Latest news with #Warshauer
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
How the ‘productive struggle' strengthens learning
You wince at the set of differential equations you need to solve. You barely understand the topic, and you have to plough through a whole page of them. You are tempted to turn to ChatGPT to get through this assignment. It's not graded, so you needn't feel guilty for using the bot. But how will you learn to solve them unless you grapple with them on your own? Though it's going to be a long evening, you decide to wrestle with the equations, knowing that it is the only way to get a firmer handle on them. Origins The term 'productive struggle' was coined by James Hiebert and Douglas Grouws, in the context of Maths instruction, to describe the effort students have to make to decipher complex problems slightly beyond their current levels. In a paper in the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, Hiroko Warshauer avers that perseverance is a key element of productive struggle. Only when students persist on challenging tasks that are slightly beyond their level can they gain mastery of a concept. Further, a student's environment plays a significant role in promoting perseverance. Teachers may foster active engagement by 'questioning, clarifying, interpreting, confirming students' thinking' and coaxing them to discuss problems with their peers, says Warshauer. When teachers communicate that struggle is a part of the learning process, students know that it's okay to labour over sums. Because many students experience Maths anxiety and tend to give up when problems become demanding, it's important to reassure them that contending with problems is an integral aspect of learning. Letting students know that confusion, doubt, and mistakes are essential elements of the learning process can mitigate their anxiety. Asking students to explain their reasoning helps them become more accepting of productive struggle. Instead of focusing on the final answer, teachers may coax students to articulate the steps involved in finding the answer. They may also urge them to approach and solve problems in different ways. These exercises need to be done in a non-judgmental space where students are not afraid of taking risks and making mistakes. The whole point is for students to appreciate the process of thinking. Warshauer also recommends that teachers anticipate points of likely struggle and provide leading questions to propel students' thinking forward. Across subjects Of course, productive struggle is not limited to mathematics but is applicable to all disciplines. A post on titled What is productive struggle in education? describes this phenomenon in the context of reading. When students are given a text that is just above their current level of 'proficiency', they have to actively engage with it to understand its contents. To comprehend a challenging text, students need to deploy an array of critical thinking skills like making connections, questioning, drawing inferences, summarising and identifying key points and supporting details. As they engage with the material, students are likely to feel befuddled and frustrated. But sticking with it and trying to understand it is what leads to deeper learning. While some students may sail through the primary years of schooling, everyone, including those considered bright or brilliant, struggles with learning as the content gets more complex. The ability to persist with productive struggle is what differentiates proficient students from their mediocre peers. Don't imagine that toppers don't wrestle with confusing sums and dense texts. Just as everyone's muscles grow stronger when they do the hard work of lifting weights, our neuronal connections also grow more robust and refined when we engage in mental workouts. The only caveat is that you need to find the optimal level of challenge without burning yourself out. While mild to moderate frustration is expected, if a subject is causing you deep anguish, you may seek help from your professor, peers or a tutor. If none of the strategies work, consider shifting to another course. The writer is visiting faculty at the School of Education, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and the co-author of Bee-Witched.
