Strategies for Academic Success

Setting Goals: Divide and Conquer

Long-term goals represent major targets in your life. These goals can take many years to achieve. You can find ways to connect what you are doing right now with what you want to achieve in your life. Start by brainstorming about where you want to be in ten or twenty years. Where will you be? Who will be with you? How will you spend your day? Let your mind roam. Write down your thoughts. Then select three goals that are very important to you. These are your long-term goals:

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Your goals are not right or wrong. You may not have decided on your career yet. That is fine. Your long-term goals may change as you learn more about yourself and the opportunities that life presents to you. Next, think about goals and objectives you want to achieve in the next year. Those goals will probably relate to your academic career at Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart. You may also be about to get your driver’s permit or want to improve a skill you have. Think about three goals that are the most important in meeting some of your long- term goals. Then write your goals below. These are your intermediate goals:

Short-term goals are ones you can accomplish in less than a year. Weekly and daily goals tell you what you need to do to move towards your dreams. These are the small steps you need to take to achieve your long-term goals. Think about your list of intermediate goals and write down what you can do to move towards those goals. Think about what accomplishing these goals means to you. How willing are you to put in some extra work and effort to achieve those goals? Which are most realistic? Now write three short-term goals and make a plan for what you are going to do to achieve them. My short-term goals:

Adapted from: Ellis, D. (2000). Becoming a Master Student. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. Ellis, D., & Lenn, P. (1995). Learning Power. Rapid, SD: Learning Technologies.

Time Management

The Top Ten Advantages of Time Management:

1. Puts you in control of your life

2. Establishes priorities

3. Reduces time wasting

4. Gets things done on time

5. Allows time for relaxation

6. Reduces indecision

7. Enables goals to be achieved

8. Reduces worry and strain

9. Helps you balance your life

10. Helps you become motivated towards study.

Some tips for better organization of your time:

1. Decide what you really want from your time. Remember your long-term and short-term goals. Think about how you use your time as a decision to work towards your goals or not to work towards your goals.

2. Budget your time. Begin with making a daily schedule, which includes time for studying, chores, family time, and leisure. See “How to Make a Study Schedule.”

3. Use class time and study halls effectively. Always use the time teachers give you in class to start on your homework. Remember to ask the teacher to clarify the directions if you are not sure of the assignment.

4. Use an assignment notebook to record your homework and test dates. Then transfer the information to a master calendar at home to plan your study and preparation for tests and exams. Divide your work into parts. Set a deadline for each part.

5. Use a calendar to record all your obligations and commitments. The calendar should be on your desk at home in your study center. See “Using a Calendar.”

6. Maximize the use of travel time or time waiting for a ride. Review with flash cards while you ride in the car. Always have a book to read in your possession. Even leisure reading will improve your reading skills.

How to Make a Study Schedule

1. First, you must determine how much time you will need to accomplish your goals each week. The time spent will vary from person to person depending on your ability and the difficulty of the assignments. You will need to schedule time for assignments and time for reviewing your class notes. (You have two tasks: Homework and Review/Study)

2. Decide when you work best. Are you able to work well in the afternoon or do you need a break when you come home?

3. It is best to establish a set time during which you will concentrate only on your schoolwork. Think of your schoolwork as your job. Remember that your job right now is to be a student.

4. Establish a study center at home with all your supplies, notepaper, books close by. Think of this place as your work environment.

5. Before you begin, write down what you hope to accomplish.

6. If your assignments don’t take all of your allotted study time, then use the time left to review your work. Remember that you will also be including time to review your day’s notes from school.

7. When you make your schedule, remember to include other obligations such as chores, dinnertime, sports practice, relaxation time, and family commitments.

Using a Calendar

Keeping and using a calendar to organize your time is a life habit. Most business people, and particularly mothers, use a calendar to plan and prioritize their activities and obligations. As a student, you have many demands on your time. You have a primary job (a student); you have homework; you may have sports practice; you may have dance class or drama lessons; you may have a part-time job; and you have family obligations. You also need time for social activities.

An effective way to plan your time is to use a Master Calendar to record your chores and commitments. This is especially important for planning long-term assignments or projects for school. You should keep your calendar at home on your desk or on the wall next to your study center. Refer to it regularly to remind yourself of upcoming obligations.

Here are some tips for using a calendar:

1. Begin by writing down commitments outside of school as soon as you know about them. Think about family events, social engagements, and birthday parties, work obligations, sports practice. This way you know how much free time you have to assign for homework and project planning.

2. You can use your class syllabus to organize your time by writing on your calendar all the due dates for assignments, projects, and papers as soon as you know about them.

