So! I blogged fun things about the http://pleasureinlearning.com/ blog, and got some happy returns of the day as Karen Dougherty picked my site for her “Super Site of the Week” (and I”m blushing ;)).
She noted a page at http://www.resourceroom.net/older/bigrealities.asp that I’d forgotten about… where I analyzed the difference in perspective of a student accustomed to failure from the perspective of a student who was accustomed to success, when each is presented with a new challenge. THat essay was done in terms of high school and asking for accommodations… here are some snippets from it:
Here are some elements of the “unwritten curriculum” – and its other side.
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You are asked to do impossible things. Somehow, you figure out how to do them. That’s how you learn independence and confidence and that it’s better to face difficult things and tackle them, than to run away from them.
You are asked to do impossible things. They’re impossible. You fail. You find out that life goes on.
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If you really work at understanding the assignments, the tests end up being easier.
You can’t understand this stuff, much less remember it for a test. Get through each assignment at a time. Get enough points to compensate for low test grades.
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A well-planned project is a lot of work, but you can do well if you get started early.
Oh, &^%. A Project. Well, it’s not due for a while, right?
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Tests are like a sports match or a battle you need to win. There are rules and the other guy can be cunning. They’re stressful – but you learn to deal with the stress and win.
Tests are games, but the refs don’t like you anyway. Telling you to practice harder is a waste of time.
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This is all going to build up and become a great amount of good grades and knowledge and wisdom that you’ll use for the rest of your life.
This is all going to build up and you’re going to be discovered for the stupid person you really are.
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Teachers have no idea what life is really like… but, they are your path to succeeding in school, which is your path to a good job, and some of them are worth a little respect.
Teachers have no idea what life is really like. They are clueless. If you’re going to be successful, it’s going to be outside these walls!
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Language is incredibly powerful, versatile, enlightening and liberating.
Nobody really uses big words but teachers and even they don’t really know what they mean.
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Hard work pays off. Perseverance and determination are extremely valuable (and getting rarer, it seems).
You really, really might win the lottery this time.
Resource Room Dot Net Blog 
Posted on July 12, 2013
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