Prefix and root word activity for elementary students

I have been tutoring a fifth grader who does not like to read.  In his class they are working on prefixes, so I created this activity to try to make decoding and words a bit more fun.  I took four common prefixes and wrote them each on 1/2 of an index card with a colored border on three sides.  Then I wrote root words on full index cards.  His job was to figure out which prefixes work with each root and put a colored dot on that card to match the border.  Each week I can add more words and  pull words from what we are reading that week.  While he would still rather play games on his phone, the activity seems to be interesting to him!

The Power of Books and Reading

Many of the books and articles I read this summer emphasized the power of books and reading, and their influence in many people’s lives. 

• In The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough, he wrote that Wilbur Wright was injured as a teenager and, because of that, was not able to attend Yale as planned.  He stayed at home for three years and read.    His father, Bishop Wright, “a lifelong lover of books, heartily championed the limitless value of reading” (page 17).
• Scott Kelly wrote in Endurance that The Right Stuff, by Thomas Wolfe, changed the direction of his life.
• Many people involved in the space program such as Homer Hickam and Robert Goddard mentioned Jules Verne’s books From the Earth to the Moon and The War of the Worlds as an influence on their interest space exploration.
• Many successful women were inspired by the Nancy Drew series including Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsberg (“The Mystery of the Nancy Drew Pittsburgh Connection,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 8-16-2019).

There are multiple reasons to read including pure pleasure, escape, knowledge, inspiration, comfort, and many more.  The benefits of reading include developing critical thinking skills, empathy, an extended attention span, as well as the previous list.   We often don’t know the influence something we read will have on our lives in the near or far future.  So – just keep reading!
*****
First Semester Success, 2nd edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and hard copy from wordassociation.com.

Spring Semester 2019 - Blog #11 Wrapping up the Semester

For most all institutions the spring semester is over.  So now what?

If your grades were good:

• Take some time to relax and enjoy your success.
• Think about what you did to earn those grades.   For example, what study strategies did you use, how did you manage your time, what outside help did you take advantage of such as tutoring or Supplemental Instruction?
• How will you transfer these positive aspects to the next semester?

If your grades were not as good as you had hoped:

• What could you have done differently?  What strategies did you use that worked or what strategies could you have used?
• Did you take advantage of outside help that was available – tutoring, etc.?
• Consider buying my book.  Yes, this is a plug for my book!   First Semester Success, 2^nd edition, is not just for a new college student.   In the book you will find information about how to learn, how to study, how to be more proficient at taking tests, how to navigate the system, etc.

One option to improve your grades, gain knowledge, or get ahead on your courses is to take a summer class.  However, there are several important things to consider:

• You can take a class at home just to improve your skills with no intention of transferring the credits.
• Usually you cannot take a class you failed at another institution and still replace the failing grade on your transcript.
• If you withdrew from the class you can take it elsewhere, but check with your advisor, and the transfer and registrar’s department at your school to be sure the class you are taking will transfer.
• Also, if you want to take one of your required classes at home in order to graduate early or have to take fewer credits during the academic year be sure to follow the same procedure as in the previous point.

In general, over the summer:

• Look for opportunities to learn such as shadowing someone in your chosen field.
• Read book and articles that relate to your field.
• If you do not have a job, volunteer somewhere and add that to your resume.

*****
First Semester Success, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and hardcopy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 - Blog #10: Staying Motivated

There are times when we all need a dose of motivation to keep going and accomplish what we want, whether we are a college student, an aspiring author, new to exercise, trying to change eating habits, or anyone with a goal in life.  Problems can include bouncing back from a setback or struggling to pass up immediate pleasure to work toward a long-term goal.   If you always (or frequently!) struggle to keep going or give in to short-term temptations, you will not make steady progress toward your goal.

Here are some solutions:

v  Post motivational quotes where you can see them often. Two of my favorites:

o   “We are what we frequently do.  Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”  Aristotle

o   “Of course it’s hard. It is supposed to be hard.  If it was easy, everyone would do it.  Hard is what makes it great.”  Paraphrased from A League of Their Own.

v  Physically write down your goals and post them where you will see them daily – bathroom mirror, edge of computer screen, door to your room or garage etc.

v  Take a picture of your goal and make it your screen saver.  (Thanks to Bobby Bones for this idea!)

v  Make to-do lists of tasks needed to accomplish your goal – both short-term and long-term (two separate lists!).   It is very motivational to cross off a completed task!

v  Allow time for fun – just be selective about what you decide to do!

v  Read biographies about successful people and the obstacles that they overcame to accomplish their goals.

v  Think about a time when you did accomplish a goal and remember how hard you worked, how you kept going, and how great it felt to succeed.  A good example of this might be a team sport played in high school or saving money to buy something special.