3. You should record your assignments in class each day in your Assignment Notebook. When you get home you can transfer your information onto your master calendar.

4. The key to planning for long-range assignments is to break the project into smaller parts and prioritize the tasks depending on the dates they are due and the work involved.

5. Remember to allow extra time for major projects or test review, in case of emergencies such as illness or unexpected travel. For example, it is extremely important to schedule library time for research well in advance of needing to write a research paper.

How to Read Textbooks

There are various methods for reading textbooks effectively. Many approaches recommend that you first survey the material and then generate questions before you read. The following method is a summary of several methods.

Step One: Preview the assignment.

This means looking over the reading to get a “feel’ for what it is you are about to read. Read the headings. Look at any maps or charts. Count the pages of the assignment so you have a sense of how long it will take you to read.

Step Two: Make questions.

This is the most important step. Before you read, write some questions about the reading assignment. There are several ways you can do this well. You can turn the chapter headings into questions. For example, if the chapter is about the Second World War, one of your questions may be “What were the causes of WWII?” Use question words Who? What? Where? When? Why? to create these questions. You should also use the questions printed at the end of the chapter. This step establishes a purpose for your reading. Write the questions on flashcards.

Step Three: Read to answer your questions.

Always have a pencil in your hand to underline important points, circle unknown vocabulary words, and write notes or comments in your book.

Step Four: Answer your questions.

After you have read, try to summarize what you have read. Then, state the answers to your questions. If you cannot answer the questions, reread the passage. Check your answer in the book and write it on the back of the flashcards. These flashcards will serve as a review for quizzes and tests, so keep them safe (perhaps in a ziplock bag labeled with the name of the chapter.)

Step Five: Test yourself using the questions.

It is important to review your notes again within 24 hours (optimum for recall). This review will reinforce your memory.

Step Six: Clarify unknown vocabulary words.

Remember to use a dictionary to look up any vocabulary words you did not understand in your reading. Then write them down.

Adapted from Ellis, D. (1995, Learning Power. Rapid City, SD: Learning Technologies, Inc.

Memory Techniques

There are two levels of memory: short-term memory and long-term memory. When you look up a phone number and dial it correctly, you are using your short-term memory. In order to remember that phone number tomorrow without having to look it up again, you will have to put it into your long-term memory. Most of your learning in school involves storing information in your long-term memory, so that you can retrieve it for tests and other learning. There are various techniques that you can learn to improve your memory.

1. Review regularly.

The most important thing you can do to remember the information from class is to review it regularly. Studies have shown that reviewing information within 24 hours of learning it improves retention. This is why it is important to review and study your notes from class every day.

2. Use association.

a. We tend to remember things that interest us. Try to find some way to connect the subject you are studying with something of interest to you. Be creative! Remember everything is related to something else. Look for connections.

b. Create mnemonic devices. This is a play on words that helps us remember. For example, an acronym is a word made by taking the first letter from each word you want to remember and making a new word. Example: SADD – Students Against Destructive Decisions. An acrostic is a sentence that is made by taking the first letter of each word and substituting another word for that letter. Example: Every Good Boy Does Fine.

3. Visualize the information.

a. Try to see a mental picture of the information. Close your eyes and picture the page you are reading. Try to imprint and image in your mind.

b. Assign actors to the roles of characters or historical figures you are studying. Imagine what they are wearing, what they are saying, what they are doing.

c. draw sketches, cartoons, or patterns to illustrate the information. Make a mind map, which has the main idea written in the middle of the page and surrounding details stretching out like a spider web. You can use colors and symbol to create an image.

4. Grouping Information.

a. Organize the information into categories that connect ideas. Try to list details in some logical order.

b. Try to find associations between what you are studying and something you already know. For example, if you are reading a historical novel, try to connect the characters with details of history that you have learned in social studies.

5. Make Flashcards.

Flashcards are very useful for remembering dates, definitions of scientific terms, vocabulary, etc. You do not have to spend a lot of money on index cards, just cut up some loose-leaf paper. You could use different colors for each subject. Practice. Practice. Practice. Think about the times in your day when you could spend ten minutes reviewing your flashcards. There are many times during the day when you could practice your flashcards: having your breakfast, driving to school, study hall, lunchtime, when you are waiting for your ride, on the way home, before bed.

6. Walk Around.

a. It helps to move your body while you are memorizing. You can take a walk around the block or move around the room while you are reciting a list or learning vocabulary from flashcards. Try simply standing up.

b. Make gestures as you recite material out loud. Use your hands. Draw or trace a vocabulary word. Sit up straight at your desk.

7. Reduce Interference.

It is best to study in the same place. Your study environment should be organized and quiet. Turn off your phone (if you have one) and turn off your music. It takes brain energy to block out music while you try to concentrate on your studying. You are fooling yourself if you think you can study well listening to music.

