A Focus on Skill Development

As a teacher, I always tried to help students find ways which would help them be more successful and I would like to think that the strategies I presented helped some of them. I also think that most teachers try to help their students in this manner.

Some students lack good study habits. They then enter university where they find out that what worked for them in high school (such as rote memorization) no longer applies and they really struggle. I would say a similar issue befalls those students whose focus in high school has been solely test preparation and who therefore lack any real critical thinking or creative thinking skills.

In these cases, I can see why explicit teaching of learning strategies seems important.  Students also need "Life Skills" courses.

Strategies can be improved and new can be introduced, but some basic skills must be taught at a very early age (till 6). Then there will be no people believing there have "no talent to math" or any other subject.