admit, sometimes, lectures can be boring especially if it's about chemistry and, honestly, don't let biology teachers teach chemistry. Period. But seriously, if you're sitting in class looking bored you're going to get bored. If you sit up, at attention, pencil in hand scribbling unintelligible notes, coffee/tea/water in the other, studies have shown you will learn better - except when you spill said hot beverage on your lap. Slouch, fold your arms, put your hands on your face so you're either covering it or leaning your head to the side on it and you're going to retain far, far less.

Yes, it's crazy. We move the way we feel. But studies have shown over and over again that the way we move affects the way we feel too! Yeah, really, they've measured things like the levels of endorphins (the happy molecules) and testosterone (the confident, I-am-strong hormone) that change with body posture. If you're upset try smiling and make the most fake laugh you can ever imagine for the next 10 seconds. If you're happy, frown and fold your arms. And then note the change... it's remarkable! Our bodies are wired that way and it makes total sense to harness it's peculiarities in this regard.

And hey, why waste your time? You're spending 40 or so hours a semester going to a single course. Use that time wisely and learn better in class so you can study less at home. Sit as if you're there to learn and have fun doing it and you will indeed learn and have fun while you're at it!

2) The way you sit in class gives a powerful first and lasting impression

I write the following not so you can manipulate teachers. I write the following so you'll learn to better communicate and give better impressions not just to your teachers, but to people all around you. Become a student of body language and this stuff will really benefit you in your personal and business life alike.

Obviously, the student sitting in the learning posture we described above is a great way to cultivate a good first impression. But if you want to go the extra mile, here are some extra tips.

Nod while your teacher is talking. Nodding is a fascinating tool to employ in conversations. There are some cultures that seem to encourage nodding and agreeing to everything you say... they are not agreeing really, but they are simply agreeing on the fact that you are talking. But still, it gives a powerful impression that you are listening when you nod. As a teacher, when students nod it gives me encouragement... they understand!

Avoid closed gestures. It's intimidating to stand up in a room and talk when most are sitting there with closed and negative gestures... you know, folded arms, clasped hands, tight lipped with the death stare, etc. Did I just give you an idea with what to do with the teachers you don't like? I don't know, they're your grades, not mine. :)

The head tilt. Have you ever seen a dog that's curious? They tilt their head sideways and it's quite cute. Well, people do this too. It indicates they are interested at something. Doing this when listening to someone really tells them you're listening. You get lots of points with that, especially if your wife is talking to you.

The chin stroke. Yes, we stroke our chins when we think, goatee or not. It can make you really look smart. It also means you are seriously considering what you are hearing.

Mirror, mirror on the wall... This is an old one. Mirror the gestures of the person your listening to and they'll feel like you get them! Soon you'll be best buddies. There are some gestures that you can mirror even while sitting down. It has a powerful effect that communicates you're on the same page as the person doing the talking.

Are there more? Sure. Lots more. Subscribe (click here for that) and stay tuned for a post that'll tell you where to learn more! And why not share this using those fancy buttons on the left? Thanks! See, you're already learning how to impress people.

Marc Mikhael, Ph.D.
The Apprentice's Compass - Navigate University!

The power of money

It seems that money is everything in this world doesn't it? We constantly hear, Money is power, Cash is king, Money is the root of all evil and the tell-tale sign that we think too much about it - Money isn't everything. Or is it?

We've been conditioned to believe many lies about money. Foremost among them is the idea that money's power is in how it enable it's bearer to buy things. From childhood we see our parents go to supermarkets, pull up their wallet - out comes the cash and in comes the milk... and sometimes even candy! We see this over and over again and after a million times finally our super fast mind makes the connection; Money provides me with what I need... and what I want. It's one of the most powerful, universal and yet ever so fallacious conclusions that we ever come to.

Photo by Julien Lux

To be sure money cannot buy happiness, life, joy, peace, health and love. It does help - more or less - in many of these aspects but it is never the key ingredient to our inherent desires of fulfillment and delight. And to be surer still, greed for money is the root of all sorts of evil. Greed kills your soul and kills your body. But now that we got that out of the way let's get to the bottom of all this.

