Reflect on Your Success

 

As my students left class for Thanksgiving break I asked them to tell me one of the following things: “What is one thing you have learned, accomplished or are proud of this semester.”  It did not have to be academic, just something from their first 13 weeks as a college student.  Here are some of the answers:

• Passing biology
• Getting an 'A' in biology
• How to study
• How to talk to people they did not know
• Meeting people different from themselves
• How much they miss their family
• How much they miss their dogs
• How much they miss their couch/own bed
• How to do laundry
• How to clean a bathroom
• How to be independent

Particularly if you are a freshman, this is a good time to pause and think about everything you learned and have done and to feel good about what you have accomplished.   Happy Thanksgiving!


PS – One student who just broke his foot said he learned to not do stupid things!  I changed that around and said he was learning how to overcome adversity as he navigated around campus on crutches!

 

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

 

A Word About Words

My students are working on a culminating project for my Critical Reading and Thinking course.  For the project they are to find two articles with different points of view on the same general topic.   One of the questions asks them to find at least five words they do not know in the article and define them.  Most of the articles come from popular newspapers and magazines or web sources.   One thing that I noticed is the difficult level of the words in the articles.   This was reinforced by a conversation with a History professor teaching a freshman level course.  He found that students had trouble with his exams, not because of their knowledge of the course material, but because they did not know many of the general words he used.  Aside from enrolling in a vocabulary course, what can you do to increase your vocabulary?

* READ!  READ!  READ!

* Pay attention to words you do not know.  After the second time you run into the word, write it down, look it up and write the definition.   Put these on your desk and review periodically.

* In a content course you will have to make a concerted effort to learn the content-specific words.  Pay attention to word parts that appear often.  These will help you unlock future words.

* Try playing freerice.com.  This is a nice website that quizzes you on words and donates grains of rice for every right answer.  Fun, learning and a good deed all wrapped in one!

Enjoy exploring and learning new words.  You reading comprehension will increase as well as your enjoyment of language!

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Strategies for GREAT Essay Answers

I am spending the weekend grading my students’ essay exams.    I reminded them last week that their goal is to demonstrate how well they read and understood the assignment and that they should make my job easy.  Here are some ideas:

* Read the ENTIRE question.

* Pause and think about the answer.

* Mark up the questions.  Number the parts, underline important words.

* Consider making a brief outline before starting to write.

* If it is a multiple part question, answer each part in order.

* Restate the question in your first sentence to keep your answer directed and on topic.

* Use signal words to help the professor follow along.  If there are three parts, use words like “first, second, third.”   If they ask for examples to prove your point, start the sentence with “For example.”

* If you have time, reread your answer.  Be sure that it makes sense.  Put yourself in the place of the professor and see if it is clear.

* Keep in mind that you are the writer and your job is to be clear for the reader.   Don’t assume the reader/professor will “know what you mean” because they obviously know the material.  Your job is to clearly explain the information and to demonstrate how well you do know the material.

There is no substitute for knowing the correct answer, but you still have to communicate that answer to your professor so that they know that you know!!! 

 *****

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

Take Care of Your Health

At my institution we do not have any break until Thanksgiving and students are getting run down and sick.  How you feel physically has a big influence on your ability to learn. Plan to take care of yourself in these five ways:

* Sleep: The best way to get a good night’s sleep is to go to bed and get up at about the same time every day. Naps are fine, but a nap is about 20–30 minutes. If you get into your pajamas and under the covers, you have gone back to bed! Too much sleep during the day can disrupt your sleep at night and take away from valuable study time.

* Exercise: Exercise has multiple benefits—it helps your brain function well, gives you energy, helps keep your weight under control, and helps you fight off germs. Most schools have beautiful fitness centers and organized classes—take advantage of what they have to offer.

* Good nutrition: On many college dining plans you can eat whatever and whenever you want, but there is no one to remind you to plan or eat balanced meals. Remember to eat from a variety of groups and include fresh fruit and vegetables. Don’t go crazy with sugary desserts and fried food.

* If your parents agree, get a flu shot.  The flu can run rampant through the dorms and classrooms, so protect yourself.

* Wash your hands often.  This is your best defense against colds and flu!

The better you physically feel, the better you will be able to concentrate and learn.

*****

First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

The Benefits of Looking Ahead

For most of us the semester is about half over.  The second half always seems to go faster than the first.  Now is a good time to look ahead and plan your work for the remainder of the semester.


If you have not done so already, write down all your major exams, papers and assignments.  You can probably get the final exam schedule, so put your exams on your calendar also.  If you know an exam is cumulative, note that as well.


Next, see if there is anything outside your classes that you need to take care of. This could be anything like going home for someone's birthday, attending a cultural or sporting event, scheduling future classes or talking with financial aid.  All of these things are important and cannot be put off.


Then see if there is anything you can do ahead of schedule - start the paper, plan the project or buy the birthday gift.


Finally, make a weekly to-do list at the beginning of each week.  You can also have a long-term list. It is very motivating to cross things off as they are accomplished!


You want to enjoy your time in college while you are learning.  Planning ahead will help avoid stress and give you time to relax and enjoy the moment!


*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

The Difference Between LEARN and REVIEW

One major study strategy is to review your notes as soon as possible after each lecture class.  However, when I say this to my students, I really mean two things - REVIEW and then LEARN.   These are two different things and both are necessary.


When you REVIEW your notes you should read them and do the following:
* Make spelling corrections.
* Add words as needed to make clearer.
* Identify any questions you have.
* Identify areas where you might need more background knowledge to completely understand.
* Identify vocabulary words you need to know.
* Consider highlighting the main topics so you can clearly see the organization.
* Remember that you will possibly be using these notes several weeks from now to study for a mid-term or final exam, so be sure they are clear enough that you will understand what you mean at a much later date.
* If your notes are not well organized or clear, consider rewriting.


When you LEARN the information you can do the following:
* Use recitation - read a section of notes, restate in your own words from memory and then check yourself.  If you are successful move on, if not, repeat.
* Put your notes into a study guide format (chart, concept map, study cards, time line, etc.).
* Make a practice test and take the next day.
* Predict exam questions and answer - in writing if it will be an essay exam.
* Form a study group and teach or quiz each other.
* Combine your lecture notes with information from the textbook if applicable.


Both steps and necessary for long-term retention.  Remember that learning takes time and effort, so keep current.


*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies and Motivation for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

Multiple Exams in One Week

My students are in the midst of midterms and most have several exams scheduled in the same week.  This is quite manageable as long as you plan ahead and then stick to the plan. 


Make sure:
*You have recorded all major exams, papers and projects on your monthly calendar.  Some professors will not announce an exam until the previous class, and
*You have all the materials you need for the exam.


Then:
*Start a week before each exam.
*Make a list of all topics that will be covered, possible in the form of a review chart with space to add information.
*Start with the topic you learned first and relearn that day one.
*Day two, relearn the next oldest topic and review the first.
*Day three, relearn the next topic and review one and two.
*Continue until you have learned all topics.
*Continue to review all until the day of the exam.


One problem many students have is multiple exams in one day, sometimes back-to-back.  Make a one page review chart for the second class and review that as you travel from the first exam to the second.  That way you brain will transition from the first topic to the second.


Of course it goes without saying that you should get a good night's sleep and eat breakfast before the exams!


Next week - the difference between "learning" and "reviewing" and some strategies for each.


*****
First Semester Success: Learning Strategies for Your First Semester (or Any Semester) of College, by Dr. Arden B. Hamer, is available at wordassociation.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.