Initiative: 5 of 10

Initiative

5 of 10

Initiative is creativity, inventiveness, originality, ingenuity, imagination. Every time you respond in class, every time you choose your own research topic, every time you put together your own interpretation of a piece of literature, you take initiative. And future employers value can-do professionals who come up with new ideas and chart their own course through projects, employees who are self-reliant. Self-reliant are self-starters who don’t procrastinate on getting the job done. They know what is required to do and do it. They don’t wait to be told many times. Succeeding in high school, college, and in the career world is taking the initiative.

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Teamwork Skills: 3 of 10

Teamwork Skills

3 of 10

Every time your class breaks into groups to tackle a challenge, you build teamwork skills. In college, you’ll continue to have these opportunities to practice voicing your opinions, listening and responding to others, and reaching compromises. By the time you leave college, you can be an expert in this important workplace skill.

Together

Everyone

Achieves

More

Individually you can achieve so much, but when you work with others for a common cause, the same objectives, you can accomplish a tremendous amount more. You synergize your talents, knowledge, and skills with those whom you work. All members of the team are edified together, a type of education you can’t obtain by working alone.

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Speaking Skills: 2 of 10

Speaking Skills

2 of 10

When you’re assigned a class presentation, think twice before dismissing it as an unimportant part of your education. Employers look for skills in job applicants, who may have to give presentations to clients or represent their organization on the field. It’s never too soon to practice good eye contact and other public speaking techniques.

http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/17334

According to the book of lists, the fear of public speaking ranks number on in the minds of the majority of people. Far above the fear of death and disease, comes the fear of standing in front of a crowd. Joel Weiner noted author and public speaker wants to help people overcome that fear.

“The biggest fear is public speaking, with 15 percent of American experiencing a dramatic fear of it,” said Dr. Michael Telch of the Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorder (LSAD) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. “People have had to turn down jobs, and certainly students have dropped classes because of it.”

 Regardless of your occupation, your success depends a great deal upon your ability to communicate effectively! Whether you’re running a meeting, selling a product, making a presentation, motivating co-workers or just communicating one-on-one with others, you’ll get far better results if you can speak persuasively, smoothly and intelligently.

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5 Tips for Staying Motivated: Tips 3-5

5 Tips for Staying Motivated

Tips 3-5

3. Set Attainable Goals

If you’re having trouble writing a 25-page paper for class because it seems like such a big job, don’t focus on that final number. Break the paper down and consider each section of your paper individually. You can handle any project in small chunks.

4. Find a Social Support Network

Create a group of people around you who want to help you success. Mentors can be teachers or family friends who can give you guidance and help you develop new skills. Counselors can help you with planning your courses and starting to explore colleges. You can also reach out to friends and peers who can motivate you by listening and sharing ideas.

5. Acknowledge Your Accomplishments

Give yourself a quick reward when you complete an assignment or task. Take a walk, send an email, get a snack. Then move on to the next project.

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Take Control of Homework, So It Doesn't Conrtol You: Part 2

Take Control of Homework

So It Doesn’t Control You

Part 2

Keep Things in Perspective

Know how much weight each assignment or test carries, and use your time accordingly. Don’t waste time, but be wise and smart. Doing the most important things first is being wise and smart.

Get More Involved

Keep your mind from wandering by taking notes, underlining sections, discussing topics with others or relating your homework to something you’re studying in another class. Learn actively and not passively. Be anxiously engaged in your studies and you will have a great experience. Demonstrate a good attitude toward home assignments, and you will begin to love doing it.

Organize the Information

People process information in different ways. Some people like to draw pictures or charts to digest information, others prefer to read out loud or make detailed outlines. Try to find the methods that work best for you. Ask your teacher for recommendations if you’re having trouble.

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Note-Taking Strategies: Part 3

Note-Taking Strategies

Part 3

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

After Class

As soon as class ends, review your notes and fill in any blanks. Underline, highlight and use symbols to sort through the information. If you don’t understand something, get help from your teacher or classmates.

After you’ve reviewed all your notes from class, in the left-hand area of the page write down key words and questions your teacher might ask on a test.

At the bottom of each page, write a summary of the notes. This helps you digest what you’ve learned. It also improves your memory of the material for the long term and for tests down the road.

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Note-Taking Strategies: Part 2

Note-Taking Strategies

Part 2

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

During Class

One approach that has been proven effective is called the Cornell Note-Taking System. Here are some of its methods.

Start by using the main section of your page to take down your notes during class. Be sure to leave space on the left side of the page and the bottom. Things to keep in mind:

        1.    Get the speaker’s main points. Don’t write down every word you hear.

        2.    Leave blanks in your notes to add explanations later.

        3.    Organize as you as write. Pay attention to cues such as repetition and emphasis.

        4.    Indicate main and supporting points as you go.

        5.    Jot down key vocabulary, important facts and formulas.

        6.    Ask questions. If you’re confused, it’s better to ask while the material is fresh in your mind.

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Note-Taking Strategies: Part 1

Note-Taking Strategies

                                                         Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

How to Get Your Class Notes into Shape

Getting the most out of high school and college means studying hard and using your time in class wisely. An effective note-taking strategy can help you do both. Here are the basics.

Stay Organized

It may seem obvious, but your class notes can only help you if you can find them. When you’re taking notes be sure to:

        ·       Keep all your notes in one place.

        ·       Date and number; keeping them in order makes it easier to understand them later.

Before Class

Review the material assigned for that class period thoroughly. Bring a list of any questions you may have.

