Happy New Year! Remember the brouhaha a year ago? It seems like such a short while ago. But time marches on and the sooner we accept that once it is lost it cannot be recaptured, the better we will be able to face the importance of making every moment count. This article focuses on the new school year. Important issues will be discussed under headings. Display this article prominently and refer to it often so you will be better able to cope with the demands of the year 2008.
The demands of school
The new directive from all relevant curriculum body lays out a plan where the stress is on applying knowledge, coming up with creative solutions and developing and using critical thinking skills. This will make learning more challenging and interesting.As teachers and parents alike, most will definitely applaud this development in education! However, I have to admit that many students will be overwhelmed by the new challenges they face. Some may be tempted to give up. Don't! It may appear daunting at first, but once you get into the right groove, you will be fascinated and keen to learn.
Learning how to learn
Perhaps, more important than the actual process of learning facts and figures is learning how to learn. Once we have mastered how to learn, then what we learn is easier to handle.
1. Learning should begin at the very beginning of the school year
Experienced teachers will tell you that learning should begin at the very beginning of each school year. Waiting just before a test or exam to study will not do. But learning does not mean learning by heart because memorizing chunks of information is useless if you are unable to relate to a question asked or apply it to a given situation. You must understand what is being taught. If you don't, immediately approach the teacher, your tuitor or someone you know, who understands the topic(s), and subject(s).
2. Use study cards for information gathering & quick revision
One of the most effective ways to learn is identifying important points on each topic and putting them on a ruled card. These cards are available in a variety of colours at most stationary stores. Get one colour for each subject and from the beginning of the year, condense information on these cards for easy revision. Highlighters may be used to highlight important words/phrases/headings.
3. Project Work
Project work will feature more as the years go by. Make sure each member of the group is committed to his/her part of the work. You may have to motivate the lazy, disinterested group member(s). One way to ensure that everyone pulls his/her weight is to list the work done by each member as part of the project presentation. This will highlight who is not doing his/her fair share of the work. It is then the teacher's duty to deal with the non-active group member(s).
4. Tuition
You should tell the tutor what you find difficult to understand. Ask your tutor for additional information. Seek your tutors advice on the type of questions you are good at answering because the questions you answer in an exam will determine the marks you get. Knowing your strengths is vital. The task of a tutor is to teach you, not throw piles of assessment exercises at you. A tutor should go through all your written work and make sure you understand anything you got wrong. If an assessment exercise is given to you and you make a mistake, ask the tutor to teach you the correct way of tackling the work so you won't make a mistake in future. Your tutor should ensure yo understand the week's work taught in the classroom.
5. Strategies for learning
» Use your text-book
Your text-book is your basic guide. Seek additional information from the library and use the Internet as you can boost your grades.
» Note-taking is vital in secondary (junior and senior) school and beyond
Develop the habit of jotting down notes when a lesson is in progree or when you are watching a documentary so you can gather useful information.
» Create files on topics of current interest
These could be used again and again. This is an excellent way to improve your grades. Divide topics among friends so each specializes in some topics yet gains loads of material by sharing information. Your general knowledge will also improve.
Group work
Group work is helpful as it makes studying less monotonous, especially for those who can't handle it alone. If you can, then nothing is as gainful as self-study. Group work helps during the preparatory stages; information-gathering, dicussions, division of work, pair-work for testing formulas and facts. Discussions should be part of group work. If no consensus is reached, don't waste time arguing. Seek the help of a teacher.
6. Goal setting
Setting major goals for yourself at the beginning of the year is very important so you see the big picture. Then you set shorter-term goals for each term and even goals for each week. By breaking up the learning load you have much less to do at each session and won't become overwhelmed as the exam(s) approach. Set realistic goals. One of the problems people face is setting goals they can't achieve, then they get discouraged, become frustrated, stressed and give up. Don't let this happen to you. You must have the strenth to stick with the programme. Back-sliding is human. Forgive yourself if this happens but be firm with yourself at the same time. Don't give up the moment you back-slide. Be determined to progress and make up for lost time. Your motto: Get back on track ASAP.
