From Memorization to Mastery: Cracking the AP Code

Several years ago, I began working with a student when he entered high school. He had just been diagnosed with ADHD and dysgraphia. At first, he didn't have any study skills whatsoever. But eventually, after learning the study cycle, he began to study and absolutely fell in love with Quizlet.

This was a perfect program for him because he didn't have to create his own flashcards by hand, which was difficult for him with his dysgraphia. He thrived on the digital flashcards, and it was a significant win to see his newfound enthusiasm for learning.

As he moved through high school, one of the things we found was that when he was taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes, Quizlet wasn't doing the job. The straightforward memorization Quizlet provided wasn't enough The AP level work rewuired him to connect concepts, analyze deeper ideas, and apply what was he was learning. He was really resistant to trying different ways of studying because he had become so comfortable with Quizlet. Sometimes, what I had to do was give him an exam wrapper to help him understand that whereas he was studying, he wasn't getting the results that he wanted

After several months of him studying and not getting the results that he wanted, he finally was open enough to try a different method. We still utilized Quizlet, but we introduced a new set of flashcards that would be used in conjunction with the flashcards on Quizlet. Drawing from strategies learned in Gretchen Wegner's Anti-Boring Lab, these new flashcards were designed to allow him to dive deeper into the concepts, going beyond the foundational level, so that he could understand them more comprehensively and answer the more complex questions that his professors and teachers were asking.

This is an example of a student who was initially inflexible, but through time, and by seeing the actual physical results of his exams, he recognized the impact of his study methods. He was eventually open to trying a new approach, but it did take time. Often, when working with students who have challenges with cognitive flexibility, it does take patience and consistent support.