Study Skills

Deep Dive: honed notes

The main purpose of honing notes is to refine them and make them your own. There are many ways to hone your in class notes. Sometimes honing your notes makes them longer, sometimes it makes them shorter. They should NOT be a neater recopied version of the in-class notes. The key is to learn how you want to sharpen your notes in a variety of classes because not all classes are the same. Building intuition around in class and honed…

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Taking Notes: paper vs computer

There is a lot of debate about the best way to take notes. There are some studies that show that paper note taking is better for long term retention than computer-based notes. I do not think that the conclusions of these studies are not as clear as suggested. But they do highlight some important points to consider when picking a note taking strategy. 1- Paper can be easier to draw on that most software. This is very helpful for classes…

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Introduction: How to use Notes More Effectively

For the next few weeks, I will be covering note-taking strategies and tips.  Taking notes in class and from textbooks is a skill. And like most study skills, it is rarely modeled. This is unfortunate because notes are an invaluable resource for students, especially in college.  Notes support the whole learning cycle, they can use for encoding and can be converted into quizzable study tool. Taking notes in class has historically helped students stay focused and attentive.  As we move away from…

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The Secret to Success: Tools, Teams, and Routines

We all need three things to get things done effectively. We need the correct tools, helpful teams, and robust routines.  When all three of these are in place we can accomplish a lot more with less stress. Tools The more tools students have in their toolbox the faster and more effectively they can study. Students who have access to a large number of study tools can be strategic.  They can match the tool and their approach to the type of quiz,…

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Filling Gaps: Overcoming a Poorly Taught Class

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…

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How do you know you are done studying?

Do you know when you are ready to take a test? When I ask my students this question most of them look at me like I am crazy. This is a complex question because it requires us to think about our own thinking. This type of thinking is called “metacognition” and it is an important skill.  Individuals who can assess their own thinking have a strategic advantage in school and life. Watch the video to see how being able to…

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Filling your Basket of Knowledge and Skills

Have you ever studied for a test and then there was more information on the test? It is very frustrating when we study for exams, but we do not study the right information. Knowing what is on your test by collecting all your resources is the foundational step in the learning cycle. It is often overshadowed by the explanation of getting information in and out of our brains. Watch this short video about filling your basket of knowledge and skills. Like…

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Avoid the Word “Study”

When making a study plan do not use the word “study” or “studying” because these words are so general.  It is very easy to stick “study Spanish” into our planners.  But what will we actually do to learn Spanish better?  Watch the video to learn how using descriptive words can help you study faster with less stress.   Like 0

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Increasing Your Test Scores: Finding Material Gaps

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

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Homework Help: Math and Science

Do you ever get stuck on a math or science problem? Do you want to get it done quickly and accurately? In these situations, it can be so frustrating to know how to get help. One of the best resources I have found is Harvey Mudd College’s Free Homework Hotline. This hotline is free and helps students in 4th -12th grades. Watch the video to find out how the homework hotlines can help you get your work done faster with less…

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Study Strategies: Power of Self-Testing

Do you ever study for a test and you do not score well? We often focus on how to get information into our brains, rarely talk about how getting information out of our brains. Getting information out of our brains is important because what tests measure is how well we can get information out of our brains.  This gap is puzzling because we have over 200 years or research that demonstrates the positive impact of self-testing. This study method can…

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Make it Stick – Chapter 4

Learning is a Multi-Step Process 1- Encoding – knowledge that is being learned, [working and short-term memory] 2- Consolidation – moving to learn into long-term memory 3- Retrieval- practice strengthening pathways and update your learning. See how the Learning Cycle connects all these stages of learning. We build Learning on Stuff that we Already Know Our brains are hard-wired to make connections. One very important learning strategy is to connect new ideas that students are learning to things they already…

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Make it Stick: Chapter 3

Reflection Often learning feels so dry that students stop thinking about their learning as soon as they leave a class. But studies have shown that being able to reflect on and process the information they get each day and connect all the ideas that they are learning. The best way I have found to help students do this is to use a Graphic Organizer. Cramming is Not the Answer We have these firm beliefs that studying with the single-minded focus…

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Asking Teachers for Help

Are you intimidated when talking to teachers? Often these conversations are scary because we don’t get a lot of practice talking to teachers outside of class. Preparing for these meetings can help reduce your stress, and make the meeting more productive.  I often have students use a template when they are preparing to talk to teachers.   Template  This template helps students clarify what they know, kind of know, and don’t know, and can help them define the spots where they…

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Analyzing Papers, Projects, and Tests

When students get an assessment back it is very common for parents and teachers to help them analyze their work. This process can help students critically examine their work, effort, and approach.  I explain how we can modify this process and help students become more self-reflective and open to critical feedback. When students can pinpoint what went well they can start to build mental models and study habits around their success.  Many students have never been asked to reflect on what…

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