The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandra RobbinsMy review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
It's been a long time since I was in high school, but Robbins does an excellent job of transporting you back to those times and what were the typical concerns of the age. She followed a handful of smart kids at a prestigious school as they applied to colleges and followed one renowned scholar from the same school during his freshman year in college.
Of course, what made this book interesting is to compare my experience to theirs. If she would have written a book 13 years ago called _The Underachievers_ I probably could have made an appearance.
Also, hooray for her decision to include practical suggestions to improve the lives of high school kids preparing for college, rather than just bemoan the situation of education in America.
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posted by Mike @ 2:48 PM
3 Comments:
yeah, I managed to somehow graduate high school with a B average. I never read a single required book and rarely did my homework. But I have overachieving students. Who knows what drives us that age?
That's kind of the interesting thing in the book--what motivates them? There are various stories--Overbearing parents, perfectionism, peer pressure, "the culture" of elite schools and upwardly mobile upperclass folks etc.
Yeah, I got through my entire school career (including most of college), without ever learning how to really study.
It's a shame, because once I graduated from college I really learned to love reading and learning!
That's funny isn't it? Higher education is a business. I believe in it, but one doesn't necessarily need its systematic approach. I too learned as much as I ever did in the first year or two AFTER graduating college.
One interpretation I have heard of "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" is to slap your teacher in the face. Then you're ready to control your own learning.
Of course, I am a teacher, so there you go.
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