The comments here are very illuminating about attitudes that some learners have to learning. Thanks to Colin for sharing the link. Some instructors here ask ho

The comments here are very illuminating about attitudes that some learners have to learning. Thanks to Colin for sharing the link. Some instructors here ask how to set expectations so that students will be ready to take responsibility for their learning and work hard before giving up. This is a problem that consumes my attention as I offer advanced mathematics lessons (a prealgebra course using the Art of Problem Solving textbook http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/viewitem.php?item=prealgebra http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Store/viewitem.php?item=p... for third, fourth, and fifth graders). Many American elementary school pupils are not used to challenging mathematics lessons. I have to establish expectations appropriately to have any hope of success in class. (And I have enjoyed some gratifying successes with many of my alumni over the years.) To inform parents (and their children) in advance about what my classes are like, I have prepared some FAQ documents about mathematics learning "Problems versus Exercises" http://www.epsiloncamp.org/ProblemsversusExercises.php http://www.epsiloncamp.org/ProblemsversusExercises.php "Repetition and Practice" http://www.epsiloncamp.org/RepetitionPractice.php http://www.epsiloncamp.org/RepetitionPractice.php "Links About Learning Mathematics" http://www.epsiloncamp.org/LearningMathematics.php http://www.epsiloncamp.org/LearningMathematics.php and "The Explorer is the Person who is Lost, or Courage in the Face of Stupidity" http://www.epsiloncamp.org/CourageandStupidity.php http://www.epsiloncamp.org/CourageandStupidity.php to help the learners get ready for the delight of taking on tough learning challenges. The last of the four FAQs is based on an inspirational speech given in various forms in various places by mathematician Paul Zeitz, a coach of the 1996 United States "dream team" to the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), still the only IMO team ever to achieve perfect scores among all six team members. His key word from his speech is featured prominently in the FAQ and in first-day-of-class messages I give live to all my new students. It is now the "inspirational word" for many of my students as they grow up into adult life.