Monday, December 12, 2011

WEEK OF DECEMBER 12-16


Top 5 Factors That Contribute to Raising Resilient Teens

By Denise Witmer, About.com Guide

Parents cannot shackle themselves to their teenager and oversee every decision he makes throughout his adolescence – and we wouldn't want to. We want our teenagers to know when and how to protect themselves against negative peer pressure, teen drug use, bad grades in school, etc. We want them to learn how to grab their own boot straps and pick themselves up. This is called teaching resiliency.

The five top factors contributing to resilient teens are:
  1. A strong relationship with a parent or caring adult who takes a parenting role in the teen’s life. Teens need a foundation. They need someone that is there for them with guidance and love.
  2. Mastering a skill and feeling the complete success of that mastery. A sense of accomplishment will make your teen feel capable. Once he has experienced this feeling, he’ll want it again.
  3. Good communication and social skills are fundamentals to resiliency. Teens need to ask for what they need and explain the whys without acting like they are going into battle. For this reason alone parents should learn not to buy into power struggles.
  4. Problem solving skills contribute more than we think. Teaching your teen to make choices is a stepping stone to confidence in himself when problems arise. Therefore, he’ll be more able to think through the problem and find all of the choices he has to help solve it.
  5. A supportive environment at school and in the community. It is always easier to work on a problem if you know there is help down the road should you need it. Communities and schools that provide that for a teen are showing him the way to solving problems for himself.
These factors contribute to helping your teenager become a resilient person. As with all things when it comes to children, it doesn’t happen overnight. Stay the course – it’s worth the wait.

Quick link: QUIZ “Are you raising a resilient kid?

Friday, December 2, 2011

Week of December 5 - 9

This article is extremely useful, especially now that semester exams are around the corner. Miss Gloria =)

Study Tips for Exam Success

If your High School is on the semester system then most likely you have just finished, or are soon to be finished your final exams.

I can remember cramming on my back porch for my Grade 10 Biology finals. (This is going back a while now; Quite a while.) I remember that I spent the better part of an entire day reading over every note, scribble, and comment that I had ever made. This particular cram-a-thon stands out in my memory, not because of what I studied, or how well I did on the exam, but because of the spectacular sunburn that I got as I sat immobilized for hours on the back porch. In fact, by the weekend after the exam, I had totally forgotten every word that I so diligently crammed.

I know this because to this day, I don’t remember a single thing about grade 10 Biology; Nothing. Only the memory of the sunburn remains.

It seems to me now, looking back, that perhaps the technique of gorging myself on Biology was not the most effective study technique. In fact, I know now that it wasn’t.

But what could I have done differently with my study habits to make how I studied more effective?

Well, for starters, I should not have tried to study everything in one afternoon session. I’m guilty of procrastination. I admit it. By the time I entered university, I learned my lesson: Cramming Doesn’t Work. It just doesn’t.

Once I finally grasped this concept, I started to develop better study habits. Habits like reading over the notes that I took during the day, and paraphrasing the teacher’s notes using my own words. When it came time for a midterm or a final, I’d look over my own notes and ask myself, “Do I know what this is about? Can I talk about this unit in my own words?” When I answered myself with “maybe,” or a “not really,” I would read the unit carefully, then cover up my notes and recite them back in my own words.

Why would you want to recite stuff back in your own words? The answer is simple. When you recite and paraphrase, it means that you understand. And, understanding is better than memorizing. When you memorize, you only remember the stuff that you just read for a short time. When you understand, it sticks.

Another great tip that I learned was giving myself plenty of time. You know when the teacher tells you that a test is coming up? That’s the day to start reviewing your notes. It seems simple enough, right? When you are told that a test is coming up, don’t wait until the last minute to start studying. It’s one of the most basic rules of effective studying: Give yourself plenty of time.

Now put these tips all together:

  • Give yourself plenty of time
  • Read over your notes every night
  • Paraphrase the text book and the teacher’s notes
  • Read something, cover it up, and recite it back until you know it.
  • Don’t memorize it. Understand it.