Fox News
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Kate Middleton once pretended to be Prince William's girlfriend to stop another girl from hitting on him: pal
Kate Middleton rescued her prince from an awkward situation. The future Princess of Wales attended the University of St Andrews from 2001 to 2005, where she met Prince William. But before the pair fell in love, they became fast friends, and Kate didn't think twice about looking after him. "I remember someone was chatting Will up… [It was] this girl at a birthday party," Kate's former dormmate, Laura Warshauer, recalled to Fox News Digital. "He was being very polite, but it was obvious he was trying to figure out how to get out of the situation. And Kate just walks across the room and puts her arms around him. It enabled him to turn to this girl, and he was just like, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I have a girlfriend.' And then he turns to Kate, and he's like, 'Thank you!'" "That was so early on in the year, I don't even think they were dating," she shared. "They had pretty much just met and formed a friendship. But I remember even thinking at that moment that was just so natural the way that she did that." Warshauer, a singer/songwriter from New Jersey, has written a new book, "My Creativity is Killing Me." It's a workbook for those looking for inspiration to make their goals and ideas a reality. But many are curious about Warshauer's surprising past – one that involves one of the world's most popular royals. "I think that there was chemistry – it was obvious that there was chemistry," she said about the royal couple. "… You just feel like [these] two people have known each other forever. There was an energy there." Warshauer noted it was easy to befriend Kate, now 43, as she navigated a new life in the U.K. At the time, Warshauer, like Kate, was studying art history. "My initial impression was that of someone beautiful inside and out," said Warshauer. "I feel like that's what the world has gotten to experience… I knew Will and Kate as extremely down-to-earth, relatable people that you could talk about anything with. "… At that time, it was shockingly normal… We all lived in the dorm together. [And] they were just really kind, compassionate people. It was refreshing." And early on, Warshauer witnessed some of Kate's passions. WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON'S DORMMATE RECALLS BEFRIENDING THE FUTURE PRINCESS OF WALES "I remember hanging out in her dorm room, sitting on her bed, chatting about her family," she said. "… She [had these] beautiful photographs that she took… I was [once] asked to audition for a CBS soap opera. I had to send a tape [to] the offices in New York City. Kate actually offered to film it for me. I remember we went to the little photography shop in town to get the tape and all the materials we needed… That was so cool of her. "I used to have my guitar in my dorm room. I taught Kate a couple of chords on the guitar. [We] would also make these fun dinners. I would make my mom's lasagna and my Aunt Mary's fabulous toffee… It just brought a lot of us together and made people feel at home." Warshauer also witnessed how Will and Kate became close. In their second year at college, the pair moved in together with mutual friends. "I think that there was chemistry – it was obvious that there was chemistry… You just feel like [these] two people have known each other forever. There was an energy there." According to multiple reports, their friendship turned romantic when Kate strutted down a catwalk for a fashion show wearing a sheer dress and a black bikini. William was sitting in the audience and instantly took notice. "I remember being at a party at a castle," said Warshauer. "It was a Harry Potter-themed party. There was an auction to win a date with someone. Will bid 200 pounds [$248.86] for a date with Kate. And again, that was still pretty early on in the year." For Warshauer, it was easy to see why Will fell head over heels. She described Kate as always having a "warmth" about her. "I remember I was upset and just broke away [from the group]," she said. "… She broke away from the group to just put her arm around me. I just remember her saying, 'I hate seeing people that I care about upset.'" Will was just as welcoming, Warshauer shared. "I remember Kate and I were supposed to share a taxi to the airport," she said. "Will offered Kate a ride, so I got in it as well. I remember the radio was on and Will's like, 'Laura, you can sing with the radio. Nobody else sings. You're the one with the voice.'" "He would ask about my music," she said. "And for my birthday, I remember we all had a fun dinner. Will gave me this cute seal with a little heart backpack from Tesco." "I just remember seeing how grounded and how normal he was – that left a big impression on me," Warshauer continued. "I remember I came back from the States, and I've got this big luggage that I'm wheeling around. He offered to help me bring it to my dorm… I just remember that kindness, that normalcy. He would make people feel at ease around him." "He bought my first Jack and Coke at a pub!" she gushed. Will and Kate's relationship became public in 2004. They briefly parted ways in 2007. William later said they were "trying to find our own way" before they got back together months later. In 2010, William proposed to Kate with his late mother's engagement ring. They were on a holiday trip in Kenya. "I wasn't surprised at all," Warshauer chuckled. "We [saw] that it was meant to be – they were meant to be. And I just think they're perfectly matched. I feel like they really complement each other. And they say great relationships… come from a friendship first. "… These people were drawn to each other and became friends first in a beautiful place. They got to know each other as people first, and it just developed from there." The Prince and Princess of Wales married in 2011. They share three children. William, 42, is now heir to the throne. Warshauer believes Kate will make "an amazing" queen one day. "She's already shown who she is," said Warshauer. "I think she has shown so much courage in the way that she's lived her life and stepped into the many roles that she has as a royal and a wife, as a mother, as a future queen. I think she handles it all with a lot of grace and will continue to do so." Warshauer said she's grateful to have experienced a special time in her life with two people who are "genuinely empathetic, caring and want to do great things for the world." "We were in such a magical bubble – it was so innocent," she reflected. "... And what we're seeing is the real thing. These are two people who are just very connected. It's an iconic love story, and I'm just grateful that I met the two incredible people behind it."
