Practice Makes Perfect—Not! Excellence Is a Habit

Has our nation given up on striving for excellence? Are we happy just to get the job done? Practice Makes PerfectNot! challenges us to look at ourselves and our educational system with an eye to the future. This theory could change the way students are taught.

Practice does not make perfect; practice makes permanent. If what we are practicing is flawed, it will be reflected in the outcome; therefore, from an early age, we must teach our children proper study practices, a strong value system, and a work ethic geared toward excellence. Parents and teachers must partner with the student to provide these tools, ensuring the best possible result.

Donald E. Sheffield, Ed.D., has a B.A. from Geneva College, a masters from Slippery Rock University, and a doctorate in higher education from Penn State University. He spent most of his career in higher education with the last twenty-six years at Penn State University until his retirement in 2002.

He was former administrative assistant to Joe Paterno and Director of the Academic Support Center for Student Athletes at Penn State. Prior to retirement, he served as Director of Diversity Outreach for the Office of the Outreach and Cooperative Extension. Dr. Sheffield developed field programs to improve the multicultural education of undergraduate students for Penn State. He is the founder and president of TAME, Inc. (Techniques Assisting Motivation and Excellence), a consulting firm dedicated to cultural excellence.

A resident of Beaver Falls, PA, Dr. Sheffield has three adult sons and three grandchildren.