Brenda's Top Ten

Today it's a pleasure to host a guest blog from Dr Brenda Smith-Chant, Chair of Psychology. Bravo!

This is an email I received from a prospective student along with my response.  My response is somewhat rough (it was quickly written to ensure that my response was rapid), but it articulates my perspective as a Trent Alumni (Undergraduate Class of 1994), faculty member, and a colleague in the Department of Psychology.  It is based on our departmental discussions on our OCAV expectations for students and learning.  It reflects what we have identified as our ‘value added’ and ‘unique identity’ for our program at Trent.  It also encompasses our reflections on how our program fits into our Trent Mission.  This is also how we want to properly recruit students.

The email I received:

Hi!

Thank-you for taking the time to email me. What I'd like to do is to figure out if I'm a good fit for your program.

I've read everything I can get my hands on about your psych department. Out of all the Universities that I've seen, it interests me the most. I like the course descriptions and overviews. As well as general vibe of the University.

From a professor's standpoint what do you see in the students that excel that sets them apart?

Thank-you again,

M**

My response:

Dear M**

We are having an open house in Oshawa this Saturday from 10-2.  I will be there along with some of our other faculty.  I would love to meet you if you can come by.

For fun, here are the top 10 things you can do to ensure that you 'stand out' from the crowd:

10.  Sit near the front in lecture.  Really.  Make sure you go to EVERY lecture.  We actually notice people near the front and care about having them there.  My best students are usually in the first few rows.
9. Avoid texting, updating your FB status, or watching downloaded Twilight episodes while in class.  We really, really hate that.
8. Take notes.  According to lots and lots of research, taking lecture notes is highly associated with improved academic performance.  It seems to be due to 2 factors:  The act of forcing you to process and summarize the content and also preventing passive listening.
7. Ask great questions.  Avoid asking questions about things in the syllabus (that’s what we call the course outline we are required to give at the beginning of a course).  Know and refer to the syllabus for dates, details and such.  Instead, ask questions that reflect you are thinking about the material and trying to make sense of it.  In this, there are no 'dumb' questions.  Some of the most amazing questions are about trying to sort through a supposedly simple concept.
6.  Realize that being 'wrong' is important. Putting up your hand and being right is actually boring for me.  When people put up their hand and say something different than expected--as a Prof, I have a teachable moment.  There is something I can do to help you work through a concept.  As a student--stop worrying about being wrong.  Take chances.  Make mistakes.  Get messy!  (Magic School Bus had it right).
5. Take responsibility for your own learning.  Got a boring (or less than optimal) prof? Don't expect them to provide YOUR motivation and challenge.  Can't understand a concept and find it dull? Find the fascination for yourself.  Read about it.  Talk about it. There is more to content than just the assigned readings.  
4. Be a critical thinker--but this means more than being negative.  Examine what you believe and learn.  What is the evidence supporting or in conflict with this belief? Be like a thoughtful judge--weigh the evidence and make your own decisions based on a reasoned approach.  Be open to new ideas.
3. Make sure that your academic career is balanced.  Don't think that we want obsessive students who do nothing but study!  Get out and have other interests!  Have hobbies--see shows--go dancing!  Join clubs and associations--Whatever good clean fun you can have.  Learn to balance academics with fun.  Your outside interests will sustain you through the difficult times (which there will be) and also help you to become a more interesting person.
2. Make contact with your professors.  We hold office hours and often no one comes.  Talk to us about an assignment or test.  Ask for help.  Let us do what is part of our life's work:  Mentor you.  

and

Number 1:  Find your passion and joy and follow it.  Put your heart into your work.  If you find something interesting, if you find something touching, if you find something enraging--follow it up.  Academics is not about learning content (that is just the vehicle for the work).  It is about discovering what you need to meet the challenges that you will face all your life.  It is about identifying the conditions and resources you need to foster to become the best person you can endeavour to be.  It is about finding a way to meet the bar that will be set for you and exceeding expectations.  As a professor, my job and my passion is to support my students to excel.  I succeed when you succeed.  I want all my students to surpass what I am able to accomplish myself.  To do this--you need to love what you do. We want you to find your passion.

M**, I know this may not have been what you expected--but it is what I truly believe.  It is our philosophy at Trent and in our Department of Psychology.  I believe these ideas make Trent unique.  I know it is what makes our students some of the top students in Canada.

Brenda Smith-Chant
Chair, Department of Psychology
Trent University