Thank you. I believe you answered my "question." Basically, it was an expression of my lingering doubts over my ability to fully activate the AP American material because the test is coming up in May :-).
The syntopic idea is indeed a good one. I have tried to do this throughout the year whenever possible, and indeed, I'm sure that it helped me a great deal for writing an insightful paper for the class for which I earned a high A/A+. Actually, I can do this syntopic idea without ever setting foot in a library because our school subscribes to several online services including ABC-Clio, a wonderful AP American supplement, and Questia, an online e-library with unlimited access to books and even some academic journal articles.
I'm not sure if you understood what I meant about "emotional detachment." That's probably because I wasn't either! I think I meant 'sufficient confidence to enable future success' Like Paul Scheele repeatedly says, I believe it is optimal for the learning process to consider tests as "feedback" instead of as a "failure." In the past, if I received a grade lower than what I either expected, hoped for, or thought I was capable of, it would sort of sadden me, and that grade would feel like an emotional burden. Instead, it seems obvious to me that the best way is instead to deal with grades as learning opportunities -- ways to learn to do better the next time.
I guess what I really meant, then, is that sometimes it's been frustrating for me to look at my non-successes as feedback because analyzing the apparent causes of my mistakes seems to reveal that I forgot to take into account an important detail here, forgot a dot there, and used A instead of B accidentally.
Even with these complaints, my grades are still good, (straight A's; and I stay humble now ;-)) but you're right -- I can easily rise to the top of my class.
Of course, this is a process both of learning and of development. I fully understand that. Could you please clarify what you meant by cancelling out my efforts with my "inner resistance?" Resistance to what?
I wonder if some of my test-taking issues might be helped simply by a daily meditation practice to clear my mind and clarify my intentions?
Thanks, Livingsuccess!! I hope you're enjoying your weekend.
-CameronJ
[This message has been edited by CameronJ (edited March 20, 2004).]