7. Dealing with stress
Stress is very real and I would be the first to admit that life is getting more stressful because we are being consrantly boombarded with information, options and demands. Stress rears its ugly head when we can't cope and, in most cases, we can't cope because we don't have a plan. This is why this article appears just before the beginning of the year. It seeks to help you form a workable plan, draw up realistic goals and balance your life such that you will not find yourself wanting to tear your hair out. If stress is health-related, then you have to see a doctor before it destroys you.
8. Co-Curricular Activity (CCA)
Students know how important CCA is. Choose something you like and are good at. Selecting something your best friend is in may not be the best decision. Remember you will make new friends amongst those who share your interests.
9. Quiet time
Spending time by yourself is very important. You need time to read, something people don't do enough these days. It is a great stress reliever. Have a hobby if it makes you relax and gives you a sense of well-being.
10. Time with the family
Time with the family, be it a meal, an outing or conversation is not to be overlooked. Your family is a part of you: never forget this.
11. Friends & BG relationships
Often, there is a tendency to let friends and/or BG relationships take over one's life. Teens get so involved that they let everything else suffer. Chatting on the phone, time spent in the chatroom and hanging out should be restricted and monitored. Heavy BG relationships could end up adversely affecting your future. Trod with caution. The holidays are the right time to have a good time. Be sensible during the school term. Control the number of hours devoted to these activities.
12. Courses
There are several courses available that offers teenagers opportunities to discover new ways of learning & gathering information. These course include mind-mapping, brain gym and other methods that stimulate the brain and faciliate learning.
13. You & your health
No matter what anyone tells you, remember your health is important. If you are to function well in school. Poor health causes you to lose concentration, feel depressed and it interferes with your general well-being. Being overweight is one culprit that often makes students lethargic and sluggish. Watch what you eat, get sufficient sleep and exercise. Drink plenty of water. The trick is to drink a little often. Don't gulp water, sip it. Carry water wherever you go.
14. Do a good deed
Make a point of doing at least one good deed in the year 2008. Help raise money for those less fortunate than yourself. If we can be unselfish when we are young, we will grow up to be caring, concerned citizens. This should be one of the aims of every school child. It's never too early to learn this valuable lesson.
15. Your self-image
How do you view yourself can affect how you live your life. Don't be unrealistic about your weight, your complexion, your popularity. It is a mistake to starve yourself just to be skinny. When you are studying you need to keep your strength up, so eating well-balanced meals are important. Cut down on fast foods. Besides pilling on the calories, they are often the reason why students have bad skin. All that saturated fat is the enemy of your body and cimplexion. Fruits and servings of vegetables are a must if you want to maintain a healthy body. Another area that makes many students fail to perform in school is their fear that noody likes them. This causes hurt and unhappiness. My suggestion is, join a club or society that interests you so you will meet people who share your interests. This is a great basis for forming lasting friendships.
It is also important to learn to like and accept yourself. Each of us is an individual. Each of us is special in our own way. Trying to be a poor imitation of someone else doesn't work and will only bring frustration and unhappiness. Developin your personality is far more important than your looks. A happy, witty, fun-loving, kind and caring person cannot help but attract others to him/her. BUT be careful people can spot a fraud easily. They will know if you are pretending. Happiness is infectious and people will be drawn to you. Unhappiness will keep people away from you. Decide that you will be positive in the year 2008.. This will empower you to succeed. I wish you all success. Go for it.
A final thought
I leave you with this thought - you could have a face-lift, tummy tuck and liposuction to regain your looks but time, once squandered, cannot ever be recaptured! Countless adults say "What if I had not squandered my youth and studied harder... looked after my health etter... appreciated my family more... waited to find that special someone instead of rushing into a disastrous relationship...? The response is - TOO LATE! What you decide to do now will determine your future. I urge you to make the right choices now. Good luck and good health!
Labels: benefits of tuition, brand new year, demands of school, facing 2008, leanring how to learn, project work, strategies for learning, year 2008
