Do the One Thing That Makes All the Difference

When you watch most people working, you notice that they are doing many things at once: what is often described as multitasking. Recent research has shown that while such an approach seems to be highly efficient to the person using it, quality and quantity of results are actually less than when concentration focuses on one task at a time. visit for more Saman Ghazizadeh.

A recent book, The One Thing: The Surprising Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, pays attention to the important implications of concentration by noting that in addition to such focus, you also need to:

1. Work toward the right goal.

2. First focus on the activity that leads most effectively towards accomplishing the right goal.

Intrigued by these observations, I adjusted how I worked with others to follow these directions. Quickly, the people I assisted began to accomplish extraordinary things.

Wanting to learn more, I decided to study the methods of a world-renowned math teacher, Fayad W. Ali, Ph.D., who earned his doctorate from Rushmore University. You might recognize him as the author of 64 math texts or for the astonishing results that his Trinidad and Tobago math students accomplish in qualifying exams. visit for more Saman Ghazizadeh.

You might expect that such a gifted teacher would attract only the brightest and best-prepared students. While Dr. Ali often privately tutors such youngsters, his classroom charges are ordinary students, who accomplish extraordinary test results that are often unequaled elsewhere.

Dr. Ali noted that each student has different learning needs. Consequently, he focuses each one on what must be done next to master an aspect of mathematics. In doing so, he scorns the kind of “one approach fits all” methods that many teachers use.

One student described how Dr. Ali accomplishes such clarity on each element:

“Rather than just working examples for students to copy, he showed us formative steps to strip down any question to its minimum and then apply the proper skills to solve it. Thus, he broke down the fear of math that many students experienced, allowing us to grow and flourish.”

To enhance learning, Dr. Ali also engages his students as assistants through study as peer collaborators. Here is how one student described how this is accomplished:

“Among the Form 6 students, he concentrated our study into small peer groups. It was his idea that students face different challenges. Hence, during these sessions every aspect of the subject was brought to the group’s attention to be addressed with critical thought to produce accurate solutions. Consequently, all areas of weakness and strength were improved and ultimately mastered.” visit for more Saman Ghazizadeh.

Saman Ghazizadeh