December 8, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR ANDREA GUNTHER IN WA
Many people have different learning styles. These
styles are not always split along gender lines. The
ability to learn some of the new chemistry concepts
may also be based on what classes they had previously
and what experiences they had outside of school. I
know it can be very frustrating when you are working
hard and not able to understand things that come
easily to someone else. If other classmates
understand the material, maybe there is one person
that would be willing to provide some help. Part of
the goal will be to find someone to explain it in a
slightly different way and in your learning style. A
different book from the library may explain the same
concepts in a different way. Seeing a concept from
different points of view may help clarify it. The
teacher may be able to help or suggest a student that
took the class last year that could also help. I also
wonder if ALL the other students are really learning
all the concepts as easily as you think they are.
They may feel pressure to say they understand it and
you have no way of knowing what time they are spending
at home studying. A gender difference that I have
seen and read about is that men will tend to over rate
their understanding and skills where women tend to
underrate them. I am sure you know more about
chemistry than you did at the beginning of the year
and will know even more by the end of the year. That
means that you are learning.