How To-79: "How to Become an Adult Self Learner"

How to Become an Adult Self Learner

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

People who are truly effective generally did not get that way by sitting still, and learning doesn't stop just because school does. Make a commitment to yourself to learn something new every day. Then, keep at it and enjoy what you discover.

Steps

1. Learn how you learn. Determine your own preferred learning style or styles. Notice what learning techniques are most effective for you and use them as much as is practical.
   
• Most people learn through multiple methods but favor one or two. Use your preferences to your advantage.
  
2. Learn where your talents and interests lie. Try many different things.
   
3. Look at learning as an exploration and opportunity, not a chore. Don't force yourself to learn things just because they're important. Instead, learn things that you need to learn alongside things you love to learn. Follow your heart, as well as your sense of duty.
   
4. Read, read, read. Make friends with your local library and new and used book sellers.
   
• Read all sorts of books. Just because you're usually a mystery fan doesn't mean you shouldn't try nonfiction now and then. Don't limit yourself.
  
• Recognize the educational value in whatever you read. Nonfiction, of course, teaches about its subject. Fiction teaches writing, storytelling, vocabulary, and various things about human nature.
  
• Newspapers, magazines, manuals, and comic books are all reading.
  
5. Broaden your definition of learning. Take a look at the theory of multiple intelligences if you don't know it yet. Consider how you might fit in, and where you can improve.
   
• Refine your existing skills. Are you already good at fly fishing? Computers? Teaching? Playing saxophone? Hone these skills and take them to the next level.
  
• Try new things, both inside and outside your preferred skill areas.
  
6. Do things. As an adult, your experience may be your best teacher. Whether you work for pay or volunteer your time, focus on a project or tinker with whatever grabs your attention, try lots of things and notice the results.
   
7. Create. Not all learning comes from outside you. In fact, some of the most powerful learning happens when you are creating or formulating something for yourself. Try different media and methods and refine the ones you like. Creation, like intelligence, can be artistic or scientific; physical or intellectual; social or solitary.
   
8. Observe. Look more closely at your world, and examine both the usual and the unusual. Also, look at the world from different levels. Chances are you already respond differently to the news of a friend than to the news of a country, for example.
   
9. Respond to what you observe, and notice and examine your own response.
   
10. Take classes, both formal and informal. No matter how dedicated an autodidact you are, some subjects are best learned with the aid of a teacher. Remember that a teacher may be found in a classroom, but also in an office, a neighbor's garage, a store, a restaurant, or a taxi cab.
    
11. Ask questions. Asking the right questions can be more important than having the answers. It can also turn just about anybody into a teacher. Be sure to listen closely and understand the response.
    
12. Evaluate and reflect on what you learn. Does it make sense? Is it true? Who said so? How was it determined? Can it be verified? Is an argument or piece of advice logical, valuable, applicable?
    
13. Keep a journal or notebook to record what you learn and what questions you still have. Questions can teach as much as or more than answers. A journal or notebook can also record your progress.
    
14. Apply what you learn. This is the best way to test it and it will help you learn it more completely and retain it longer.
    
15. Teach others. Teaching is a wonderful way to learn a subject better and improve your own understanding of it. If you're not a teacher or tutor, you can write about your knowledge in a wiki or forum or simply volunteer an answer when somebody asks.

Tips

• Keep an open mind. Some of the greatest scientific, mathematical, artistic, and other advances came from questioning conventional wisdom and being open to unusual results and new, different ways of doing things.
  
• Leave your perfectionism behind. Experiment, make mistakes, and ask silly questions. If you wait until you know it all, you'll be waiting a long time.
  
• Have fun. Fun is a very important part of learning, especially as an adult. It is a big part of your motivation to continue.
  
• Sleep, exercise, and eat properly. Your overall health will influence how much you can effectively learn.
  
• Do what works best for you.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Become an Adult Self Learner. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-78: "How to Motivate Students"

How to Motivate Students

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Teaching students is not exactly easy.
Motivating students is even more difficult. In a school or college environment you have to constantly deal with kids that resent the idea of being influenced. Here's the thing though, this resentment is only due misinterpretation on the part of the teacher and the student. There are ways to bridge the generation gap so that you can get to the kids, and so that they can get you.

Steps

1. Understand why motivating students is such a challenge. The thing about students is that they are exposed to so many different people acting as 'teachers' in their lives. Everyone and everything is at this point, trying extremely hard to stimulate these kids, make them think, make them work and make them into people the world can be proud of. Because of this overwhelming input of stimulus and influence, kids struggle to find their own identity. Once they have recognized this, they tend to deal with the constant environmental pressure by adopting one important policy: "I will only allow you to influence me if you prove to me that you're worth it". This policy is their mechanism of making sure that the right person gets to them at the right time, and it's a good way of doing it. The only time it becomes an issue is when they get impressed by a person who is a bad influence, or when a good person makes no effort to impress them.
   
2. Stand Out. Having read the above step, you should have realized that you need to prove your worth to the students so they can allow you to influence them. You can't do this if you blend into the murky background of life. You need to stand out, catch their attention and hold it.
   
• Be Vocal. Have an opinion and make sure you submit it at an appropriate time. Avoid talking too much and/or being too opinionated. You need to come across as being informative, intelligent and as a person who is not afraid to speak their mind, not someone who is arrogant and self-centered.
  
