​PORTRAIT OF A MODEL STUDENT (by:Mrs P.O. Okoh, a Counsellor)

Perhaps, before we sketch the portrait of a model student, we have to set out his silhouette by clarifying the word ‘model’ in our context. Model is dictionary defined among other things, as a person or thing purposed for imitation. It is the natural tendency for all rational beings to seek to imitate that which is wholesome. This is not to say that the anti-thesis to that position to that does not exist. In other words, unwholesome acts also have their patrons among rational minds. Happily, all societies have their ways of sanctioning such acts to prevent them from being eulogized.
Ultimately, therefore only that which is wholesome is worthy of emulation. From the foregoing, we can already see the silhouette if not the actual visage of a model. Now from the latter.

A model student is both an example and inspiration to his contemporaries. No child, no matter his pedigree is born as a model student. It is simply not inherited and not exclusive to any person or group. That means that it is a status earned on individual merit. This further implies that it is something to be worked at and attained by a deliberate or conscious effort.

What then are the qualities to be coveted, nourished and sustained by a student seeking to be a role model for others?

Such student must imbibe the virtues of hard work. He must be well disposed to, and capable of, prodigious amounts of work. This attribute in turn, will teach him to place a high premium on his time. Consequently, without any special effort,, he eschews truancy, frivolities and gossipy circles, and devotes his time to studies and other productive activities.

Another quality to be cultivated and nurtured is that of moral uprightness. A student that is morally upstanding will be law abiding and averse to whatever is offensive to social norms and values. Efforts in this direction are rewarding and less tedious if the child is God fearing. For then his every step and conduct will be in accordance with divine injunctions.

An aspirant to the status of a model student must also be cognisant of the essence of his school pupilage. He should be able to appreciate that going to school is, to use the hackneyed phrase, not an end in itself but only as a means to an end. He is expected to have a clear vision of what he desires to become in future, compatible of course, with the unfolding aptitudes and predilections. This will in turn guide his academic and sundry pursuits, including his choice of subjects, towards the realization of the envisaged end. Contrary-wise, a student who is in school for the sake of being in school will be afflicted with a blurred vision of his future. He will never be cited for exemplary conduct and will more likely than not, end up half-baked, an excuse for, rather than an example of a model student.

A judicious combination of the aforesaid qualities will no doubt, result in the creation of a student who is methodical and reflective, astute and incisive, equal to every challenge, a source of pride to his parents and institution, God fearing and therefore a model, worthy of emulation. That is a status every student properly so called should aspire to achieve.

BAD READIND HABITS AMONG STUDENTS: REMEDIES PROFFERED

Reading is an intellectual activity directed towards extraction of meaning from a written piece. It is the act of giving meaningful interpretation to printed words. The student view it as a tedious task, which must be “done” in order to pass their examinations.

“Reading” in Nigeria has posed many problems to secondary school students because of the bad reading habits they display. Many of them were never introduced to formal instructions in reading.

The purpose of this write-up therefore, is to identify some bad reading habits among Nigerian students and to propound some solutions to eradicate or at least minimize them.

Head movement: some students move their heads unconsciously from side to side as they read. Such movement is both unnecessary and wasteful. Students should have friends, observe them while they read to discover whether or not they are wasting time and energy through head movement.

Tracing with a finger or any object: Another group of students trace or point to words with fingers, ruler, pencil, pen or any other object as they read. Reading is slowed down considerably by pointing or tracing and more importantly comprehension is adversely affected. This habit can be eliminated through determination. Students should consciously avoid tracing or pointing to words by any object.

Vocalization: Any movement of the tongue, throat or vocal cord during reading constitutes vocalization. Some students often whisper or say the words to themselves as they read. This habit also affects reading speed and comprehension. Students should train themselves and consciously avoid vocalization by reading faster.

