What makes a good student?




Nydja (United States): A good student is somebody who has a keen interest1 and a desire2 to learn and a willingness3 to work hard4.

Jeff (Canada): I think what makes a good student is perseverance and discipline. I think that nothing comes easy5 in life and that you have to work at it, and that if you really want to learn, you have to “stick to it6. You have to work hard, be disciplined, and continue doing it until you get it7, so perseverance and discipline.

Demelza (Australia): I think a good student is somebody that consistently tries8. I think when students get hung up on ideas9 or previous ways of learning10, it stops them being in the moment11, and being receptive to what the teacher is saying.

Ray (United States): What makes a good student? Somebody who's willing to make mistakes12. You have absolutely got to13 make a lot of mistakes if you want to learn anything. So if you just sit back14 and you’re passive about what you're trying15 to learn, if you don't take risks16, if you don't try to use what you've learned, even if17 it makes you look18 a little bit foolish19 at times20, then you're not going to be making mistakes that you need to make to see, "Okay, I didn't get this right21. I don't quite know this yet22, but let me23 correct it here." Anytime24 you learn something, it's trial and error25. If you're not making mistakes, you're not learning.

Hoa (Vietnam): I think a good student should be26 hard-working27 obviously, and they should be eager28, you know, students should be eager to study which means that29 they should initiate30 their study and then try to start learning by themselves31, not like32 depending on the teacher, and you know, just doing what they are told to do33. They have to you know be a volunteer34, and I think they should have the motivation to study, so that would make a good student.

Mauro (Brazil): Well, what makes a good student? First of all35, I think what makes a good student is the will to learn36 what you are studying because if you are studying just because you need and you don't really learn how to love what you're studying, I think you're not gonna make much progress in  what you're doing, so you need the passion for what you're studying.

Vocabulary

1.     keen interest = interesse ardente
2.     Desire = desejo
3.     Willingness = disposição
4.     work hard = esforçar-se
5.     nothing comes easy = nada vem fácil
6.     stick to it = “pegar firme”, esforçar-se
7.     until you get it = até você conseguir
8.     consistently tries = tenta consistentemente (constantemente)
9.     get hung up on ideas = apegados em idéias
10.  previous ways of learning = formas antigas de aprendizagem
11.  stops them being in the moment = impede-os de estar no momento
12.  willing to make mistakes = disposto a cometer erros
13.  You have absolutely got to = voce tem absolutamente que
14.  sit back = sentar-se
15.  Trying = tentando
16.  take risks = assumir riscos
17.  even if = mesmo se
18.  it makes you look = faz voce parecer
19.  a little bit foolish = um pouquinho tolo
20.  at times = as vezes
21.  I didn't get this right = Eu não acertei
22.  I don't quite know this yet = Eu não sei muito bem isto ainda
23.  let me = deixe-me
24.  Anytime = qualquer hora, sempre que
25.  trial and error = tentativa e erro
26.  should be = deveria ser
27.  hard-working = esforçado(a)
28.  eager = ansioso, ávido
29.  which means that = o que significa que
30.  initiate = iniciar
31.  by themselves = sozinhos, por si mesmos
32.  like = “tipo”
33.  just doing what they are told to do = apenas fazendo o que são ditos para fazer
34.  volunteer = voluntário
35.  First of all = Em primeiro lugar
36.  will to learn = vontade de aprender