There is also one other important tip. If you are unsure about a concept, or don’t understand something, make sure that you ask for extra help. Talk to the teacher. Get another student to help you. Just like the golden rule for studying, (give yourself plenty of time), don’t wait until the last minute to let your teacher know that you need help.

That’s it. These are the best tips to help you not only to study, but to study effectively.

If only I had figured this stuff out back in High School, I might have been able to tell you something about my Grade 10 Biology.

Taken from: http://www.oxfordlearning.com/letstalk/2007/02/02/study-tips-for-exam-success/

Monday, November 28, 2011

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 28 - DECEMBER 2

10 Highly Effective Study Habits

By John M. Grohol, PSY.D

Students grapple with many issues in their lives, and because of all of the competing things for your attention, it’s hard to concentrate on studying. And yet if you’re in school, you have to do at least a little studying in order to progress from year to year. The key to effective studying isn’t cramming or studying longer, but studying smarter. You can begin studying smarter with these ten proven and effective study habits.

1. How you approach studying matters

Too many people look at studying as a necessary task, not an enjoyment or opportunity to learn. That’s fine, but researchers have found that how you approach something matters almost as much as what you do. Being in the right mindset is important in order to study smarter.

Sometimes you can’t “force” yourself to be in the right mindset, and it is during such times you should simply avoid studying. If you’re distracted by a relationship issue, an upcoming game, or finishing an important project, then studying is just going to be an exercise in frustration. Come back to it when you’re not focused (or obsessed!) by something else going on in your life.

Way to help improve your study mindset:

  • Aim to think positively when you study, and remind yourself of your skills and abilities.
  • Avoid catastrophic thinking. Instead of thinking, “I’m a mess, I’ll never have enough time to study for this exam,” look at it like, “I may be a little late to study as much as I’d like, but since I’m doing it now, I’ll get most of it done.”
  • Avoid absolute thinking. Instead of thinking “I always mess things up,” the more objective view is, “I didn’t do so well that time, what can I do to improve?”
  • Avoid comparing yourself with others, because you usually just end up feeling bad about yourself.

2. Where you study is important

A lot of people make the mistake of studying in a place that really isn’t conducive to concentrating. A place with a lot of distractions makes for a poor study area. If you try and study in your dorm room, for instance, you may find the computer, TV, or a roommate more interesting than the reading material you’re trying to digest.

The library, a nook in a student lounge or study hall, or a quiet coffee house are good places to check out. Make sure to choose the quiet areas in these places, not the loud, central gathering areas. Investigate multiple places on-campus and off-campus, don’t just pick the first one your find as “good enough” for your needs and habits. Finding an ideal study place is important, because it’s one you can reliably count on for the next few years.

3. Bring everything you need, nothing you don’t

Unfortunately, when you find an ideal place to study, sometimes people bring things they don’t need. For instance, while it may seem ideal to type notes into a computer to refer back to later, computers are a powerful distraction for many people because they can do so many different things. Playing games, going online, IM’ing, surfing the Web, and answering emails are all wonderful distractions that have nothing to do with studying. So ask yourself whether you really need a computer to take notes, or whether you can make do with the old-fashioned paper and pen or pencil.

Don’t forget the things you need to study for the class, exam or paper you’re focusing on for the study session. Nothing is more time-consuming and wasteful than having to run back and forth regularly because you forget an important book, paper, or some other resource you need to be successful. If you study best with your favorite music playing, make sure your iPod is with you.

4. Outline and rewrite your notes

Most people find that keeping to a standard outline format helps them boil information down to its most basic components. People find that connecting similar concepts together makes it easier to remember when the exam comes around. The important thing to remember in writing outlines is that an outline only words as a learning tool when it is in your own words and structure. Every person is unique in how they put similar information together (called “chunking” by cognitive psychologists). So while you’re welcomed to copy other people’s notes or outlines, make sure you translate those notes and outlines into your own words and concepts. Failing to do this is what often causes many students to stumble in remembering important items.