Subvocalization : This differs from vocalization in that the reader does not actually move any part of the vocal instruments, but he still pronounces the words to himself. Reading and comprehension are done by the eyes and the brain and not necessarily pronouncing the words. The eyes perceive the printed words and the brain interprets the meaning. Students should be reduce sub-vocalization by reading a lot of materials and reading them faster

Regression and lack of concentration: Regression refers to going back and re-reading words and sentences that one has already read. It often results from lack of concentration and many students exhibit this habit even when reading aloud (learning to read). Students should force themselves to move forward at all times in their reading.

Restlessness: This is as a result of lack of purpose and lack of interest in reading. Many students cannot sit down for long while reading because they are restless. They often engage in talking, playing or listening to music. This habit definitely reduces reading speed because it affects vocabulary development and acquisition of experience. Students should set a target before reading. They must determine their aims and objectives of a particular reading exercise. Students should force themselves to reach the set target and make sure that the aims and objectives are accomplished. They must be disciplined.

In conclusion , parents are advised to set up mini-library in their homes equipped with modern books. They should also buy or present books to their children as gifts. Parents should always encourage their children to read interesting novels. Students on their own should cultivate the habit of buying books from their pocket money. They should always visit libraries both at school and their Local Government Areas. They can also visit bookshops or bookstores around them to find out newly published and interesting novels. Reading is a gateway to other disciplines and improvement in the general performance of students. In the light of this, reading must be given a considerable attention.

WHY STUDENTS EASILY FORGET THEIR CLASS LESSONS

Forgetting is the inability to retain and retrieve previously learned information. Scientific investigations go a long way to prove that human memory or aptitude for learning depreciates especially when one advances in age. This implies that at adolescent stage(school age), students are physically, psychologically and physiologically endowed to retain their class lessons in their memories for a long time. However, in the contemporary school system, the reverse has become the case. 

The major causes of this forgetfulness from the psychology and physiology point of views can be summarized as follows.

1. Decay of memory traces: Learning creates traces in the brain and if such traces are not constantly activated, they tend to “decay” leading to forgetfulness. Likewise, if previously learnt lessons are not constantly activated revised by students the traces for such lessons can be lost temporarily or permanently in the brain.

2. Motivated forgetting: Any learning associated with unpleasant and painful experience can easily be forgotten. In other words, if a lesson is generally unexciting sequel to inadequate motivational skills as well as  uncondusive learning atmosphere, such lesson can easily be forgotten

3. Interference forgetting: This may result from factors that interfer or inhibit things we want to remember. It could also be as a result of what happens before, during or after learning. Students are far more interested in drugs, alcohol, hooliganism, bullying, sexual immoralities etc. These nefarious activities either inhibit or interfer with learning which culminate into forgetting of class lessons

4. Encoding failure: For any information to be remembered, it must have been stored or encoded in the long memory of the brain. This process of storage is largely influenced by the amount of interest and attention paid by the concerned individual. Contrarily, a lot of our students forget their class lessons due to lack of interest and attention, hence, they experience encoding failure in their memories.

5. “Cue” – Dependent Forgetting: Learning of some concept are associated with ‘cue’ (slogans, formulas etc) and once such cues are lost Im the memory the lesson is automatically forgotten.

However, some strategies can be put in place to enhance retention and remembering of class lessons. Vital among them include:

1. Rehearsal of previous lessons regularly

2. memorizing key points of each lessons

3. Over learning in other words, practicing continuously

4. Teachings should be made exciting

5. Endeavour to reduce interference

6. Students should be very attentive in class

THE ART OF CONCENTRATION AND THE STUDENT

Any issue such as the one above which has much to so with the human mind is complex and spans many areas of investigation, psychological, philosophical, cultural, evolutional and others in similar institutions of learning.

What is concentration? All dictionary definitions say that concentration is the ability to think about something carefully or for a long time, a process in which you put a lot of attention, energy etc into a particular activity.

The definitions go further to say that to concentrate means to pay particular attention to something, work particularly at it and make the most important thing one was doing. Succinctly put, concentration is the focusing of attention. A careful look at the definition shows that concentration implies, selectively repetition and determination.