I've got a bag of wheat kernels lying in the kitchen's pantry. It's been there for a year and a half and only yesterday did we finally cook some of it! If I had taken that wheat and sowed it I wouldn't have doubled it... I'd have a kitchen full of huge sacs of wheat. I'd be able to make bread for a year, cook half of it and then sell and give away enough to feed fifty families and still have enough to sow even more seed than I originally did. See? That's the power of money... it can multiply!

Here's the thing. Most people use money to buy things. They spend and consume and in this state money always comes and always goes. The more money comes the more it is spent. There is no multiplication. Just addition and subtraction and in our consumer-oriented world it's mostly subtraction that wins!

If you can understand that money is like seed you're off to a great financial future. Really you are. That thought - that money is seed - is itself like a seed that will open a world of opportunities if you take the time to nurture this idea.

Just think with me a second. You're in university for how many years? How much money will have to flow into your pockets and then ever so quickly out of them to sustain your education? How about your living expenses during this time?

What if you decided to take only a portion of this money and instead of throwing it away on expensive, but small and short-lived pleasures, and instead of consuming it, sowed it? I guarantee you that some of you will graduate into your own companies! And I hope many more still will enter the job market with a completely different mindset than those who haven't begun to sow their money.

So how do you go about sowing your money? Stay tuned for more to come! In the meantime, I'm sure you'll figure many things out as you let the creative machine of your mind start churning to make your financial future far brighter. Here's to your bright future...

Cheers!

Want more on this subject? Check out Your Million Dollar Mistake! And don't forget to share this post with your friends... countless successful companies start with partnerships made right now, when you're a student.  :)

Marc Mikhael, Ph.D.
The Apprentice's Compass - Navigate University!

Your Million Dollar Mistake

How can you make a million dollar mistake? Well, a hint is that it has to do with the years of time you're already investing in university, compounded by the large (or not so large) amounts of money used to fund that endeavor. In reality though, this mistake is actually far greater than a million!

Now there are many mistakes uni students are doing nowadays. They range from choosing majors based on misconceptions and irrelevant observations to overlooking great aspects of university life outside the classroom. (That's why I wrote this free booklet - you can click here to get it today).

Photo by Didier Weemaels

But if there's one thing, we as universities (and schools) are completely shortchanging you with it's education about money - financial literacy. Financial what? Those must be the two most boring words on the planet. And yet, almost every single university student is there because they think their degree is a ticket to getting a job so they can earn their wages! How are we preparing you for the real world when we don't give you 10 cents worth of knowledge about money, what it really is and how to manage, spend, invest, increase and give it away, the right way.

That's the bottom line. True... business, economics and finance students know more about this topic. And honestly, guys in those majors get much more on other key skills such as leadership and management courses though these are needed in every major and I can't think why they shouldn't be offered as compulsory courses in all programs. But anyways I'm here to rectify this, in the way I can.

So what's the million dollar mistake almost every student of university is committing as we speak - financial illiteracy! How do you go about fixing this? Listen, most parents and most teachers don't teach this, simply because they don't how to or don't know much about this subject or dismiss it as unimportant (and usually it's a mixture of these elements).

So you need to go out there and hear from people who know what they're talking about and are good teachers. They do exist - a word of caution though, stay away from the greedy ones. A good place to start and anyone who ever read this book will understand my particular attachment to is Good Dad Rich Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. (I particularly identified with the former!)

Good enough? Probably not! So stay tuned for more to come by clicking here to subscribe! 

Marc Mikhael, Ph.D.
The Apprentice's Compass - Navigate University!

How to tell what your teachers are thinking

Do you know that more than half of communication is non-verbal? We tell eachother what we think all the time by the way we sit and smile and stand and move. Most of this type of communication is biological and whether you realize it or not you already can read it to some extent. But what differentiates some of us from the rest, is when we take this form of communication to the conscious level (good politicians and leaders are experts at this).

As a university student, you're going to spend hours of your life watching teachers which can prove to be massively more interesting if you tune in to that form of silent communication they're constantly showering you with. Here are some very common signals to watch for... the benefit is huge!