8. Use it or lose it.

Do something with the information. Write it, speak it, read it, listen to it, summarize it, or teach it. When you explain the concept to someone else, you will discover how well you understand it yourself Form a study group with a classmate, or simply ask a parent or sibling if you can explain what you have been learning.

9. Have a Positive Attitude. Choose to learn. Remind yourself of your goals.

Adapted from Ellis, D. (2000). Becoming a Master Student Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Test-Taking Tips

Before the test:

1. Review your class notes paying attention to handouts, checklists, and teacher review sheets.

You should have a daily review session already built into your study schedule. When it comes close to exams, create an additional review schedule if needed.

2. Study old tests, quizzes, and flashcards. Carry a pack of flashcards with you for when you might have time to review - in the car, waiting for your ride etc.

3. Know what type of test you are about to take. If you are not sure, ask the teacher. Knowing the type of test helps you prepare for it.

4. Create and write your own exam questions. Practice writing the questions and answering them. This is especially helpful for essay type tests.

During the test:

1. READ THE DIRECTIONS. This sounds very obvious, but many students forget to read the directions properly. Be sure you know what you are supposed to do.

2. Budget your time. Quickly figure out how many minutes you have for each question and pay attention to the clock.

3. Do the easiest questions first. This way, you experience success and it prepares you for more difficult questions.

4. With multiple choice tests and matching tests, try to anticipate the answer without looking at the options given.

5. In quick answer questions, usually your first answer is correct. However, if you misread the question or later find out you had an incorrect answer, change it.

6. With machine graded tests, make sure you are scoring your answers correctly on the answer sheet. Watch for stray marks and erase any errors completely.

7. If writing short answers, please write legibly. Sloppy, difficult to read handwriting is frustrating to read and may influence your grade with a tired, weary teacher.

8. Be prepared! Study hard and remind yourself that you did your best.

Adapted from Ellis, D. (2000) Becoming a Master Student Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Managing Test Anxiety

Some people have learned to be afraid of tests. Many people get anxious and stressed when they take a test and may even freeze and fail to answer questions because of fear of failure. There are some things you can do to let go of test anxiety.

1. Think positive thoughts. Catch yourself in a negative thought pattern about your failure and replace it with one of success. Use positive self-talk to break the cycle of worry. You may even tell yourself to “stop” and shout it out if you are on your own. Your negative thought patterns can be self-fulfilling.

2. Visualize your success. Create a vivid picture in your mind of how it feels to take a test, know all the answers and receive a good grade. Most of us live up to our expectations. If you spend a lot of time imagining how you can fail, you increase your chances for failure. Instead, replace that image of failure with one of success. Mentally revisit that image of success when you are about to take your test.

3. Focus. If you start to feel anxious during a test, focus your attention on a specific object. Concentrate your energy on that object, such as your watch, the board or a word on your paper. Take some deep breaths. Don’t leave room in your mind for anxiety related thoughts.

4. Praise yourself. Give yourself some encouragement. Talk to yourself in a positive way. Remind yourself of your previous successes and tell yourself you can do it again. You can even keep a Success Log of your achievements and record your best results.

5. Put the test in perspective. Consider the worst. Imagine the very worst thing that could happen to you. In the scheme of life, a poor result on one test is not going to result in death, homelessness, cancer or some devastating catastrophe. If you do not do well on this test, there will be other opportunities for you to rebound.

6. Use relaxation techniques. If you are aware of a tension in your body, take some deep breaths. Concentrate on the air going in and out of your lungs. Do this for five minutes. If you are taking short breaths, begin to take longer breaths. Fill your lungs so that your abdomen rises, then release all the air.

7. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast and get a good night’s sleep the day before the test. You should also plan some aerobic exercise into your daily routine. Exercise is an important way to reduce tension.

8. Get help. If you feel these techniques do not work and you think that your anxiety is serious, get help. Talk to your parents or of the school guidance counselors.

Adapted from Ellis, D. (2000) Becoming a Master Student. Boston: Houghton Muffin.

Preparation for Final Exams

The Best Preparation for Final Exams is Daily Review

1. Make a study schedule. You should have built in some study time into your daily schedule. Now you will need to increase that time to prepare for final exams.

The first step is to make a list of what you need to review for each class. For example, for Math, you need to know chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. That means you have 6 chapters to review. For English, you need to review 4 short stories, vocabulary, and two novels, Lord of the Flies and Old Man and the Sea. Do this for all your classes. If you are not sure what material will be on the final, ask the teacher. Do not assume you know unless you have a review sheet or she tells you. You will end up with five or six lists (depending on the number of classes you are taking.)

