COWCATCHER publications & presentations

What Smart Students Know

Maximum Learning. Better Grades. Minimum Time.

E X C E R P T S F R O M T H E E X P E R T S

Make Procrastination
Trust me.
I not only look
brilliant...
Impossible
If you can't procrastinate,
you won't.
Identify what it was you thinking
about doing before you started
checking email or Facebook. This is
the chore or task to tackle. Now
chunk it down into segments you
can handle. Focus on getting the
Don’t have time to read the chunks done and don't worry about
the whole project.
whole book? You can know
what smart students know.
Jodie Randisi has been an educator for over 25
There are only twelve principles. If
years. She is passionate about helping people remove you can remember the zodiac, or
obstacles. Her specialty is making information easy to digest names of the months, you can
in ways that are enjoyable. Many people don’t have time to certainly learn these important
read everything they want or need to read, which is why she life-changing principles.
collects, reduces, and publishes interesting information in
user-friendly formats. Pinkie swear.
This stuff
really works.
PLEASE NOTE: Excerpts from the Experts is not meant to
replace books. These articles are intended, however, to help
people sort through overwhelming mountains of information.
In all cases, if the condensed information provided here makes
sense, then Jodie highly recommends reading from material
from its original source.

Your success in school, your grades and

how much you learn is entirely up to you.
12 Principles
Principle # 1
NOBODY CAN TEACH YOU AS WELL AS YOU
CAN TEACH YOURSELF
While teachers tell you what you have to learn, how
you learn that material is your business. Adapt
situations to your learning needs, not the other way
around. No teacher, no matter how gifted or
dedicated, knows how you think and process
information better than you do.
Principle # 2
MERELY LISTENING TO YOUR TEACHERS
AND COMPLETING THEIR ASSIGNMENTS IS
NEVER ENOUGH
Think of your teachers and assignments as the
framework around which true personalized learning is
built. Be constantly on the lookout for new and better
sources of information and new and better ways to
learn.
2
Principle # 3
NOT EVERYTHING YOU ARE ASSIGNED TO
READ OR ASKED TO DO IS EQUALLY
IMPORTANT
Set priorities and plan ahead. Budget your time and
focus on the most important tasks on your agenda.
Apply this principle to your studying as well.
Recognize the value of concentrating your learning
efforts on the most important aspects of a course
rather than becoming overwhelmed by trying to
absorb everything.
Principle # 4
GRADES ARE JUST SUBJECTIVE OPINIONS
Don’t get overly upset with bad
grades (or overly excited with
good ones). Since grades are
important, make sure you make
it a point to get to know the
personal likes, dislikes, and biases of the person who
decides them – your teacher.
Principle # 5
MAKING MISTAKES (AND OCCASIONALLY
APPEARING FOOLISH) IS THE PRICE YOU
PAY FOR LEARNING AND IMPROVING
In the learning process, mistakes are as important as
successes. Young children have a nearly unlimited
aptitude for learning because of their willingness to
make mistakes.
Principle # 6
THE POINT OF A QUESTION IS TO GET YOU
TO THINK – NOT SIMPLY TO ANSWER IT
Look for different perspectives, different answers,
and different methods to solve problems. See
questions as challenges, not threats, and approach
obvious answers with skepticism.
 12 Principles

Once you see yourself as a smart student

you will act and learn like one.
Principle # 7
YOU ARE IN SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO
THINK FOR YOURSELF, NOT TO REPEAT
WHAT TEXTBOOKS AND TEACHERS TELL YOU

Take nothing at face value. Question everything. Only

through constant challenging and reaching beyond
limitations does anyone learn anything of significance.

Principle # 8
SUBJECTS DO NOT ALWAYS SEEM
INTERESTING OR RELEVANT, BUT BEING
ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN LEARN THEM IS
BETTER THAN BEING PASSIVELY BORED AND
NOT LEARNING
Principle # 10
HOW WELL YOU DO IN SCHOOL REFLECTS
Be willing, even eager to learn things that other student YOUR ATTITUDE AND YOUR METHOD
might find boring. You may not be interested in the -- NOT YOUR ABILITY
subject, but you can be interested in your questions
about it. If you are bored or distracted, it means you Don’t take academic mistakes or disappointments
aren’t learning. Do something about it. Learning is personally. There’s nothing wrong with you; it’s just
ongoing and you must uphold your end or discovery your attitude or method that needs adjusting. The
comes to a screeching halt. material is the material. There will always be
something you don’t understand.
Principle # 9
FEW THINGS ARE AS POTENTIALLY
Principle # 11
DIFFICULT, FRUSTRATING, OR IF YOU’RE DOING IT FOR THE GRADES OR
FRIGHTENING AS GENUINE LEARNING, THE APPROVAL OF OTHERS, YOU’RE
YET NOTHING IS MORE EMPOWERING MISSING THE SATISFACTION OF THE
PROCESS AND PUTTING YOUR SELF-
Learning does not end when the bell rings or you ESTEEM AT THE MERCY OF THINGS
grab your diploma. Learning is the stuff of life. OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL
The alternative to questioning, grasping, and
moving forward every day of your life is much Work hard for yourself. Work hard and excel
more restful but far less exciting and gratifying. because it makes you feel good, and because you
It takes courage and hard work to tackle the realize that you alone will live with the consequences
unknown, but of your education. Praise is
each time you do great, but its flip side is
it will be easier disapproval, which can
and less derail learning.
frightening.
True gratification comes
from within.

3
Principle 12
SCHOOL IS A GAME
BUT IT’S A VERY IMPORTANT
GAME

Keep everything in perspective.

Play to Win!

Smart students know learning is a lifetime habit.

The world is packed with opportunities for smart students. Those who appreciate
adventure, explorations, discovery and creativity will never lack for possibilities.
For those who continue to learn, the choices are endless.

The world is so miraculous and full of wonder that your

imagination at its most creative moment cannot encompass it. Paths
will open leading to worlds beyond your wildest dreams. If this
sounds like a pitch for the latest recreational drug, it may be.
The drug is adrenaline, and your body automatically generates it
when you're growing, risking, and discovering new worlds.

Jodie Randisi's inspirational presentations are perfect for leadership conferences,

retreats, freshmen orientations, luncheons, Welcome Week programs, student
leadership events, civic association and club meetings.

Certified Time to Teach! trainer and master teacher Jodie Randisi travels throughout the
United States to facilitate professional development workshops. Time to Teach! provides an
enjoyable, fast paced and practical program to help outstanding teachers do an even better job,
struggling teachers find their groove, new teachers shine, and administrators provide a safe and
orderly environment for the children of their community.

Contact Jodie at www.childwhisperer.info (843) 681-9351 jodie.randisi@gmail.com