Just one thing to mention... these moves must be looked at holistically, as a group and not individually. One negative gesture amidst many positive ones should be discounted. You get the point. So take these tips with a grain of salt. :)

Courtesy of Flickr: Tim Ellis

1) Hands in the pocket

It means "I don't want to talk." That's pretty much a deal breaker for me if you do this right before talking to any audience. Hands by the way, do lots of talking, some cultures more than others, but if you hide them in your pockets your telling them that you're not interested really. Try it! Next time you go to a party stand around with your hands in your pocket. It's a sure way to be avoided.

2) Touching, scratching or rubbing the head and face

Watch out as this could mean a lot, including lying! But not always. Most people who want to project power and authority rarely reach for their face or head. Scratching the head may be an indication of thought... or dandruff. But watch out for the tell tale nose, neck or eyebrow scratch that's accompanied by a somewhat suspicious statement. "If you study well, you'll do well." + nose rub = change the teacher! (I'm exaggerating). Here's another move. If you ask the professor a question, lets say, and his immediate response is to bring his hand on his face, very briefly covering his eyes than mouth, he most likely wishes that you'd disappear and he doesn't need to say anything. Hands over the mouth, similarly could mean, he's restraining himself from saying something or doesn't want to talk. 

3) Closed hands, closed soul

If your prof's hands are crossed or come together it's usually a negative gesture. It doesn't mean that you're the negative stimulus. Share bad news to someone who you know likes you and they might adopt this gesture to protect themselves from the bad news, symbolically speaking. But lets say you ask a question and the teacher folds her arms, it's a sign of her discomfort. She could be challenged by the question, annoyed that you asked it or simply uncomfortable with being there.

4) The podium

Grabbing the lectern tightly and leaning on it is usually a sign of discomfort and lack of confidence. The more open, confident and authoritative figures will move away from the podium or only and occasionally lightly embrace it provided that they have the freedom to move away from it. 

5) The legs tell you the true story

A man with legs apart is usually quite confident... he's exposed but shows strength in allowing himself to be exposed. Crossed legs while delivering a lecture means they are defensive... or need to go the bathroom. Tapping feet can show impatience and if the prof's always pointing his feet to the door, he's showing you that he really can't wait to leave!

6) Watch the palms

Open palms facing you are a good sign that the teacher is being open with you. Get a little rowdy and noisy and watch how those palms turn downward "Ok, enough guys". That's an authoritative sign. The worst one is the pointed finger. Very, very negative gesture. Studies have shown that you retain far more information when the teacher uses open palms as compared to the downward facing palm, and very little of the lecture with the pointed finger. Dictators (and parents) often use the pointed finger... seriously. 

7) The steeple 

If the finger come together lightly touching each other at the tips with a slight bounce, it means he's got the answers.

8) Office chairs

I didn't design my office but the way the chairs are arranged in it are to project power and authority while minimizing the student. Here's how they do that - you give the teacher a big chair, with arm rests and a taller back. (Think thrones and kings). You place a desk and on the other side two shorter, smaller chairs, with a straight back and no arm rests. If you sit in the teacher's chair you'll feel the power. If you sit in the smaller chair, it'll force you to look small and you'll actually feel smaller. You don't have to give into this by the way. Sit on the student's chair, lean forward and maybe place your hand on or elbow on the table. You've effectively claimed your territory! But if you're there to get something you know you don't deserve (like bonus grades), it's better to look small and sad and not be so challenging.

9) Hands grasping each other behind the back

I'm in charge! This walk exposes the front (mostly men do this) and it's a sign they are not afraid. Imagine your teacher doing this as he walks down the aisle when you're taking an exam.

There's so much more to mention but I think this is a great place to start. I'm sure it's bound to make you're lectures more interesting. 

Want some more? Next time I'll write about what gestures to adopt to give a better impression to your teachers. You can subscribe (click here) so that you'll be to see it when it comes (plus you'll get a gift!).

Enjoy.

Marc Mikhael, Ph.D.
The Apprentice's Compass - Navigate University!