Why we concentrate: Concentration is required for success to be recorded in any human endeavour be it painting, washing, acting, driving, building, farming, learning etc. Primarily our interests, desires, likes and dislikes implies to concentrate intentionally. The focusing of attention eliminates or reduces the incidence of derailing. It keeps one in line with one’s goal. None of our goals, plans, dreams would have been realized without concentration. All would have lost to us.

When to concentrate:

concentration is a kind of selectivity. In other words, one selects what one wants to attract one’s attention. In school environment for example, many distractions abound such as noise, fashion, music, books and magazines that have no direct bearing on learning. Others are students’ ego, peer group influences occasioned by irresponsible friendships, frequent visits by parents, arrogant if flamboyance as a result if parental affluence, nostalgic tendencies caused by strong family attachment etc. The least considered of all distractions is the unintentional command of our attention by the say aloud and sudden sound.

What is expected of any student in a situation of distractive moment is, the realization of the transient nature of the event so that the mins can be quickly turned off to allow for concentration on learning which is the dominant stimulus.

Stages in concentration: The various stages that are involved in concentration has been simplified and condensed into three to reduce complexity.

1. Identification stage: it is expected at this stage that the student writes down his clearly defined goal. It may be something like being successful in academic pursuits. Also to be written down will be the method by which the goal will be achieved. The latter will include a study plan. All dislikes an interests which go contrary to the pursuits should be itemized and written down too.

2. Elimination stage : Guided by the student’s goal, the onus rests on the student to gradually eliminate from the mind all the attractions which go contrary to the goal which has previously been written down. Much effort is needed to accomplishe this. The mere recognition and identification of the distractions would not cause them to be eliminated from the student’s mind. It is at this point that determination comes in because it is by the conscious and deliberate efforts of the student to neglect that which impacts negatively in the student’s goal one after the other that the student can turn attention to learning and studying. It will require a lot of sacrifice and letting go of certain things which had earlier on been very dear to the student but inimical to the student’s goal.

3. Concentration stage: It is hoped that the mind had been sufficiently purged of all the distraction at the end of the two previous stages which are preparatory to this third and final stage. This stage could be regarded as passive because all that is expected if the student is the focusing of attention on the goal that had been embedded in the mind. This is when concentration is said to have taken place.

In conclusion therefore, the need to sustain and make concentration a habit must be stressed. Friendships with intelligent and academically successful students should be encouraged, developed and nurtured. This has the potential of encouraging healthy academic competition among the new found peers. With this, concentration will take root and become habitual in the student.

​WHY STUDENTS FAIL MATHEMATICS

At the mention of any 11 alphabet subject every student is set on scale while at the mere mention of the name “MATHEMATICS”, students begin to tremble as if a chill has run down their spine. Mathematics is the study of numbers, quantity and space. It is a science subject which reflects in all other sciences as the “ALMIGHTY”. Mathematics as we all know is a compulsory subject alongside English. Most people believe on the pretext that you must comprehend just one i.e. inborn at a time. But I tell you, Determination + Handwork can break the jinx.
 Mathematics is a subject of substance; you can’t study it by mere sight. It requires writing materials from you unlike other subject which you just pick and begin to cram. Mathematics is technical and tactical. Sometimes it doesn’t require writing before you manoeuvre your way to the answer. Some of them require your glance. For example, 2×2 What else do you have to write, by mere unwritten manipulation, you know that the answer is 4, this is no problem. It is well known that students fail math and that arouse the general question WHY? Some problems which hinder students’ success in mathematics are listed below;

 I Lack of interest.

 ii Ignorance on the part of teachers.

 iii Lackadaisical attitude of students.

 IV Lack of constant practice.

LACK OF INTEREST: Students have an inborn repulsion to anything pertaining to Mathematics. 

They don’t like to put their brain to task. Like a friend would say “Where did this Bastard Mathematics originated from” nothing is hard in it, it is just that on his scale of preference, Mathematics serves as the Alternative forgone. Students wouldn’t want to substitute their precious soccer time for study, they want to enjoy always but fail to realize that “we suffer now to enjoy later”-This is a fact. If a student doesn’t have interest in Mathematics, which other science subject would he be interested in when mathematics is the backbone of all sciences? Mathematics is seen as being difficult because most students fail to recognize its ease.