2. Now you need to plan when you are going to review each chapter or topic for each class. You will need to divide your review material among your available study time.

3. The key is to be as specific as you can about what you are going to study and when you are going to study that particular assignment.

4. Do not leave your final exam review to a few days before the exams. You may get sick, or you may have a family emergency that takes away your free time. Be sure to build in some extra review time to allow for unexpected conflicts or commitments.

5. Since you have plenty of time on the weekends, you can build in extra review time on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

6. Remember to allow for family commitments and other social obligations. Your calendar might look like this:

Learning Styles

Introduction.

There is an increased awareness among educators in understanding the concept of learning styles and multiple intelligences. There are various definitions of the different styles of learning. A very basic approach is to identify three essential modes of learning: auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. These categories describe the preferred ways in which students receive and process information. In addition to understanding learning styles, students should be aware of the concept of multiple intelligences. Students use as many of these intelligences as needed to process and store information. The theory of multiple intelligences was largely developed by Howard Gardner, (1) who divides intelligence into eight concepts:

(1) verbal-linguistic intelligence, (2) musical intelligence, (3 )logical-mathematical intelligence, (4) interpersonal intelligence, (5) spatial intelligence, (6) intrapersonal intelligence, (7) bodily-kinesthetic intelligence and

(8) naturalist intelligence.

What does this mean for you?

Once you have identified your learning strengths, you can be aware of how you learn best. Use the suggestions on the following page to focus on your preferred style of learning. Remember that even though you may be naturally inclined to one style of learning, you will need to use all modes at some stage of your education. Therefore, you need to be creative and flexible when engaging in academic activities that are not part of your learning profile. One approach to building on your weaker learning mode is to associate with students who have different profiles. This can be through cooperative learning opportunities organized by your teacher or you can seek out a peer study partner whose strengths complement your own. There are various inventories and surveys to measure learning styles and multiple intelligences. Understanding how you learn can help you improve and develop your study skills.

Basic Learning Modes

Each person has a way he or she prefers to learn. The basic learning modes are Visual, Auditory, and Physical. After you take a learning styles inventory, you can identify which learning preferences you tend to use. Please see the reference sheet for on-line inventories. These are some suggestions for ways in which you can study depending on your learning strength.

Visual Learners

These learners often say “I have to see how to do that.” Visual learners can benefit from using strategies that use imagery. Here is a checklist of some ideas for developing imagery in learning:

Use color and pictures

Use different colored pens

Sit at the front of the class

Create visual associations

Watch movies of English literature

Use mind maps

Draw diagrams

Take detailed notes

Mentally draw your plan with word pictures

Draw cartoons/illustrations

Auditory Learners

These learners benefit from self-directed coaching. Talking yourself through a task and using positive self-talk will be effective with these learners. Here are some ideas for auditory learners:

Use sounds in learning vocabulary words

Set mnemonics to part of a song

Use a tape recorder to tape class

Read textbook aloud and have someone

Ask yourself questions

Listen to English literature novels on tape

Use rhyme and music

Repeat key words out loud

Tape yourself summarizing and play it back

Focus on the tones of the speaker

Kinesthetic/Physical Learners

These learners like hands-on activities. They often like puffing things together. This learning style uses feelings and successful models to improve performance. This is a checklist of some ideas for developing the kinesthetic style of learning:

Physically touch objects as you learn what they do

Write and draw (these are physical activities)

Trace over vocabulary words with your finger

Build a model for social studies/science

Move around the room when you are summarizing

Teach or show someone what you have learned

Create a board game with math equations

These are some basic suggestions for using your learning strength. You will find more information by visiting one of the websites suggested on the resource list below.

Books:

Ellis, David. (2000). Becoming a Master Student. Boston, MA: Houghton Muffin.

Goleman, Daniel. (1995). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Websites:

Learning Styles Online. Free learning styles test online. Provides 70 questions online with graphical results and more help.

http://www.learning-styles-online.com

Learning Styles Questionaire. Free online learning styles test. An index of learning styles with free explanations and strategies. From North Carolina State University.

http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html

Learning Styles: A Multiple Intelligences Approach. David Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory describes the way you learn and how you deal with ideas and day-to-day situations in your life. http://pss.uvm.edu/pssl62/learning_styles.html

Learning Styles. An explanation of learning styles and multiple intelligences. Find out what learning styles are all about and assess your own learning style. http://www.ldpride.net/learningstyles.MI.htm

Learning Styles: An Overview. This is an overview of learning styles which discusses why it is important to understand your learning styles.

http://beginnersguide.com/college/learning-styles/