Study Skill strategies to become a successful middle school student! By Mr. Chancellor

1. Study Skill strategies to become a successful middle school student!By Mr. Chancellor

2. Making a Plan! Setting goals is similar to drawing and then following a map to a specific destination. You wouldn't set off on a journey without a road map and you shouldn't begin a new school year without goals. Goals help us define what we want and how we can achieve it. When you set goals you are making a plan to succeed. There are two types of goals: long-term and short-term. Planning a career is a long-term goal. Completing a major report over the weekend is a short-term goal. Your long-term goals will consist of a number of short-term goals. When setting goals there are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind: be as specific as possible make your goals measurable so you can see your progress set your own goals, keeping in mind both your strengths and weaknesses be realistic: it's better to plan only a few things at first, experience success and then gradually increase what you ask of yourself

3. Creating a Study Environment • In order to follow through on your plan it helps to create a place to do your school work at home. When you are creating a study environment you should keep a number of things in mind. • find a place to study and keep it for study only • stock up your study area with any supplies you will need (pencils, pens, paper, ruler, dictionary, etc.) • control the noise level and avoid visual distracters such as a television • set up and maintain a schedule for studying

4. Getting Organized! After setting goals, the next thing you need to do is organize yourself for success. Ask yourself the following questions to assess your current state of organization. Do I... • have all the materials my teachers have requested for my classes? • record all of my assignments in a student organizer or planner? • check my organizer or planner each evening for both short-term and long-term assignments? • prioritize assignments and time? • have a quiet study area set up with necessary supplies at home? • have a regular time to work on or complete assignments and study each evening?

5. Taking Notes! • Notetaking is a skill that requires understanding of what you're doing and practice. Taking notes gives you a written record for review. It forces you to pay attention and it takes organization and effort on your part. The notetaker is an active listener who must condense and rephrase what is being said. There are many different systems for notetaking. No one system is better than another. Find one that works for you and practice, practice, practice! One commonly used system is the CORNELL NOTETAKING SYSTEM. What is the Cornell format? • use a ruler or fold the page to draw a line 2-3 inches from the left margin • write notes in the wider section (right side) • write questions in the smaller section (left side) • indent details under main points • phrases are okay • do nottry to write every word • listen for main ideas & details • listen for clues about what to write down (e.g. "The definition is..." or "Three reasons why..."

6. Studying Tips • What are the study tips? • Study Tip: Cover up the note column and try answering questions without looking. Do this out loud or with a friend. • Active Study Tips: • write notes • recite aloud • write questions about note contents • Why should I learn to take notes? • Notetaking is an important and valuable skill to be used throughout school!

7. TIME MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES • As a student, there are some basic Principles of Time Management that you can apply. • Identify "Best Time" for Studying: Everyone has high and low periods of attention and concentration. Are you a "morning person" or a "night person". Use your power times to study; use the down times for routines such as laundry and errands. • Study Difficult Subjects First: When you are fresh, you can process information more quickly and save time as a result. • Use Distributed Learning and Practice: Study in shorter time blocks with short breaks between. This keeps you from getting fatigued and "wasting time." This type of studying is efficient because while you are taking a break, the brain is still processing the information. • Make Sure the Surroundings are Conducive to Studying: This will allow you to reduce distractions which can "waste time." If there are times in the residence halls or your apartment when you know there will be noise and commotion, use that time for mindless tasks. • Make Room for Entertainment and Relaxation: College is more than studying. You need to have a social life, yet, you need to have a balance in your life. • Make Sure you Have Time to Sleep and Eat Properly: Sleep is often an activity (or lack of activity) that students use as their time management "bank." When they need a few extra hours for studying or socializing, they withdraw a few hours of sleep. Doing this makes the time they spend studying less effective because they will need a couple hours of clock time to get an hour of productive time. This is not a good way to manage yourself in relation to time. • Try to Combine Activities: Use the "Twofer" concept. If you are spending time at the laundromat, bring your psychology notes to study. If you are waiting in line for tickets to the REM concert, bring your biology flashcards to memorize.

8. Test Taking Strategies • Examinations are a fact of life in college. But the only time an exam should be a trial is when you aren't prepared for it, and the best sign that you aren't prepared is when you have to stay up all night to "cram." Cramming won't do very much for you (except make you so tired that when you take the exam you won't be able to think clearly enough to answer the questions you DO know). • Here are some tips to help you develop test taking skills: • BEFORE THE TEST • Start preparing for your exams the first day of class. You can do this by reading your syllabus carefully to find out when your exams will be, how many there will be, and how much they are weighed into your grade. • Plan reviews as part of your regularly weekly study schedule; consequently, you review over the whole quarter rather than just at exam time. • Reviews are much more than reading and rereading all assignments. You need to read over your lecture notes and ask yourself questions on the material you don't know well. (If your notes are relatively complete and well organized, you may find that very little rereading of the textbook for detail is needed.) You may want to create a study group for these reviews to reinforce your learning. • Review for several short periods rather than one long period. You will find that you retain information better and get less fatigued. • Turn the main points of each topic or heading into questions and check to see if the answers come to you quickly and correctly. Try to predict examination questions; then outline your answers. • It may seem "old-fashioned", but flashcards may be a helpful way to review in courses that have many unfamiliar terms. Review the card in random order using only those terms that you have difficulty remembering.

9. Test Taking Strategies • DURING THE TEST • There are also some things to keep in mind when you are TAKING the test. • First, read the directions carefully!! Many points have been lost because students didn't follow the directions. • Remember to preview the test to see how much time you need to allot for each section. If the test is all multiple choice questions, it is good to know that immediately. • Work on the "easiest" parts first. If your strength is essay questions, answer those first to get the maximum points. Pace yourself to allow time for the more difficult parts. • Find out if you are penalized for incorrect responses. (This is probably covered in the directions. If not, make educated guesses. If there is a penalty, avoid guessing. • When answering essay questions, try to make an outline in the margin before you begin writing. Organization, clear thinking, and good writing is important, but so is neatness. Be sure to make your writing legible. • Save time at the end of the exam to review your test and make sure you haven't left out any answers or parts of answers. This is difficult to do under the stress of exams, but it often keeps you from making needless errors.

10. Test Taking Strategies • AFTER THE TEST • If the instructor reviews the exam in class, make sure you attend. Many students choose to skip class of the day of the review because "nothing is happening" that day. On the contrary, this is an important class to attend because it helps reinforce the information one more time in long term memory. Even if you aren't interested in the "learning" aspect of the class, it is an opportunity to hear what the instructor was looking for in the answers. This can help you on the NEXT exam. • Keep in mind that there are things you can do before, during, and after exams that will help you succeed in the class. You may want to read and complete the Test Taking Checklist to evaluate your development as a test-wise student.