Gaps – DIY Homework

Filling Gaps: Overcoming a Poorly Taught Class

January 30, 2019

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Group Studying, Independent Learning, self-advocacy, Self-Care, Strategic Advantage, Study Groups, Study Skills, Studying, Teachers, Tests

Teaching is a very challenging profession, but we need to realize that some classes do not work for some students. The cause of these gaps can be stylistic, lack of access to resources, unclear lectures, or a combination of many interconnected issues. The solution is to figure out how to learn the material in the class independently. This is often hard for students because of the expectation in middle and high school is that learning will be directed by an…

Filling Gaps: Asking for Help

January 28, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Teams

One of the best ways to fill gaps is to use your team. Most teachers are trying their best, but sometimes classes are poorly organized. Learning is a group activity. Like 0

Filling Gaps: Building in Study Time

January 24, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Study Skills

Sometimes the best way to address the gaps is to build in study time. Students often need to use the materials in new ways. For example, students can hone their notes or collect information from their worksheets. Active learning can help students increase their test scores and be successful in most classes. Like 0

Filling Gaps: Learning Levels

January 21, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Learning Levels, Strategic Advantage

Sometimes students miss points on an exam because they do not understand what level of learning the teacher is expecting. Often students assume that teachers want a regurgitation of facts when they actually want a higher level of thinking. This video explains how understanding the correct level of learning can students study with less stress. Like 0

Filling Gaps: Using Old Tests

January 16, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Learning Cycle, Learning Levels, Study Skills

One of the best ways to fill gaps is to look at old tests. Old tests are amazing because they give you insights into what level the teacher is expecting. Students can then look back at their test prep to find what is missing or what they missed. Like 0

Filling Gaps: Finding Resources

January 14, 2019

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Learning Cycle

This video provides more details about how students and parents can start filling gaps. Sometimes filling these gaps can be tricky because resources are no longer contained in a single textbook. Because students may not have textbooks their learning materials can consist of websites, handouts, homework sheets, group discussions, and a myriad of other resources. Because students get so many materials they do not know what is important to keep and this can make studying for tests challenging. Like 0

Study Stepping Stones: The Frustration of Busy Work

December 3, 2018

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Gaps, Getting Unstuck, Learning Cycle

Class structure and homework types can create different types of gaps in knowledge and these gaps can impact test scores. For more information check out my previous post. When I was discussing this idea with students we identified another important type of work to understand busy work. Watch the video below to see why busy work can feel so frustrating. Like 0

Increasing Your Test Scores: Finding Material Gaps

November 12, 2018

jessicafinnigan

Active Learning, Finals Prep, Gaps, Strategic Advantage, Study Skills, Studying, Systems

Do you ever feel like you are studying for tests and doing all of your homework but not getting the scores that you want? This is an incredibly frustrating situation and often the advice is to “study harder” or to “study longer” but these approaches do not always work. Watch the video below to explore why some classes are harder to study for and what you can do about it. Like 0