Published Friday, May 17, 2002
SHENANGO TOWNSHIP
§ § §
GCC's Heastie discusses learning to learn
Herald Staff Writer
All students are capable of learning, Dr. Sam Heastie says, but many aren't taught how to learn when it matters most: at an early age.
Heastie, an assistant to the president and assistant professor of psychology at Grove City College, was the keynote speaker Thursday at the 34th annual Shenango Valley Urban League's Awards Dinner.
About 250 people listened as Heastie discussed "A United Front For Our Future" and the importance of increasing academic aptitude, scholastic proficiency and educational goals.
A former college dropout, Heastie's route to academic success wasn't direct.
Heastie said he did well in high school, but had no idea what to expect when he got to college and didn't do well. He tried finding a job after, but "hated it" and decided to try college again.
"It became the beginning of a new beginning," he said.
He said going to college was a challenge because he wasn't taught the fundamentals of learning early in life.
"I didn't know how to be successful academically in college. And that's not a unique and uncommon experience. A lot of students do well in high school, but don't when they go to college."
"Once I learned discipline and how to improve my memory, things became easier."
Heastie said children today are being written off and aren't taught the basics of learning.
While working as a behavior specialist with at-risk students in the Philadelphia School District, Heastie said he was "heartbroken" by the number of children who were being misdiagnosed with problems. He said he decided to help children improve their learning skills and came up with "Successful Start, Successful Finish," a workshop teaching children memorization, organization, study and test-taking strategies.
He said he noticed as the students did better academically, their behavior improved.
"They were acting out to divert the attention away from their academic failures," he said.
Heastie, a native of Nassau, Bahamas, still conducts his eight-hour workshop and has worked nationally and internationally teaching groups of 15 to 120 students at one time.
He is married to Gaynell Heastie and has two daughters.
The Urban League also presented several awards Thursday night:
The Sharon High School Cultural Diversity Club also presented a reading and performed the song "Hero."
"I'm excited about the awards being given out. It's the third year for the awards and it has worked out well," said Jim Long, Urban League president.
He said the Urban League has helped about 9,500 Mercer County residents over the past year.
The Urban League's mission is to ensure equal access and opportunity for African-Americans, the economically and socially disadvantaged, and to empower people to cultivate and exercise their human potential.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharon-herald.com