ACADEMICS PLUS AT SJJ

Did You Know?

MRS. NIXON’S TOP TEN LIST FOR BETTER GRADES

“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”
-Henry Ford

NUMBER TEN: BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
Recognize the talents and abilities you possess and believe that you can succeed. Set your academic goals now – write your classes below and the highest possible grade you think you can achieve in each one.
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NUMBER NINE: BE ORGANIZED.
Use an assignment book. Use K-12 Planet. Use 3-ring notebooks and pocket files for class notes, handouts, assignments, quizzes, and tests. Always know your grades in every class (Ignorance is not bliss).

Have phone numbers for classmates. Keep your locker, backpack and study area neat.
Get organized before you go to bed.

NUMBER EIGHT: MANAGE YOUR TIME WELL.
Use class time and study halls. Create and use your own study plan (Do not procrastinate). Prepare for sabotage and avoid it.

NUMBER SEVEN: BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM (LEARN HOW TO PLAY THE GAME).
Learn how to adapt to different teachers. Be in school on time every day. Be prepared for each class – books, paper, pencil, etc. Always HAVE ALL OF YOUR HOMEWORK DONE before you come to school. Be ready to learn (attitude is BIG), and come well rested, well fed and alert. Sit in the front of the room. Watch your body language and nonverbal behavior. Participate. Treat others with courtesy and respect. Involve your parents.

NUMBER SIX: TAKE GOOD NOTES.
Be an active listener. Take notes to help you pay attention. Recognize important information. Take notes that are easy to read (heading on top of each page, use one side of the paper and skip lines, abbreviate). Go over your notes as soon as possible. Get notes if you are absent.

NUMBER FIVE: KNOW HOW TO READ A TEXTBOOK.
Survey, question, read/write, recite, and review. You will have better comprehension, better retention and better grades. Use Kurzweil as a study aid.

NUMBER FOUR: STUDY SMART.
Find a good place to study. Get started. Know your learning style. Experiment with music without words. Organize your study time. Know how to study for tests. Use tricks for memorization. Know how to write a paper (timeline, brainstorm, outline, rough draft, follow directions exactly, have someone proof it, make it neat, and turn it in on time).

NUMBER THREE: USE TEST-TAKING STRATEGIES.
Be ready. Develop a plan (like DETER: Read the DIRECTIONS carefully, EXAMINE the entire test to see how much you have to do, Decide how much TIME you should spend on each question – what is worth the most points? Answer the EASIEST items first. REVIEW your answers when you finish for accuracy and completeness.) Mark questions you want to return to later. Increase your odds on multiple choice. Look for key words in true/false questions. Know how to approach essay questions. Be prepared for open book tests. Check your answers. Go over returned tests and file them.

NUMBER TWO: REDUCE TEST ANXIETY.
Start studying early. Know the type of test you will take. Walk in confident. Use relaxation techniques. Visualize.

NUMBER ONE: GET HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT.
Identify the problem and go to the resource people in your building to resolve the problem immediately. Everyone struggles sometime, the smart ones get help.

“Successful people have learned to make themselves do the thing that has to be done, whether they like it or not.” -Aldous Huxley

Understanding Retention
When we learn by lecture, we retain 5%
When we learn by reading, we retain 10%
When we learn by A-V presentation, we retain 20%
When we learn by answering questions, we retain 30%
When we learn by discussion, we retain 50%
When we learn by immediate use, we retain 90%.

Works Cited
O’Brian, Linda. How to Get Good Grades. Woodburn Press. Dayton, Ohio
Strichart, Stephen and Mangrum, Charles. Teaching Learning Strategies and Study Skills.
Third Edition. Allyn and Bacon. Boston. 2002
Tilton, Linda. The Teacher’s Toolbox for Differentiating Instruction. Covington Cove Publications. Shorewood, Minnesota.