• Be passionate about what you're teaching. Wide eyes, a grin and barely suppressed enthusiasm does wonders for a student. Even if they're not interested in your subject, your manner would amuse them. Most of all, because you are adamantly expressing your love for a subject, they will tend to mark you as a genuine person.
  
• Be energetic Enthusiasm is contagious. It is also a lot harder for kids to fall asleep in class if the teacher is bouncing off the walls (not that I am recommending bouncing off the walls). Make sure you have the energy to market your subject and yourself well.
  
• Bend a few rules. This requires a bit of care, but tends to really establish trust. If a student has been consistently not turning in work and they show up and tell you they haven't completed the assignment again. You need to recognize that something is wrong (even if it is just the student's attitude) and help. Discretely give them a bit more time to do it and make the topic a little bit easier. Yes it's bending the rules, but what you're doing is eliminating reasons for this to repeat itself. Make sure it is clear that you will not grant extensions like this again.
  
• Go the extra mile...even if it is just once. Do more than the average teacher is expected to do. In the case of the student above for example, if they fail to do the work on time, again. Call them after class and go through the entire assignment with them. Help them write it, show them how to do research, show them some papers other students have written. This is great because it eliminates all problems: if it's the student's attitude you are eliminating their excuses and if they genuinely were struggling with the work, they know exactly how to deal with it now. Be attentive, answer all questions and make sure they've completely understood your actions. Make sure you tell them that you will not work with them like this again. Ask them if they have understood and wait for their affirmative response before dismissing them.
  
• Put an effort into your appearance. You need to make a good impression, make sure you walk into class looking good. Try to dress a little better or differently than the average person.
  
3. Volunteer Information. This doesn't seem as important, but most teachers don't do it or don't do it right. Keep the students updated with recent developments regarding their subject. If you are a science teacher for example, you could 1) Bring an article from Scientific American for the students to read in class or 2) Give the students a summary of the article, show them pictures of the article, ask them questions about the concepts in the article and what certain sentences mean and tell them that you have copies of the article if anyone wants to pick them up after class. The second option is the better one. You need to understand that it is your job to get the students interested not the job of the material you present to them.
   
4. Dare to Jump Out of the Box. Do an extensive class project that is unconventional and fun. For example, your class could put on a science-related (or whichever subject related) play that you could perform at a local museum for younger children. The whole class could write a book that you could publish using a self-publishing service (these are rather cheap) and donate it to a local library. The thing about this is that the idea has to be different, you have to do it during class time or during some time in school (to avoid transportation and excess time issues) and you have to work with everyone every step of the way.
   
5. Watch the sarcasm. Sarcasm is actually a pretty good way to get along with students. It gives them the impression that you aren't vying for their approval, know the rules and have a good sense of humor. Your sarcasm though has to be well versed, well placed and make sure you smile while you're being sarcastic or right after. This is rather important. Students love sarcasm but your body language has to accompany it and make you come across as pleasant not mean.
   
6. Brag a little but not too much. You are trying to convince students that you are worth listening to, especially if you are trying to motivate them towards your field of study. You need to exhibit your talents. You are not just a teacher, you are really and truly good at what you do. It is almost like how you would present yourself during a job interview. Be humble about it but don't hide it. Make sure your pride comes through when you are talking to the students about your experiences or contributions. If you have impressive contacts invite them over. Try not to ask them to make a speech though, an interview type of interaction would be best.
   
7. Pay attention. If a student looks depressed or unwell. Call them out after class and just ask them if they are alright. Try to keep yourself semi-occupied when you do this. Look at them when you ask but don't keep staring at them until they answer you. If they say they are fine, don't press them. Just say "Alright, just thought you looked a bit down back there" and drop it and continue working. Just the fact that you're concerned is enough for them.
   
8. Bring out student opinions. Ask them what their opinions are on certain issues. Avoid questions like: "What do you think about the Presidential Election?", this tends to be a bit annoying. Just throw a one-liner that they can't avoid answering like "Democrat or Republican?". If their opinion differ from yours or are the same as yours, argue with them lightly, like you would informally with friends. Admit defeat once in a while. Even if you think you're right, you could end with: "You're good. I'll get back to you on that one"
   
9. Make a difference. If you see a problem or issue worth tackling, bring it up. Tell the students you want to do something about it and ask them what they think. Deal with the problem together and you'll make a difference together.
   
10. Make your expectations clear. Tell your entire class what you expect of them. What you want them to become. What kind of contributions you want them to make in their field, and in the world. Be passionate and be genuine. The most critical mistake that teachers make with this speech is this: they deliver it at the beginning of their class with the students. This usually brings about an opposite motivation. If you have a new class and you stand up before them and tell them how you know they are all wonderful people and in this class they will learn how to change the world, they students won't believe you and they will lose respect for you. What they're thinking is how can you know what kind of people they are without making an effort to find out? How do you expect them to change the world when you aren't telling them what the world is? How can you have the exact same expectation of everybody? And they're right. To most teachers all students are the same and so they feel comfortable expressing themselves in that sort of speech, but to a good teacher, each student is different. Even avoid the "Some of You" speech ("Some of you will become lawyers, some of you doctors..etc"). Save the speech for one of the last classes you have with them (not the last class) and make it personal. For example: "Ryan will find a cure for cancer, Kevin will give Bill Gates a run for his money, Wendy will decorate the world, Carol will probably give Kevin a run for his money...". Add a bit of humor and make sure it's obvious to the students that you have gotten to know something about every one of them. These are your expectations for these kids, just as you have proven yourself to them, they have proven themselves to you.
    
