Unfortunately, Lorraine's behavior is not unusual. Many people
amass a certain amount of knowledge and skill in a subject, but don't
know how to cope when confronted with new situations. I once observed
a student teacher who performed well unless her students asked a
difficult question. When this happened, she would give up; she would
actually stop teaching. Lorraine and the student teacher sufferfrom the
same malady. Their problem is not a lack of skill or ability; it is that they
simply give up when answers and solutions aren't readily available.
They haven't developed the mental habit of persisting even when answers
and solutions are not apparent. They haven't developed the
characteristics of true expertise. Researchers and theorists such as