We can accomplish amazing things, but it required dedication and motivation to keep working!  Stay focused and don’t give up!

*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and a hard copy from wordassociation.com.   Click  on the upper right link.

Spring Semester #9 – Setting False Deadlines

Setting false or early deadlines is an excellent strategy both for survival and motivation.  Here’s why:


Survival

·      If you plan to print your paper right before you leave for class you can be sure one or more of the following will happen at least once in your academic career – you will run out of paper, out of ink, the printer will not work, etc.

·       If you wait until the last minute to actually write the paper you can add getting sick, family emergency, car trouble, misunderstanding the directions, lack of information, or the most fun social event of the semester happening as you sit down to write.

Working ahead can also help with motivation

·       A sense of accomplishment is a great motivator!

·       Less stress because you will avoid all of the above problems.

·       The finished product will be better because you have time to revise.

·       We do better work when our brains have time to “mull over” what we are working on, and we often think of better plans for the paper or project.

It is a simple thing – just plan on getting the work done one or two days before the due date.  Write that earlier date in your planner as well as the due date. 


The next blog will deal with motivation.  There is often a slump during the semester, but time is so short and the semester moves so quickly that there is not time to have an extended period of no work.   The blog will give you some ideas about how to keep motivated even when you do not feel like doing the work.
*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and a hard copy from wordassociation.com.

Spring Semester 2019 – Blog #8: Checking Your Progress-Midterm grades

The semester is about half over and you may have received midterm grades.   At my institution professors only have to submit D or F midterm grades.   Some professors submitted all grades but I do not – I assume my students are monitoring their own grades.


At this point in the semester you want to evaluate your progress and the grades you are earning in each class.


If you are failing a class, talk to the professor and see if there is a chance you can pass the course. 

• If yes, find out what you need to do to pass the course with a ‘C’ or better.  Tell him or her how you have been preparing, share you notes and ask for suggestions, ask for any strategies that work for other students.   Find out if there is tutoring for the subject and become a regular!
• If there is no chance, talk to your advisor about your options.   To protect your grade point average, it is better to withdraw rather than fail.  However, you need to be sure you are still considered a full-time student.   Also, if the course is required or a prerequisite for another course, you will have to take it next semester or over the summer.

Even if you are passing a course, you want to know exactly where you stand.  Are you close to the next higher grade or solidly in the middle?  Is there a chance to improve your grade by the end of the semester?  If so, follow the suggestions in the first bullet point above.


Again – I return all graded work and my grading system is clearly explained in the syllabus.  I expect my students to be keeping their own records and to know exactly where they stand in my course and in their other courses.  If a professor is not organized and specific, it is up to the student to talk to the professor and find out exactly where they stand.


The next blog is about one of my favorite strategies – setting false deadlines.
*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.om and a hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 – Blog #7 Learning from Textbooks

One thing that surprises many freshmen is the amount and difficulty of reading required in classes.  For the most part, students are expected to read, understand and remember the material from textbooks BEFORE class and then the professor expands on that knowledge.  This is particularly true in higher level classes.  With a little bit of effort and some strategies, this can be easily accomplished.  While it may take a little more time, the results are much better than reading and rereading.   Think of academic reading as a three-step process.

Before you start to read:

• Preview the material to see the topic, organization and length.
• Read section headings, bold print, learning objectives, etc.
• Look at pictures and inserts that may disrupt the flow of your reading.
• Think about your purpose for reading.  If the material will be on the test but the professor will not cover it in class, you will put in much more effort.  If you are simply reading for background knowledge you can move faster.
• Think about how much time you have and how much of the material you can logically read and retain.  You do not want to stop reading in the middle of a section, you want to approach the material in a logical way.

During reading:

• Pay attention to your comprehension.   If it lags, stop and reread.
• Keep the overall organization of the material in mind as you are reading.
• Pau attention to any signals the writer gives – bold print, repetition, phrases to let you know something is important, words indicating a listing, etc.
• Try to associate what you are reading with the material in the course or what you already know from another class.
• At the end of a logical section, stop and restate what you have just read in your own words.  If you can, move on.  If not, reread and repeat.
• Consider taking notes, either in the margin or on separate paper.

After reading:

• Your retention will be much higher if you take a few minutes to review what you read.  Reread your notes, answer the learning objectives, review the bold print, etc.
• Take advantage of any online quizzes associated with a chapter.