11. Expose them to the stimulus that they were blocking off before. Issues concerning people, the community, the country, the world. Anything that is important to you. Anything you want to motivate them with. Now that you've gained they're trust and they've decided you're worth listening to...they will. They will try and understand where you're coming from and why you feel a certain way. Even if they don't agree, they will be willing to make the effort.

Tips

• Do not talk slowly and deliberately. This gives students the impression that you don't think they'll get it if you talk at a normal pace.
  
• If you are a slow speaker generally, try talking faster than usual.
  
• Don't try to 'relate'. Most people don't do a very good job and its easy to see through.
  
• You have a teacher-student relationship, do not jeopardize that. Don't put yourself out as 'friend not teacher'. You need to respect the boundary here. You are a teacher, just a really good and different one.
  
• Make your involvement seem effortless. Whether you're talking, teaching, listening, clearing up your desk, reading something. You need to make it look completely effortless.
  
• Do not be over-attentive.
  
• Do not smile too much and don't smile to the whole class. Smile occasionally and to a specific person.
  
• You can't come across as someone who is "only human". If you are having a bad day, don't let it show. If you are upset or angry, don't let it show. You need to be the superhero figure here. At this point in their lives, these kids' role models are turning human. They are falling sick, disappointing everyone, getting divorced, getting depressed and are leaning on the student. The student interprets this as a sign that they are not strong enough to hold themselves up and don't lean back. They need someone to lean on, just in case. Your 'mortality' will jeopardize the chances of that someone being you. Don't tell them your problems, don't show them your weaknesses (unless its something trivial like drawing a straight line). If they come to you with a problem, relate by saying "That happened to me once" instead of saying "Oh crap, I know what that's like".

Warnings

• You can't get through to everybody. Be prepared for that.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Motivate Students. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-77: "How to Teach Younger Children"

How to Teach Younger Children

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The younger the children are, the easier it is to teach them. They are eager to learn, and are curious about everything. Their minds are like blank slates, waiting for information to be placed inside. It is never too young to teach a child, and parents should understand, that a young brain is open for information. Once a child gets older, and once their brain has not been used since birth, teaching and them remembering becomes more difficult

Steps

1. Teach them childrens' sign langage, while you teach yourself. Even at six months, a child can watch the videos and listen to the songs that teach Sign Language. They will watch, absorb and remember, and will be able to use the information themselves in a few more months. It is important , that the parents or parents watch with the child, so that they themselves will learn and can use the signs together.
   


2. Preparing breakfast in front of a young child is also a way to teach them. By the time a child reaches one year old, they should know about the foods they eat or drink. They should know how to set a table. Teach them, by telling them what is a fork, and a spoon. Teaching is an ongoing activity. Talking to them as you cut open an orange, will teach them what an orange is, and if you mention the color, they will learn the color orange also.
   


3. Buy books for the younger children. Buy books with simple story lines, and those that are repititious in words and phrases. Read them the sing song nursery rhymes, and make up little dances for them, or special movements even if they sit in a chair, with their hands. Make everything fun so they will enjoy learning.
   


4. Read a magazine with them, show them the pictures and teach them colors, words, and shapes. Buy them puzzles, and make room on the table for it. This should keep the child amused for quite a while.
   


5. Teaching does not have to mean sitting down and learning. Teaching should and be done on a daily basis, with everything that you do, or your child does with you.
   
   


• Brush your teeth in the morning, and teach them about their teeth.
  


• Wash your hands before you eat, teach them about cleanliness.
  


• Say prayers with them, if you are so inclined,and teach them why.
  


6. Answer questions when your child asks, remember, the child has only you to teach them, so teach them manners, how to tie their shoes, how to say thank you and please, and anything else that you know about.

Tips

• Remember, that you are smarter than the child at this stage, so do not feel uncomfortable teaching them how to read. If you cannot read well yourself, you still know more than they do.
  


• They love you, and need you, so be comfortable with them, find things for them to play with, and if you need to learn more crafts, just visit wikiHow, and find more.
  


• Enjoy your children, take them with you to visit the library, help them pick out books they would like to have read to them. Get them a library card of their own. This is always fun for a child to have.

Related wikiHows

• How to Teach Your Child Colors
  


• How to Teach a Child to Ride a Bike
  


• How to Teach Your Child to Recognize the Letters of the Alphabet
  


• How to Praise a Child
  


• How to Raise a Child

Sources and Citations

• Child sign language Source of information.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Teach Younger Children. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-76: "How to Be an Inspirational Teacher"

How to Be an Inspirational Teacher

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


An editor has suggested that this article be merged with: "How to Be a Teacher" Per the merge policy, if these topics are determined to be similar but distinct, then the articles will remain separate. Please comment on the discussion page. Notice added on 2008-01-24.
This article will show that any teacher can Be inspirational.

Steps

1. Have Empathy. Probably the greatest quality a teacher can have. Creating empathy is about bonding with your students. Cry with them, laugh with them. Try to be on their wavelength. Get to know their emotions and understand their feelings. Young people are easily stressed and sometimes under great pressure, but all you might see is anger, aggression, bad attitude or impatience. At this time you need to be compassionate and understand some bad stuff is going on in their lives. Search for the real person underneath and when you find them they will open up to you.
   