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Distance Education: Is a Virtual Clasroom for You?: Part 1

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/47337.html

You may want to take a class that your high school doesn’t offer. Under some circumstances, you can still enroll in the class – through distance learning.

Distance education means taking a class without being physically present where it is being taught. Internet-based technology lets students participate in lectures and class sessions online from almost anywhere.

Some high schools agree to recognize distance-learning credits when they don’t have the resources to offer a course themselves. Distance education is often used to increase options in rural areas and for AP® courses.

For you, it might mean doing self-tutorial at home in the evening, or participating in a class that is 1,000 miles away, along with other high school students. Check with your school counselor to see what’s available.

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Balancing High School and Part-Time Work: Part 5

Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 5

Additional Tips

Although working and going to school is challenging, it can be rewarding experience if you use some foresight. These tips can help you handle the situation and make the most of your time:

        ·       Discuss your plans with your family. Balancing the demands of school and work is easier with their support.

        ·       Start slowly; don’t commit to working a lot of hours immediately.

        ·       Avoid time conflicts by planning your class and work schedules as far ahead of time as possible.

        ·       Use your time efficiently. You can use 10 minutes waiting in a line to go over a few pages of assigned reading. If your job has a lot of downtime and your boss has no objection, you can use slow periods to do schoolwork.

        ·       If you commute to your job on public transportation, bring your schoolwork with you so you can work along the way.

        ·       Be flexible and willing to make sacrifices. You may have to cut down on some other things you’d like to do because of your school and work commitments.

        ·       If you have too much on your plate, admit it. Then cut back as needed.

        ·       Schedule relaxation time. Everyone needs some downtime to stay happy and healthy.

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Selecting Your Courses: Part 6

Selecting Your Courses

Part 6

Success in AP can also help you in other ways. AP helps you stand out in the admission process and offers the opportunity to learn from some of the most inspiring teachers in the world. Learn more about the AP Program.

For More Help in Choosing Courses

Use College Search to look up a specific college’s academic requirements to be sure you are on track to attend the college of your choice.

If you have concerns about your class schedule or progress in school, set up a meeting with your school counselor, teacher or adviser. There are many resources to help you with this process, and with achieving your personal, college and career goals. Without goals, you meander all sorts of directions. Goals give you purpose, direction, enthusiasm, and passion for that which you really desire. Define your goals deliberately, evaluate your goals often and make changes as necessary, work hard to achieve your goals, and continue working hard until you actually do reach your goals.

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Student Success Tips: From Edison College

Student Success Tips

From Edison College

     1.    Attend New Student Orientation at the beginning of the Fall or Spring Semester.

     2.    GEN 101S, First Year Experience, provides excellent content and resources to be a successful student. It is likely that this class will be part of your first semester.

     3.    Be sure to attend all classes, and be on time.

     4.    To reduce distractions, sit near the front of the class.

     5.    Keep a copy of the syllabus for each class so that you will know what is going on, what you should be doing, and how soon you need to get it done.

     6.    Be a good listener. Focus and concentrate on main points.

     7.    Take good notes in class, and review your notes within 24 hours. Then, review your notes periodically to help you retain information. Index cards with key information are also a helpful way to review.

     8.    Study! To be a successful college student, study at least two hours a week for every hour you spend in class. This is a minimum.

     9.    Determine an ideal study space, and plan study time when you are at your best to retain information.

     10.  Maintain a student planner to keep track of important dates and projects.

     11. Apply additional time management strategies, including planning, setting goals, and prioritizing schoolwork and your additional responsibilities.

     12. Avoid marathon study periods. Instead, study for short intervals with a break in between. For example, study for 30 minutes, take a 3-minute break, come back and review, then repeat the process.

     13. Get to know other students in your classes for added support and to study together when possible.

     14. Participate in class, and ask your instructor questions when needed. Meet with them during office hours for additional support and guidance.

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The Power of Study Groups: Part 2

The Power of Study Groups

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/high-school/50432.html

Part 2

The Benefits of Study Groups

Group study offers other advantages in addition to gaining a deeper understanding of class material. These include the opportunity to: Reinforce note-taking. If your AP® Biology notes are unclear, you can ask a member of your study group to help you fill the gaps.

Share talents. Each person brings different strengths, such as organizational skills, the ability to stick to a task or a capacity for memorization.

Cover more ground. Group members may be able to solve a calculus problem together that none would have solved alone.

Benefit from a support system. Members often have common goals, such as good grades. Each person’s work affects the other members, which results in making members supportive of one another.

Socialize. It’s more fun to study with others; the give-and-take makes it more interesting. And because it’s more fun, you spend more time studying!

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How to Take on College Studying: Part 1

How to Take on College Studying

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/961.html

Part 1

Develop Good Study Habits

In college, you’ll need to build on the study skills that you learned in high school. The demands of a college class are probably more rigorous than those you are used to.

You can succeed by knowing what to expect and how to handle it. Think of college as a full-time job, in which you spend 40 hours a week on class, labs, study groups and doing homework.

Being organized and using your time well are essential. Learn more about time management, and use the guidelines below to develop your study skills.

Decide When to Study

Work out about how many hours you need to study every day. Then make a schedule.

        ·       Figure out what blocks of time you have available throughout the day, in the evenings and on weekends.

        ·       Consider what time of day you are the most alert – there are morning people and night owls – and try to schedule your studying accordingly.

        ·       Think about whether you do better studying for a few hours at a time or sitting down for marathon sessions.

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