If you did not have time to read the entire chapter, follow this pattern when finishing the material:

• Review what you previously read.
• Preview the new information.
• Review both the first part you read and the current part.

 The next blog will consider midterm grades and some decisions that have to be made.

*****

First Semester Success: 2nd edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as a eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and hardcopy from wordassociation.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 – Blog #6: How We Learn Part 2

The first step in learning information is to concentrate and pay attention to the material.   This may be easier said than done if your mind constantly wanders.  Two strategies my students said are helpful to extend concentration are:

1.       During a lecture make a “hash” mark at the top of your page every time your mind wanders and pull you attention back to the lecture.  Over time you will find that you have an easier time sticking with the lecture.

2.       Set a timer for a short period, perhaps 15 minutes.  You will be able to concentrate on your studying for that time period because you know if will end. Gradually lengthen the time and you will notice your concentration becoming much easier and longer.

Remember that, besides paying attention, learning requires the four strategies listed below with some examples:

Repetition	Variety	Self-testing	Over Time
Repeated exposure to the information Read textbooks Attend class Review notes after class Review all notes once a week	All strategies in the previous column plus: Rewrite notes Highlight important information Make study cards Attend tutoring sessions Form/join a study group Take turns reteaching the information to the others in group Study in a different location	Cover notes and restate in own words Use study cards to test yourself Quiz each other in study group Make practice tests and share with group or put aside and take later Use any online study quizzes with textbook	Regularly attend class Attend any review sessions offered Review notes after each class Review all notes once a week Start to study at least one week before an exam

Next: how to get the most out of your textbooks and maybe save time!
*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and a hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 – Blog #5: How We Learn – Part 1

There are three parts to your memory that are important to learning:

Sensory memory – This is where you decide what to pay attention to, where you minimize or eliminate distractions or give your attention over to them completely.

Short-term or working memory – This is the part of your memory where the learning is happening, but it can only work with 7 + or – 2 bits of information at a time.    Unless you are actively working with the information it will be replaced by new information.   There are a few things to know:

• Because of the limited capacity information needs to be divided or chunked into manageable, logical sections.  (Chunking is one of my students’ favorite study strategies.)
• In a lecture class you are not learning anything, you are simply recording the information the professor is explaining.  As you are writing, the new information is pushing out the old information you are recording.  This is why you have to learn the information on your own after class.

 Long-term Memory – This is the part you use on an exam when you are recalling what you have previously studied.  If the information is not securely and logically stored it will be nearly impossible to retrieve.

To move information from short-term to long-term memory requires four things – repetition, variety, self-testing and being spaced out over time.    Multiple specific strategies will be described in the next blog. But here is a preview:

Repetition – obviously study the material repeatedly

Variety – make note cards, read your notes out loud, use different colored pens or pencils

Self-testing – stop periodically, cover your notes and see what you can remember

Over time – Review your notes after every class and all your notes once a week

*****

First Semester Success, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as a eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right  link.

Spring Semester 2019, Blog #4 - Small Decisions, Big Benefits

Sometimes the small decisions we make on a day-to-day basis can have large consequences.   For the college student, as well as anyone, these decisions may not seem important, but taken together over an extended period of time they make a large difference.

For the college student in particular, consider these daily decisions:

• Binge watching Netflix – my students tell me there are only 15 seconds between the end of one show’s episode and the beginning of the next.  This is designed to keep you watching!  Decide in advance how many episodes you will watch and stick to your decision!
• Watching TV and movies before or after studying – watch after and use it as a reward
• Reading/studying at your desk or on your bed – Isn’t this obvious?  You will fall asleep if on your bed!
• Reading in-depth or just skimming a textbook chapter before class.
• Whether to take the extra step (and effort!) to take notes from textbook or put the information on study cards as opposed to just reading.
• After class, going to the Library to study or back to your room to nap.
• Reviewing and starting to learn lecture notes after each class or waiting until right before an exam to start studying.

Of course, large decisions are also crucial!    Should you go to a party the night before a major exam or stay in and prepare?   To me this decision is obvious, but it is hard to say “no” when “everyone” is going!

Examine what you are doing on a day-to-day basis and make small, positive changes.  In the end your grades will reflect your efforts!

*****
First Semester Success, 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and as a hard copy from wordassociation.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester Series #3 - Time Management and Class Syllabi

The two topics this week are related – how to manage your time and what to do with you class syllabi.  They are related because the syllabi should give you an overview for the semester in each class that will help you manage your time.