2. Develop a Positive Mental Attitude. Teachers are human like anyone else; however, the stresses of working with young people especially those with attitudinal and behavioural problems can sometimes be immense. This is the time you need to be strong. To keep a smile on your face when things get tough. To see the bright side of things. To seek to find the positive in every negative situation. To be philosophical. Why? Because your attitude is contagious. You have the choice to bring a light into your classroom or cast a shadow.
   
3. 'Grow' your Verbal Skills. Every great teacher is a great orator. If you can keep your students focused and interested just by talking to them then you are doing a great job. When was the last time you spoke about something and you could hear a pin drop? 'Just talking to them' means using passion, emotion, great eye contact, animated body language, voice modulation and feeling. Talk with conviction. Believe in what you say. Take your students on a wonderful journey every day.
   
4. Show Respect. Respect every human being that is in your classroom. Talk to them like you would talk to your closest friends. No one is more important in this world than anyone else. A great inspirational teacher is a human being who respects everyone no matter their attitude, colour, religion, creed or country. Every one of your students has a place on this earth. You can help them make a positive impact on it too. You have the power to change their lives. The Law of Reciprocity (you reap what you sow) will ensure that the respect you give out will come back to you a hundredfold.
   
5. Remember that your students are Individuals. Know your students inside and out. Do not pick on reward/punishment for all students, because they are all different individuals. Talk to your students and be involved in their lives. Use different teaching styles and strategies within the classroom, because everyone learns differently. Have options for big projects or presentations within your class. Most importantly, let your students be creative, do not limit them. Also, do not judge them. Do not have your own thoughts about them before they walk in your room, or after they leave. Look for the deeper meaning behind actions, instead of getting angry or upset.
   
6. Know that teaching is a noble profession. The day a teacher realizes that they have been given a great gift - the power to change lives, is the day an inspirational teacher is born. You have a choice either to believe you are a mediocre teacher teaching a boring subject to boring kids. Or, a human being helping other human beings to realize their full potential and go on and make a positive difference in their world. Your beliefs create your world.

Tips

• be different
  
• be humorous
  
• be kind
  
• be patient
  
• be respectful
  
• be understanding
  
• be helpful
  
• be loving
  
• just be the very best human being you can be

Sources and Citations

• http://school-teacher-student-motivation-resources-courses.com/goodteacher.html

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be an Inspirational Teacher. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-75: "How to Be a Popular Teacher"

How to Be a Popular Teacher

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Don't you hate it when you get the feeling that your pupils hate you? Here are some tips to get on their good side.

Steps

1. Have a unique character. This normally only works if you're new, but if you stick to a certain personality that may be mean/angry etc. you will gain respect for it, as long as you're not stupid or act like a snob.
   
2. Ask for a class opinion. Have a discussion with your class about what could make class more interesting. The same things normally come up like listening to music. Listen to their suggestions and compromise.
   
3. Be flexible. Listen to your students! You'll be amazed how much they'll respect you when you do. But don't let the kids rule you. Of course they'll want to take advantage of these fun things, but you still want to maintain control. Do not be overly strict.
   
4. Make the work you give to students fun. Any subject can be interesting if done through a game or puzzles. Never waste the students' time. Make sure that your assignment is actually going to teach them something or help them apply class principles in real life. Busy work is a hassle for everyone. Moreover, they will see it it as pointless for you teach something not relevant to the subject you are teaching.
   
5. Stay in fashion. While still dressing appropriately for your age and maintaining decorum, keep in touch with fashion to help the students relate to you more. Discussing what's new in trends with your students will give you a better feel for where they're coming from as well.
   
6. Keep in mind that your students cannot remember everything. Make sure to remind them about things when necessary.
   
7. Know how to console your students. Be someone who can give advice on solving the students' dilemma. Give respect, and never humiliate a student in front of the class unless the context is a very clear joke. Remember, humiliation offends far more people than just the student in question.
   
8. Show your passion! Stay interested and involved with your work, remember why you became a teacher in the beginning. Your love of a subject and excitement for it can influence your pupils greatly.

Tips

• DO NOT be hypocritical. If you want your students to take their coats off indoors, make sure you do so too.
  
• Grade fairly. Make sure that not all of your assignments are subjective. For those that are, take precautions such as reading the first page with the name last, or having students write their names on the backs of the papers so you don't know who it is before you grade.
  
• Don't be someone you're not. People can see right through you. It is more likely to get you made fun of than popular with students.
  
• If you don't know the answer, don't be afraid to say "I don't know." Students often know when the teacher doesn't have a clue and that leads to a dramatic loss of respect. (And then don't take the question as a challenge to your knowledge. Take it as a good question from a good, curious student.)
  
• If you have a student who has read something that you haven't or has an idea you don't know how to respond to, respect their opinion and appreciate that someone has taken the time to do some extra research. If you don't know how to respond, say things like "I've never heard that before. I will have to do some research." It will actually make the student feel that his opinions are valid.
  
• Don't naively believe that everyone believes the same things you do (especially when it comes to religion), even if you live in a region where most people believe the same things.
  
• Stop complaining how much you have to grade. You were the one who assigned it. If you don't want to grade it, don't assign it!
  
• Don't check out, especially if you teach high school. Letting movies teach your class for you isn't cool; it is lazy and shows the students you don't care.
  
• Care about what you teach! If you don't like it, your students won't either. If you expect your students to get good grades and put forth an effort, you have to as well.
  
