Lesson 4: Time Management Tips or Making the most of what we have.

Everyone has a different way of dealing with the scheduling of their lives and organizing their time. I'm a calendar nut: I have one in my kitchen; one in my office; one on my phone; and one in my school binder. Each one of these has a different purpose, but many events find their way to multiple calendars.
I once tried to schedule my life by the hour - no luck. Then I tried to schedule my school work so that I only worked on one subject every day - no luck, again. But every failure led to an attempt to try something new.
Now I stick to the "to do list" option.

I start every day with three of the same things: dishes, laundry, and dinner prep. But then i try to add no more than 6 other items to my list.  
But the biggest point to remember here is that everyone needs to find a method that works for you, and keep trying until you find one that really works.

Lesson 3: What makes us do what we do? What motivates us?

What rewards do we give ourselves? What mes us push forward even when we aren't excited about doing so? What is our final reward for all of our hard work: CHOCOLATE; SHOES; VIDEO GAMES; CA$H; GRADES; TROPHIES; NEW CAR???

Ideas to make goal setting and keeping work!

• Set short term goals, break big goals down, and keep the list close to you.
• Mark off each goal as you complete it. (I like using brightly colored stars).
• Make daily progress towards your goals.
• STOP Thinking that you are unable to learn!
• Use criticism to teach you, not defeat you.
• Find your happy medium to perfection. If your goal is to lose 40 pounds by Christmas, I might be wiser to make mini goals like 5# by Halloween, 10# by Thanksgiving, 15# by Christmas. [we won't talk about what that would make my final weight ;-) ]
• Remember right now your #1 goal/job/task is school and your studies: not your job, or your boyfriend, or girlfriend, or athletics, SCHOOL!

Lesson 2: Learning Styles or "Does Thinking About Thinking Make You Nuts?"

Am I a visual, auditory, reading/writing, or kinesthetic learner? Do I learn better by hearing, or reading, or touching, or using a diagram? We'll take the VARK quiz to find this answer. VARK Questionaire
What does this show me about myself? How can I apply this to my daily lessons? Then think about your results as we look at these other ideas. 

"Does thinking about thinking make you nuts?" Tawnya Johns

• Do my teachers teach using the methods I prefer?

• Can I create my own teaching devices from the information my teachers give me?

• If my learning style is auditory can I find my literature text on CD or MP3?

• If my learning style is all reading and writing, but my teacher loves to use hands-on projects and lab environments, how can I re-frame the information into something I can use?

• I am a visual learner, I need charts, graphs, diagrams, rubrics, and calendars to help me remember details. My teacher is all about the lecture without any visual aides. What can I do? 

Think about some responses to these and post your ideas in the comments section to share with others. Are there other issues you have faced and how did you deal with these? Any ideas to share? (remember you may need a gmail account to sign in and add your comments).

Lesson 1: Study Skills Assessment

Our first task is to determine how we study: to find the great things we are already doing and then find the things that need improvement. This works in Science, Math, English Language Arts, and Social Studies. This type of approach is also useful for working towards athletic goals or creative pursuits.

Study Skills Assessment

My results, how will I apply these to my new courses starting in January.

Study Skills Results


Time Management: 23 out of 32
Your answers indicate that you have relatively good skills in time management. However, you could develop more effective and efficient ways to prioritize and use your time. There are many links and resources in this section that can help you. Courses in college study techniques and college success can also help you in this area.
Concentration/Memory: 17 out of 32
Your answers indicate that you could develop more effective approaches and strategies to concentrating on and remembering what you study. You may want to talk to a counselor and/or check out the links and resources on this site to help you.
Note taking: 21 out of 32
You have relatively good skills in this area, but could develop more active approaches for taking notes in the classroom and when you read. There are a number of resources and links in this section that can give you new ideas on how to improve your Note taking and active listening skills. You may also want to consider taking a course in College Reading, Study Techniques, or College Success.
Test Strategies: 21 out of 32
Although you have relatively good skills in this area, you could develop more effective approaches to preparing for and taking tests. There are a number of resources and links on this site that you might check out. A counselor and/or a course in Study Techniques or College Success would also be helpful.
Organizing/Understanding Information: 22 out of 32
You could improve your study system and better organize information. In addition to the resources and links on this site, you might benefit from a course in College Reading, Study Techniques, or College Success.
Motivation/Attitude: 27 out of 32
Your answers indicate that you have a positive attitude and are using active approaches to keep you engaged and interested in your coursework. If you want more ideas, you can check out the links and resources in this section to guide you.
Reading skills: 24 out of 32
You could improve your strategies for reading and learning college materials. Academic reading requires more active approaches than reading for pleasure. You may want to check out some of the resources on this site and contact a counselor for more guidance. Consider taking a course in Academic Reading if one is available.
Writing skills: 23 out of 32
You could improve your strategies for writing and learning college materials. Academic writing requires more active approaches than writing for pleasure. You may want to check out some of the resources on this site and contact a counselor for more guidance. Consider taking a course in Academic Writing if one is available.