For effective time management you need three things:

• A monthly calendar for the semester: Go through each syllabus and write down the dates for major exams, projects, etc.   You will be able to plan ahead when you see several things scheduled or due around the same date.
• A daily planner to look at each week as a whole:  Each week write in any meetings, speakers, quizzes, assignments, etc.  You will see students in your classes writing these things as the professor announces them.  It is helpful to view the week this way so that you know when you have time to study and when you need to work ahead.  You can use your phone for this as long as you can get the overall view of the week.
• To-do lists for each day or longer:  This was addressed in the last blog.  I find it frees your mind for learning when you write down what you want to accomplish each day.  If you don’t get it all done, add the things to tomorrow’s list.

The syllabus you receive in each class is almost like a formal document.  You should find the following information:

• Attendance policy
• How to contact the professor
• Grading policy
• What will be covered in the course – this will give you a context to understand the information presented
• Exam, paper and project schedule (use this for your time management above)
• Any additional requirements (possibly a dress code if a pre-professional class, out-of-class requirements such as service learning, etc.)

You should refer to the syllabus throughout the semester and keep it until you graduate.  If you should happen to want to transfer the new school may use the syllabus to determine if class credits will transfer.

There is a possibility that your professor may be unorganized and not present a detailed syllabus or may change dates due to inclement weather or illness.  If this happens, do your best to keep organized and don’t hesitate to ask questions if there is something unclear.  I guarantee others in the class feel the same way!

The next blog will look at the small, everyday decisions and actions that lead to success.

*****

First Semester Success, 2nd edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hard copy from amazon.com and as a hard copy from wordassociation.com.  Click  on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 series #2: The power of goal setting

Working hard is a lot easier if you know what you want to achieve.  One powerful but easy thing to do is to set goals – both long-term and short-term.   A workable goal needs to have three characteristics:

·       Be measurable

·       Have a time limit

·       Be attainable*

*Some people think you should set a goal that is extremely high, and then if you don’t quite make it you will still be successful.  I prefer to reach the goal and then immediately set another.

At the beginning of the semester it is a good idea to set a goal for the semester – for example a grade-point average you would like to achieve.  My advice was always to write it on an index card and post it somewhere in your room where you will see it every day. I recently read a great idea for this in Fail Until You Don’t by Bobby Bones.  He suggested typing the goal in your phone and then making that your screen saver so you see it multiple times a day.  Given how many times we look at our phones, that is a great idea!

Short-term goals can be for a week or a day.   Many students start the day with a to-do list.  It is a great motivator to cross off what you have done plus you feel more organized and directed throughout the day.

The next blog will look at time management and the importance of your class syllabi.   Time management in particular fits with goal setting because having specific goals helps you use your time more efficiently.  For now, think about, and then write down what you want to achieve this semester.  Make a to-do list for today and/or tomorrow to strategically plan how you will achieve your goal. 

*****

First Semester Success, 2nd edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and as a hard copy from wordassociation.com.   Click on the upper right link.

Spring Semester 2019 Blog #1 - Getting Started

This starts a semester-long series of 15 blogs running from the first day of classes to final exams.   The first entry is about what to consider during the first few days of the semester depending on whether this is your first semester, a semester following some problems such as academic probation, or simply continuing on with your success.

If you are a first-time student, look at big picture:

·       How are your classes arranged throughout the week?

·       When will you study?

·       What tutoring is available on campus?

·       How do you plan to exercise and eat properly? 

·       Be sure you are connected to the internet and are accessing your school email. 

·       Find out what on-line grade and communication system will each professor use.

·       Do you have all the academic materials you need such as textbooks and access to on-line supplements or classroom supplies?

I

f you are a successful returning student:

·       How are your classes arranged this semester compared to the previous semester (more spread out, compressed, early, late in the day)?

·       What are the best times to study this semester?

·       What studying habits will you maintain?

·       What changes do you need to make that will further enhance your success?

If you were not successful in previous semesters:

·       Where can you make positive changes?

·       What went well that you will continue?

·       Which classes will require more effort? 

·       If you are retaking a class to erase a low grade, think about what you will do differently this semester – do not just repeat what you did before! 

·       Also read the things information for the first-time student and be sure those are covered.

Remember that the habits you start to develop this first week will guide your entire semester.  It is much easier to start the semester with positive habits rather than make corrections after the first few weeks!

The next blog will deal with setting goals, both short term and long term, and how to ensure you succeed

*****
First Semester Success: 2nd Edition, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available as an eBook and hardcopy from amazon.com and as a hardcopy from wordassociation.com.  Click on the upper right link.