• Remember that education is more than teaching students what to think, it is also teaching them how to think. Encourage diverse opinions (even if those opinions differ from your own).
  
• Don't complain about your job, salary, or that you have to do conferences - it is part of your job, you picked it. If a business man told his customers how much he hated his job, would they buy his product? No! It also makes students feel bad about themselves if you hate being there with them.

Related wikiHows

• How to Become Popular by Using Good Communication Skills
  
• How to Become Popular On Your Own Terms
  
• How to Become a Tutor/personal Teacher
  
• How to Become Liked

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Be a Popular Teacher. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-74: "How to Use Web Resources for Teaching"

How to Use Web Resources for Teaching

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit


This article is a stub. You can help by expanding and clarifying it. Notice added on 2007-10-23.

We can get together as educators and document all the useful resources on the web that will enhance our teaching experience. There's so many websites out there that are just waiting for us to find. Let's get started. Post you favorite websites here!

Steps

1. Post your original lesson plans on the Reading International Wiki. This will turn them into a collaborative writing project and put them in the public domain. http://riwiki.jot.com/WikiHome
2. Use a computer to record the audio of you giving a lesson. Save it as a mp3 and upload it to a web host. Students will be able to download the lesson and review the lesson again and again at home. Those students who were absent will be able to keep up by downloading the lesson and listening at home.

Tips

1. Do a general search using common search engines such as google, altavista, northernlights or a multi-search engine such as metacrawler or dogpile.
   
2. Narrow your search by clicking on the 'advance' search option.
   
3. Scan your results and choose the one you find most useful and interesting.
   
4. Enter forum and discuss your findings.

Things You'll Need

* Audio recording software is available free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

* Internet Group for posting links to materials and announcements.

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Web Resources for Teaching. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-73: "How to Teach"

How to Teach

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Teaching well is an art, but there are definitely techniques that have been proven to work better than the typical "stand and deliver" lecture of information. Here's how you can help facilitate significant, long-term learning with integrated course design.

Steps

1. Analyze your teaching situation. Consider your students and whatever you already know (or can guess) about them. Consider the expectations of the organization that has brought you in to teach. What are your minimum requirements?
   
2. Identify your Learning Goals. Ideally, what would you like the students to remember and/or do from your class a year later? Ideally, how do you want this class to leave a lasting effect on their lives?
   
3. Identify your feedback and assessment options. Whether you have to grade the class or not, how will you know whether the students have achieved the Learning Goals? One option: Educative Evaluation (vs. Auditive) where you ask students to imagine a specific future situation related to what you've been teaching about, and ask them how they would respond to the situation. This helps students personalize (and retain) what they've been learning about. The more immediately you can give the students feedback on whether they're "getting it" or not, the more quickly their brains will retain the learning. Tests are the most common assessments in graded classes; one way to make a multiple-choice test more of a learning activity instead of just an audit is to give them immediate feedback as they take the test, perhaps by using something like the Epstein IFAT test form.
   
4. Choose Learning Activities. Based on your situation, learning goals and feedback & assessment options, what activities will help students experientially learn what you want them to? Active learning (here students participate in some sort of way) has been proven to be more effective than passive learning (e.g. listening only to a lecture or presentation). One simple way to add active learning to a lecture is to include "Think, Pair, Share" moments after every chunk of conceptual information (7-15 minutes max).
   
5. Check for Integration. After pulling together the learning activities and assessment techniques, check to see if they integrate to effectively facilitate the learning goals with the kinds of students you will have. Consider checking with someone else, perhaps beta-testing activities you haven't tried before, so that you can improve on the clarity of the instructions.
   
6. Get Student Feedback. Don't wait for a generic course evaluation at the end! Check with students frequently during the course to get feedback on what is working well and what could be improved, either immediately or the next time you teach. One way, if you are teaching in a graded attendance-required class, is to have students complete a simple half-sheet evaluation each day, asking 1) what are your take aways" today? 2) what could have been better today? How? 3) what grade would you give this session (on a scale of 1 to 5).
   
7. Keep Learning More About How To Teach! No matter how good you are, you can continue improving. Stay open to new ideas, and look for opportunities to learn from others. What works and what doesn't. Just because an activity doesn't work smoothly the first time does not mean it won't work - many times they just need refining. For a more detailed step-by-step guide to course design, try the free downloadable Self Directed Guide to Creating Significant Learning.

Related wikiHows

• How to Homeschool Your Children
  
• How to Make a Classroom
  
• How to Write a Comparative Essay
  
• How to Write a Scheme of Work
  
• How to Work With Students With Emotional and Behavioral Problems

Sources and Citations

• Self-Directed Guide to Creating Significant Learning http://www.ou.edu/idp/significant/selfdirected1.pdf
  
• Think-Pair-Share http://www.teach.virginia.edu/go/readquest/strat/tps.html
  
• Epstein IFAT Test Form http://www.epsteineducation.com/ifat.php

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Teach. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-72: "How to Find the Right Online Continuing Education School Program"

How to Find the Right Online Continuing Education School Program

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Online continuing education is a fast-growing market that is becoming more and more acceptable in the work place - as long as you choose a legitimate online education program.

Steps

1. Verify the institution is "recognized" through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's Web site at http://www.ncahlc.org. ("The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) database lists approximately 7,000 degree-granting and non-degree-granting institutions and over 17,000 programs that are accredited by United States accrediting organizations that have been recognized either by CHEA or by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or both.") Accreditation is necessary for recognition by your employer as well as recognition by other higher education institutions (i.e., in case you want to pursue an advanced degree).
   
