I'm pretty sure you have the same problem.
I'm starting to wonder if the fight is worth it. Will they pick up these "soft skills" as they need them, or do we have to teach them to do these things?
I say, "Show your work."
They say, "Then challenge me."
I say, "Don't forget to take notes."
They say, "Why? I'm not going to look at them again. I don't need to."
I say, "Pay attention."
They say, "Then quit talking so much."
I don't know. Maybe I've had it wrong.
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I was that kid. I made it to grad school without ever needing to study. But then it was haaaaard. So, they may not get it until they need it, but as a high school teacher, I appreciate that they've at least heard what they're supposed to be doing before.
So, I wouldn't completely drop the lessons, but you might drop the fight a little?
I was that kid too--minus the grad school. I didn't figure out how to really learn until college. I have to remind myself that I'm a seed planter.
Some will get it right away while others will hear it again and again in high school. Keep trying though, if you can just get a couple to learn these skills you are doing some good.
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On showing your work...
My oldest was one of those kids. He wouldn't show his work (he would do the work, and then _erase it(!)_ (aargh), until he met Ms. Nothing-Gets-By-Me in high school who gives 3 points for the work, and 2 for the answer on every problem. Now he writes beautiful answers to math problems (ahhh...)
I go back and forth on how useful note-taking is in a math class (as a student I went back and forth--do I learn more if I take (mediocre) notes, or if I give it my full attention at the time, and don't try to take notes. I'm still not sure what works best.
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