Interest can be cultivated by being inquisitive in class, putting aside shame and pride. Students who feel can be put through one or two things would be of great help when made friends with.
 2.   IGNORANCE ON THE PART OF THE TEACHERS: As the teacher steps into the classroom, he is immediately discouraged by the lack of interest portrayed on the faces of the students. Teachers, while teaching, fail to acknowledge the unseriousness of students and should improvise a way to counteract this unseriousness. Instead of pausing to ask “ANY QUESTION” he would preferably wait to receive a “RIDE ON SIR” from the already bored students which is unfair. Mathematics teachers should present themselves as “Jovial” in order to make students open up rather than being hostile. This is a difficult step most teachers would find difficult and too officious to take.  If only teachers could feel more concerned and dedicated to the academic welfare of the students, things would change for good. 
   3.   LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE OF STUDENTS: Teenagers tends to possess a non-chalant attitude to anything serious. This is what is hitting back hard on them and would definitely damage their future unless they repent. They think that they are a heap if lackluster and failure; thus wouldn’t like to accommodate stress any longer.

 For example, scientist of old didn’t try once neither did they rest on their laurels. They worked together putting all hands on deck that is why we study modifications upon modifications upon theories in physics and chemistry today. Archimedes happened to run out of his bath tub naked into the streets after he accidentally found the solution to one of the greatest challenges of his time. Others like Einstein, Galileo, Pythagoras, Dalton and a list of others are celebrities. They didn’t possess the attitude this generation possesses rather they longed for more challenges which boosted their ego because they knew that can’t afford to fail was the last time they tried. They know a step back guarantees a greater leap. What would the next generation have to say about ours if we don’t lay aside this behaviour of ours?

You too can lay aside that attitude if only you try. It doesn’t matter the number of times you fall but rather your ability to rise after the fall. Remember hard work + Determination = Success. If this can be at the back of our minds, someday we all will be victors.
4. LACK OF CONSTANT PRACTICE: Success, they say, involves sacrifice. Students of nowadays don’t study at all not even a little but have the assurance of receiving expo (ODU) in the examination hall. Like Abraham Lincoln said in one of his speeches I am a slow walker but I never walk backwards” –that’s the spirit. It doesn’t take a day to become a Genius. It is gradual. You too can try but remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. A typical example is a German Scientist known as Michael Faraday, who carried out an experiment on electricity. He tried about a thousand times but all his attempts were futile. On the verge of giving up, he tried for the one thousand and one time and succeeded, and till date he (late) will never be forgotten because he laid the foundation.”

 There are two long standing math problems to be proved ever since the 16th/17th century. “Fermat’s last theorem” which was posed by French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in 1630. It remained unsolved till 1995 i.e. 365 years later when Andre Wiles (U.K.) showed that X+Y =Z has no solution in integers for being equal or greater than 3. The second unsolved one is “GOLDBACH’S CONJECTURE”, which, was posed by Christian Goldbach in 1742. It states that every even positive integer greater than 3 is the sum of two (not necessarily distinct) primes, and has yet to be proved or disproved. Had it been that the Mathematicians in U.K. hadn’t put in rigorous effort i.e. constant practice, the two problems would be mysteries to our generation. Students have to cultivate the habit of practice because it is the basis of triumph.

   With the above points, every student can now categorize himself into his bracket. After activating the interest, that lackadaisical attitude is deactivated and then urge for practice arises. After all these have been put to place, work hard because “unless you are determined, you can never be fulfilled. It is after all this that you can then boast like Pythagoras and say “I KNOW THAT I KNOW”. In all, the ultimate watchword at the back of our mind should be that only when you “MAKE GOD YOUR HABITATION THAT HE WILL REMOVE YOUR LIMITA-TIONS”