2. Make sure the price is right. Find out up-front - before you pay an application fee exactly how much tuition is and make sure that you have a full picture of all costs including any access fees, texts, other required purchases,etc. You have to be positive you can afford the tuition costs. Keep in mind that many companies have strong tuition reimbursement options. Although online education is generally more affordable than a comparable campus-based education, it is not cheap, so make sure you get your money's worth and know exactly what you are enrolling for.
   
3. Check out the teachers. Ask about their experience - either real-world or academic - and make sure they are worthy of educating you on the area you are pursuing. It is important that they have the knowledge necessary to do the job. As a point of reference, most associate or junior college teachers have at least a Master's degree in the subject they teach, and the majority of full college professors have a PhD. in their area of expertise. Your online education teachers should have comparable levels of education.
   
4. Make sure you will get any needed attention. Try and pin down at least a guideline for student-teacher ratios. Unlike classroom learning, it is possible to have an almost unlimited number of students in an online class, but obviously if the class size is enormous, you will not get the same sort of quality time with the teachers as you would in a smaller class. Making sure your teachers are not overburdened can help you get the education you deserve.
   
5. Evaluate the history of the school. Schools develop their reputations for producing quality students - who get the job done at the companies that hire them - over time, so for the most part, the longer the school has existed, the better.
   
6. Evaluate your fellow students. What is the total school enrollment and what percentage of students graduate? They should be able to tell you how many students are currently enrolled. A large amount of students shows both stability and future name recognition in the job market. Also, a higher graduation rate is a great indication that students are very satisfied with the programs at that school. Be leery if they do not share these data points with you.
   
7. Determine what resources they will require you to have. Most online classes require that students have access to a computer and may require certain levels of hardware in order to adequately handle and run up-to-date multimedia and word processing types of programs. They may also require certain levels of Internet access. So make sure your equipment is up to the task, or that you are budgeted for buying new equipment. In terms of software, many online programs provide all the materials you need directly from their site, but some may require you to buy supplemental software on your own.
   
8. Determine what resources the school provides to you. Top online degree programs offer great access to "virtual libraries" and other resources to help you through your education.
   
9. Make sure the length of time needed to earn a degree works for you. The length of time required to earn your degree can vary widely in the online education world, so make sure you know exactly how long each program you are considering takes and determine which best fits in with your time frame. Some online schools will allow you to complete tasks at their own pace, while others require that students participate in virtual class sessions and have specific deadlines for assignments.
   
10. Look into what forms of communication are available for you to get in touch with the school/teachers. You want to know if all communications are done online or if you can also call if you need help or have questions. Some schools even offer actual campus locations you can go to for certain classes, sessions or extra help. The more options available to you the better, but at a minimum, the school should have a legitimate phone number for you to reach them at.

Tips

• Accreditation and a good match to your desired degree programs are the two main keys.

Warnings

• Watch out for non-accredited online degree mills that teach you nothing. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Related wikiHows

• How to Switch Careers
  
• How to Call in Sick When You Just Need a Day Off
  
• How to Accept Criticism While at Work
  
• How to Join the Military and Survive Bootcamp
  
• How to Train Someone to Do Your Job

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Find the Right Online Continuing Education School Program. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-71: "How to Succeed in Distance Learning"

How to Succeed in Distance Learning

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Distance learning has opened doors for many students, especially for those who cannot afford to pay for the high fees of full-time courses. Although online distance learning courses have many advantages over on-campus degree courses, many factors come into play in order to make this a success for students.

Steps

1. Select the right distance learning school.There are many unscrupulous "degree mills" around in the market that are only keen to sell their degrees without providing good education. Do proper background check on the institution.
   
2. Do a cost benefit analysis of taking the course online versus traditional classroom attendance and see if it's worth the cost.
   
3. Make sure you are aware of the specific online degree positioning with prospective employers. Some employers are wary of certain degrees being acquired online. Ensure your online degree will be acknowledged when looking for a job.
   
4. Exercise discipline, determination and time management to keep up with lessons and assignments. Maintain focus and avoid distraction and take the class as serious as any other class you've taken before.
   
5. Make full use of facilities provides by your online school; online libraries and resources, one-on-one attention with your instructors and tutors and your other classmates.
   
6. Utilize credit transfers. Most distance learning institutions allow students to transfer their credits from courses they had taken from other colleges. This way, you don't have to repeat what you have already learnt.
   
7. Make full use of the conveniences that technology has to offer. Many online universities provide students with online research resources that are valuable for completing assignments or producing research papers.

Tips

• Realize that credible online schools will expect you to perform like any face-to-face student--excellently: Any place that is too easy and doesn't care what you do is just out for your money--watch out for them
  
• While not always so, a credible online program is often tied to a credible bricks and mortar program. If the program you are looking at is offered by a notable school that offers on campus education as well as distance learning, this may be a good sign.
  
• Know your limits--legitimate online courses will have a normal college load of work: If you're working full time, consider taking only 1-3 classes. Too many students overwhelm themselves and burn out by taking 4-6 (or more classes) at a time while working full time, too.
  