It may also be helpful to use as many senses as possible when studying, because information is retained more readily in people when other senses are involved. That’s why writing notes works in the first place – it puts information into words and terms you understand. Mouthing the words out loud while you copy the notes before an important exam can be one method for involving yet another sense.

5. Use memory games (mnemonic devices)

Memory games, or mnemonic devices, are methods for remembering pieces of information using a simple association of common words. Most often people string together words to form a nonsense sentence that is easy to remember. The first letter of each word can then be used to stand for something else – the piece of information you’re trying to remember. The most common mnemonic device example is “Every Good Boy Deserves Fun.” Putting the first letters of every word together – EGBDF – gives a music student the five notes for treble clef.

The key to such memory devices is the new phrase or sentence you come up with has to be more memorable and easier to remember than the terms or information you’re trying to learn. These don’t work for everyone, so if they don’t work for you, don’t use them.

Mnemonic devices are helpful because you use more of your brain to remember visual and active images than you do to remember just a list of items. Using more of your brain means better memory.

6. Practice by yourself or with friends

The old age adage, practice makes perfect, is true. You can practice by yourself by testing yourself with either practice exams, past quizzes, or flash cards (depending what kind of course it is and what’s available). If a practice exam isn’t available, you can make one up for yourself and your classmates (or find someone who will). If a practice or old exam from a course is available, use it as a guide – do not study to the practice or old exam! (Too many students treat such exams as the real exams, only to be disappointed when the real exam has none of the same questions). Such exams help you understand the breadth of content and types of questions to expect, not the actual material to study for.

Some people enjoy reviewing their materials with a group of friends or classmates. Such groups work best when they’re kept small (4 or 5 others), with people of similar academic aptitude, and with people taking the same class. Different formats work for different groups. Some groups like to work through chapters together, quizzing one another as they go through it. Others like to compare class notes, and review materials that way, ensuring they haven’t missed any critical points. Such study groups can be helpful for many students, but not all.

7. Make a schedule you can stick to

Too many people treat studying as the thing to do when you get around to it or have some spare time. But if you schedule study time just as your class time is scheduled, you’ll find it becomes much less of a hassle in the long run. Instead of last-minute cramming sessions, you’ll be better prepared because you haven’t put off all the studying into one 12-hour marathon. Spending 30 or 60 minutes every day you have a class studying for that class before or after is a lot easier and will allow you to actually learn more of the material.

You should study regularly throughout the semester for as many classes as you can. Some people study every day, others put it off to once or twice a week. The frequency isn’t as important as actually studying on a regular basis. Even if you just crack open a book once a week for a class, it’s better than waiting until the first exam in a massive cram session.

Scheduling is even more important if you’re going to be a part of a study group. If only half of your members are committed to a study group for every meeting, then you need to find other study group members who are as committed as you are.

8. Take breaks (and rewards!)

Because so many people view studying as a chore or task, it’s human nature to avoid it. If, however, you find rewards to help reinforce what you’re doing, you may be pleasantly surprised by the change you may find in your attitude over time.

Rewards start by chunking study time into manageable components. Studying for 4 hours at a time with no breaks is not realistic or fun for most people. Studying for 1 hour, and then taking a 5 minute break and grabbing a snack is usually more sustainable and enjoyable. Divide study time into segments that make sense and work for you. If you have to digest a whole textbook chapter, find sections in the chapter and commit to reading and taking notes on one section at a time. Maybe you only do one section in a sitting, maybe you do two. Find the limits that seem to work for you.

If you succeed in your goals (such as doing two sections of a chapter in one sitting), give yourself a real reward. Perhaps it’s saying, “I’ll treat myself to some good dessert tonight at dinner,” or “I can buy a new tune online,” or “I can spend an extra 30 minutes gaming for every 2 sections of a book chapter I read.” The point is to find a reward that is small but real, and to stick to it. Some may view this as absurd, since you’re setting limits you can easily ignore. But by setting these limits on your behavior, you’re actually teaching yourself discipline, which will be a handy skill to have throughout life.

