Talking

Well, we had The Talk.

What I told her was that I wanted her to do what I've heard described as 'working smarter, not harder' - even though, as I admitted, I've always disliked that phrase, it makes sense, sometimes -- that working longer hours is not always the answer - sometimes you need to spend the same amount of time in a more effective manner. I told her (to the dismay of her mother) that of the things she learns in high school, I'd bet 75% will disappear from memory after graduation -- but what won't disappear, and what she needs to work on, is more effective use of her time, by learning how to learn -- what works for her, what styles work. I told her that though each teacher is teaching details about their subject, what they're teaching in addition is exactly that -- how to learn -- and that ability is what sticks with you once you're out of school and on your own. I said she had to improve that, because the alternative -- learning by simply (!) putting in more hours -- isn't really an option for most people.

(I could be wrong about that meta-learning stuff, but it feels right to me.)

In the short term, I told her she can't have the laptop active while she's studying -- she can use the radio instead -- and if she has to use it to study, she has to do it in a public place. I also suggested that she talk with people who are good at learning to see if she can elicit what it is that they do. It might help, might not.

So we'll see. I hope it works. I want her to succeed; almost as important, I want her to know the feeling of success. I think she'd rather like it.
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Update: It amazes me how much of this I feel as if I have to figure out for myself. And its more than a little scary, too, thinking about the idea that in four years I'll think 'well, guess that idea didn't work'. Where's the 'experts' when I need them? As if they'd have a consistent voice....