• A basic rule for the amount of work is the "Rule of 3": For every hour of "in class time," there is supposed to be three hours of "homework." This is true for face-to-face classes and online classes. So, a 3-credit course means that you should be "in class" for three hours per week and have 9 hours of homework, for a total of 12 hours. Therefore, a face-to-face course or an online course expects up to 12 hours of work per week. (Do the math--two classes would be 24 hours per week, three classes = 36 hours, four classes = 48 hours, and five classes = 60 hours). Be sure you can handle the load.

Warnings

• Make sure you only choose a college or university that's accredited.

Related wikiHows

• How to Do Math Problems
  
• How to Write a Comparative Essay
  
• How to Be an Effective Learner

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Succeed in Distance Learning. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-70: "How to Memorise Long Text in the Shortest Amount of Time Possible"

How to Memorise Long Text in the Shortest Amount of Time Possible

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

It's hard trying to learn words for a play or whatever it may be, isn't it? Well, read the following, it may help!

Steps

1. Write whatever you want to learn on a piece of paper if it isn't all ready.
   
2. Split it up into sections of 1-2 sentences. It depends how long they are; if it is very long, make that sentence one section, if it's quite short bring the next sentence in as well. If the sentence that comes after the short one is long, then try and remember the short one on its own and use the long one as explained above.
   
3. Learn the text.
   
4. Put your paper down so that you can see it clearly by standing above it.
   
5. Start with your first section by reading it aloud to yourself, over and over, until you can do it without looking at the paper.
   
6. Do the same with the next section.
   
7. Say your first section out loud if you don't feel too weird (it will stick better if you say it out loud) or just say it in your mind. Next say your second section, then third and so on. If you don't get stuck on anything and you feel that you can remember them correctly without looking at your paper again, then do so. If you get stuck and you can't remember the text, go ahead and look at the paper.
   
8. Memorize the next section by reading it over, like with the other sections, until you can do it with out looking at the paper. Then read all three sections together.
   
9. Repeat this process until you have memorized the whole text.

Tips

• You can read it off of a computer, if that's where the text originally is.
  
• Saying it out loud, especially if you must say it on a stage or during a performance, will help the words roll out of your mouth naturally. The more times you say it, the easier it will be to remember and say next time. (You hear it at the same time as you say it, and you reinforce your learning two ways each time you do it right).
  
• Try only memorizing a sentence or section to where you are not very confident with it, but think you could recite the basic idea. Read the next section or sentence to take your mind off of it briefly, and then come back to it and recite as much as you can. You will probably make at least several mistakes if not many more. Do this as many times as you need until you memorize the section. You will find that each time you come back to it, you remember the mistakes you made last time and recite it a little better. Learning by making and correcting mistakes can be very effective.

Things You'll Need

• A quiet space.
  
• Paper to write your text down on if it isn't already written/noted down.
  
• A pencil or pen to do the above.

Related wikiHows

• How to Memorize a List in Order
  
• How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Memorise Long Text in the Shortest Amount of Time Possible. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-69: "How to Remember Anything"

How to Remember Anything

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Everyone experiences times when they just can't seem to remember what they need to. Be it the first 50 digits of pi, the items on the grocery list you left at home, or that set of instructions off wikiHow, these tricks are sure to help you out.

Steps

Visualization

1. Picture an object you will use to visualize things. It could be a set of boxes, a zoo, or your house. In these steps we will use the example of a house, it is common and works well.
   
2. Think about your house. Imagine your room, the bathrooms, the kitchen...
   
3. Learn to store things in these rooms. If you want to remember a grocery list of Fish, Cheese, Pudding and Pineapples, you could imagine your house with a fish in your pool/shower, cheese in your fridge, pudding in your room, and pineapples growing outside in your garden. By picturing these objects in a familiar place, your house, they are much easier to remember.

Mnemonics

1. Learn some strategies like mnemonics. Another way to aid your memory is to use mnemonics.
   
• These are catchy/silly phrases that help you remember something more boring like a math formula or the colors of the rainbow (ROY G. BIV).
  
• Mnemonics can be words in which each letter stands for something (Order of Operations = PEMDAS (Parentheses, Exponents, Mult/Division, Add/Subtraction). They could also be a song, a poem, anything you want.
  
• Mnemonics are easiest to remember when they are especially goofy or wild.

Use Stories

1. Use stories to help with remembering.
   
• To imagine grocery lists, for example, think of a story or pattern. In the previous shopping list (Fish, cheese, pudding, pineapple) you could imagine a fish eating cheese pudding in a pineapple under the sea. This is strange enough to remember, much easier then remembering four words.
  
• Now that you know how to remember anything, something such as counting cards becomes much easier. Picture your house with a room for Kings, Queens, etc. As cards are played, theses rooms fill up. You can imagine your house as a hotel if you want.

Visual Reminders

1.It may seem obvious, but one easy way to remember things is to place something in an unusual position, for instance placing things on top of each other. If you make a note that you are doing it to remind you of something else, then the chances are when you see it again you will remember it.

2. The key with this strategy is not to use the same thing repeatedly, or it stops being unique to your brain, and therefore will no longer remind you of things. Keep it different, but still relevant to what you want to remember if possible.

• As an example, say you wanted to remember to buy a new lightbulb for your bedside lamp. One 'unusual' reminder would be to tilt the lamp so that its back (which we assume is flat for the sake of the example) is facing upwards, and then place a coin standing up on top of it. When you see it there, you should be instantly reminded that you had to buy a bulb.
  

3. This method is very simple, but very effective. Even so, everyone is different, and you may try many methods of triggering memory before you find one that suits you.

