It’s not enough to simply attend class if you want a decent education. You also need to listen to what’s being said by your teachers – and also your classmates.
Be Prepared to Listen – This means you’ve done all the necessary preparation for the class you’re about to take. You’ve read the notes, completed any advance study work, and read over the notes you took from the last session. You should be in a frame of mind that is open to new thoughts and ideas. Having the right attitude in class can make the difference between hearing what’s said, and not listening at all!
Listen with Purpose and Focus – Know what you’re supposed to be learning in each class, what the class outcomes are, and then listen to make sure that you hear these during the class. Focus on what the teacher has to say, and not on what’s going on around you or collecting your thoughts for the next class.
Listen with Objectivity – You won’t always agree with what your teacher says. You may disagree with ideas, or with the answers to solutions, but you should always disagree with respect. Listen to their argument and then frame your response to that which shows how you came to your opinion. You should also listen to your classmates who have different opinions. From listening to all the opinions, you will have a greater understanding of the subject area.
Listen with your Pen – Let the words from your teacher come through your ears and work down through your arm to your notebook!Keeping concise and accurate notes means that you’ll put yourself into a place of having the right resources necessarily for any homework assignments as well as preparing for the next session.
Listen, even when you Don’t Understand – It’s easy to switch off when you’re hearing something that doesn’t make much sense, but rather than doing that, ask your teacher to clarify the subject again. Chances are you aren’t the only one who didn’t understand, but by getting your teacher to go back over it, you’ll ensure that you not learn something; you’ll also let your teacher know that they were going too fast and need to slow down when discussing difficult subject matter.
Seeing and doing are major parts of your education, but when you add positive active listening skills into the skill set, it leads to a mix that will enable you to make the best possible use of the education opportunities you have available.