9. Keep healthy and balanced

It’s hard to live a balanced life while in school, I know. But the more balance you seek out in your life, the easier every component in your life becomes. If you spend all of your time focusing on a relationship or a game, you can see how easy it is to be out of balance. When you’re out of balance, the things you’re not focusing on – such as studying – become that much harder. Don’t spend all of your time studying – have friends, keep in touch with your family, and find interests outside of school that you can pursue and enjoy.

Finding balance isn’t really something that can be taught, it’s something that comes with experience and simply living. But you can work to try and keep your health and body balanced, by doing what you already know – exercise regularly and eat right. There are no shortcuts to health. Vitamins and herbs might help you in the short-term, but they’re not substitute for real, regular meals and a dose of exercise every now and again (walking to class is a start, but only if you’re spending an hour or two a day doing it).

Look at vitamins and herbs as they are intended – as supplements to your regular, healthy diet. Common herbs – such as ginkgo, ginseng, and gotu kola – may help you enhance mental abilities, including concentration, aptitude, behavior, alertness and even intelligence. But they may not, either, and you shouldn’t rely on them instead of studying regularly.

10. Know what the expectations are for the class

Different professors and teachers have different expectations from their students. While taking good notes and listening in class (and attending as many of the classes as you can) are good starts, you can do one better by spending some time with the instructor or professor’s assistant. Talking to the instructor early on – especially if you foresee a difficult course ahead – will help you understand the course requirements and the professor’s expectations. Maybe most students in the class are expected to get a “C” because the material is so difficult; knowing that ahead of time helps set your expectations, too.

Pay attention in class. If the instructor writes something on the whiteboard or displays it on the screen, it’s important. But if they say something, that’s important too. Copy these things down as they’re presented, but don’t zone out completely from what the instructor is also saying. Some students focus on the written materials without regard for what the instructor is saying. If you write down only one aspect of the professor’s instructions (e.g., just what they write down), you’re probably missing about half the class.

If you get a particularly bad grade on a paper or exam, talk to the instructor. Try and understand where things went wrong, and what you can do in the future to help reduce it from happening again.

Don’t forget to learn!

Studying isn’t just about passing an exam, as most students look at it as. Studying is an effort to actually learn things, some of which you might actually care about. So while you’ll have to take your share of classes that have little or nothing to do with your interests, you should still look for interesting things to take away from every experience.

By the time you’ll realize what a great opportunity school is, you’ll be well into the middle of your life with a lot of responsibilities – children, mortgages, career pressures, etc. Then most people have neither the time nor energy to go back to school. So take the time to learn some stuff now, because you’ll appreciate the opportunity later on.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Week of November 21- 25

Success Tips From a Middle-School Principal

Advice from a veteran educator on how to help your child succeed in middle school and beyond

By Les Potter EdD

During elementary school, most parents are very involved in their child's schooling. They know and meet with teachers and administrators, are aware of their child's progress and behavior, help solve problems, and see to it that kids spend enough time on homework.

Unfortunately, when children enter middle school, some parents stop being as actively involved, as if their help and support are no longer needed. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Although your middle-schooler is becoming more independent and is increasingly involved in activities outside the family, you should and must remain the most influential person in his life. Through your involvement in school and extracurriculars, you can do much to help your child believe in the value and importance of education, be enthusiastic about learning, and achieve academic success.

As a middle school principal, a big part of my job is to help parents support their children emotionally as well as academically. Here is my best advice for parents of pre-teens:

  1. Help your child manage homework time. Encourage her to aim high and always do her best work. Check with teachers to see how much time should be necessary to complete homework. See what your school offers to help you help your child, such as an agenda planner or some other homework reminder system, and/or a Web site with helpful links. We use planners at our school and are amazed how successful they are in keeping parents informed of their children's progress (or lack thereof). After your child has completed her homework, go over it with her, and discuss what she learned from the assignments. If she has difficulties with studying or homework, encourage her to ask her teachers for help as soon as possible. Sometimes you may need to discuss difficulties with the teachers too.
  2. Show interest in his studies by talking with him daily about what he's learning and doing in school (don't take "nothing" for an answer!). If you know your child has a project for science, get involved. The same goes for cheerleading, sports, and music — any extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, I've seen parents drop their child off at a band concert and come back two hours later to pick him up, never bothering to watch his performance. This sends a terribly sad message to the child.
  3. Discuss ideas and feelings about school, studies, and activities. Be realistic about what your child can and should be able to do. Don't expect great grades or high test scores if she isn't capable. That expectation will only cause unnecessary frustration. If necessary, find out about the school's tutoring program and other options for additional academic assistance.
  4. With your child, read and review the information that schools and districts provide. Be familiar with the pupil progression plan, course offerings, student handbook, etc. All these will help you and your child successfully weave your way through the maze called middle school. It is never too early to work closely with school officials. It is better to start early and build a strong foundation of support than to wait until it is too late!
  5. Contact counselors, administrators, and teachers periodically. Find out what your child should be learning, how she is progressing, and how you can help. Be a full partner in your child's education.
  6. Be sure that he attends school on a regular basis. Even if he is absent for illness or another valid reason, he needs to keep up with his studies. Call the school if your child will be missing a day, and find out what he needs to do to make up for it.
  7. Encourage her to pursue interests and make friends through extracurricular activities. Be certain, however, that she selects no more than a few activities so she has adequate time for schoolwork. You must help her find a balance; this will take compromise and patience.
  8. Know his friends. Who does your child hang out with? Follow up on any suspicions that you may have. It is better to be safe than sorry at this time of his life. I can't emphasize this enough. Know where your child is at all times. Be clear and consistent with discipline. Work with the school on your child's conduct. Understand that children will become leaders and followers and can be easily influenced by you and peers. This a wonderful time of their lives but you must be the parent and adult and lead them through it.
  9. Make it clear that she must follow school rules and policies. Teach her to respect people as well as property. Help her know right from wrong and what she must do when negative temptations come her way.
  10. Encourage him to get to know his counselor and to maintain contact throughout his middle school years, if possible. Not only will the counselor be invaluable in supporting his academic path, he's also one of many potential adult role models for your child.
  11. Attend parent meetings, open houses, booster clubs, parent education groups, and other activities for parents. I mentioned this before, but it is very important for your child!
  12. Volunteer at school. Both your child and the school will benefit from your involvement and help. Schools solicit volunteers to help in a variety of ways: tutoring, assisting in the media center, giving speeches, helping out at activities, chaperoning, etc.
  13. Have regular family meetings. These help kids become disciplined and responsible. They also help you all enjoy your family life more, by reducing conflict among siblings as well as between you and your children. Use the meetings to talk over any concerns or problems that family members have. A regular meeting provides the opportunity to discuss matters openly and calmly in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Have your child plan a meeting with various topics that are of interest to her. Communication between school and parents is important — but so is communication between parents and kids!
  14. Consistently acknowledge and reward efforts at school. Many parents expect the school to provide the incentives for their child's accomplishments. While schools do have a lot of motivation programs, parents need to recognize their child's successes too. When your child works hard, your acknowledgment motivates him to persist. Kids love monetary rewards, but you can also try a special trip together, a favorite dinner, or something else unexpected but valued. Your recognition helps your child develop a sense of competency and self-worth, a willingness to try new tasks, and a feeling of satisfaction in doing a job well. When you use this technique consistently, over time, your child eventually begins to reward himself for by feeling good about himself and what he has done. This ability to reward ourselves serves as a powerful motivation throughout life.

None of us are perfect and we sometimes make mistakes in raising our children. But your child needs your love and respect. She needs to become independent, responsible, and self-sufficient to succeed in most of her endeavors in school and at home. The best way to help her in all aspects of development is to try to ensure that her emotional needs are consistently met. Your understanding, common sense, adult judgment, and good sense of humor can make these middle school years a joy for both you and your child.

Taken from: www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=2162