When you were in high school, were you told by a guidance counselor or teacher that you were not college material? Did you decide to defer college after high school graduation? Or perhaps you went to college right away, but then later decided to pursue another goal, with the possibility of returning to college afterward. In any case, I hope you were given the academic preparation and skills you would need to succeed in college. These skills are important for those who decide not to go to college as well.

As educators, we sometimes get caught up in the frustration of reminding students that they need to meet assignment deadlines and do a quality job. We have to prod lazy students who turn in mediocrity fully expecting to earn a top grade. This may cause us to have a negative outlook on such students’ educational promise. However, the reality is that all students must come of their own volition to a place of willingness to do what’s needed to reach the goal. When this happens, they begin to get more serious about school, meet those deadlines, and do their best work.
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