Books To Read

The Memory Book: The Classic Guide to Improving Your Memory at Work, at School, and at Play.
The Memory Book
Secrets of Mind Power
Ageless Memory
The Harry Lorayne Memory Isometrics Course

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Remember Anything. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-68: "How to Beat Adult Dyslexia"

How to Beat Adult Dyslexia

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

People generally consider that adult dyslexia is a disease that cannot be cured. Most people think that there is no permanent treatment that is available to overcome these learning disabilities. However, such considerations are only based on assumptions and have nothing to do with the truth. You should not accept such misconceptions as the veritable truth. The modern advancements in the field of medicine and technology have given us an array of therapies, training and equipment that can be used to beat dyslexia.

Steps

1. It is very important for us to understand that every human being is different. With a little amendment in learning strategies, even a person affected with adult dyslexia can improve his or her reading and writing skills.
   
• Different brains are wired differently. You cannot expect everyone to be an expert in only one field. Some students are good at Mathematics while there are others who are good at literature or other subjects.
  
• Even if a person is affected with adult dyslexia, it can mean that they will be weak learners in just one aspect- reading or writing. It does not mean that they are dumb and worthless.
  
• They may be very talented in some other fields that do not involve reading and writing, such as painting etc. The amendment in learning strategies must be made on the basis of the unique talent that the person possesses.
  
2. Thus, the first task is to study the person and identify his or her strengths.
   
3. Recognize that feelings of rejection are normal with dyslexia. In general, a person with dyslexia does not get a good response from their surroundings.
   
• People at school, in their neighborhood, and even their immediate family, often start to taunt them or ridicule them, considering them to be dumb and stupid.
  
• Such behavior can have a severe impact on his or her self-confidence, causing feelings of isolation and rejection.
  
4. Therefore, once the problem is identified, through a dyslexia test, proper actions must be taken showing that they have the talent to achieve success. It can be difficult to win self-confidence back but that is why this is the stage that must be won before coping is possible.

Tips

• One way to improve the reading and writing skills of someone who has dyslexia, is by focusing on building the phonetic decoding skills. Since dyslexia causes slower reading, teaching to break words into their basic sounds and then rearrange these sounds to produce different words is very beneficial. Such training will gradually help the an adult dyslexia with dyslexia learn to read more accurately and at a higher speed.
  
• More Information
  
• The author writes more about adult dyslexia at [1]

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ www.the-dyslexia-center.com

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Beat Adult Dyslexia. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-67: "How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System"

How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

This method has been used for many centuries, but was recently made popular by the promotion of NBA Legend, Jerry Lucas. In this method, the items are linked together visually to make items more tangible and easier to remember. Since the items are linked together, this works best on an ordered list, such as a shopping list or "to do" schedule, but can be utilized in any type of list that needs to be memorized.

Steps

1. Come up with the list of items that need to be memorized. For this instruction, an example list of 5 items will be used to illustrate the concepts. The items are as follows:
   
• Submarine
  
• Horse
  
• Watermelon
  
• Key
  
• Tennis Racket
  
2. Link yourself to the first item to designate the start of the list.
   
• In the example, Submarine is the first item. Now visualize yourself being tied to a rope and being dragged through the water by a giant submarine.
  
3. Combine the first item with the second item, second item with the third item, etc. until the end of the list. The best way to do this is think up a unique image that is unusual that incorporates both items.
   
• For submarine-horse: Imagine a submarine, now add horse legs, a tail, and a saddle to the submarine to make it look like a "submarine horse."
  
• For horse-watermelon: Imagine a horse galloping along the road with a watermelon with arms and legs riding on the saddle.
  
• For watermelon-key: Imagine a watermelon being squished into a keyhole and being used as a key to open a door.
  
• For key-tennis racket: Imagine a man holding a giant key in his hand and swinging it to hit a tennis ball.
  
4. To conclude the list, once again visualize yourself in an image that incorporates the last item to designate the end of the list.
   
• In the example, tennis racket is the last item. To remember that it is the last item, picture yourself holding a tennis racket in each hand and flapping furiously in order to fly.

Tips

• Try to come up with an extremely unusual image for linking the items. The more unusual the image you create, the easier it'll be to recall when necessary.
  
• Ask yourself questions about the list to ensure that you've remembered all the items. Examples: What was riding on the horse? What was the man using as a tennis racket? What was being used as a key? etc.
  
• If you want to learn similar memorization methods to learn dates, presidents, etc. Be sure to look into Jerry Lucas' publication, "Learning How to Learn" (c)2001

Related wikiHows

• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Roman Room Trick
  
• How to Memorize a Grocery List
  
• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Memory Trick
  
• How to Add 5 Consecutive Numbers Quickly
  
• How to Find the Median of a Set of Numbers

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Memorize Lists Using the Pure Link System. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-66: "How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence "

How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You want people to think you are smart! The easiest way to do this is to specialize.

Steps

1. Choose a small area in which to become an expert.
   
2. Read books and magazines about this topic.
   
3. Find other people who like this area too, and spend time with these people. The conversation will inevitably lead to your favorite topic, and you will therefore learn even more about it.
   
4. When you are with the person you are trying to impress, steer the conversation over to your area of expertise every once in awhile. The more you know, the more impressive you are going to be.
   
5. Study History. Studying history will give massive amounts of general knowledge to draw on in almost any conversation.

Tips

• Be sure to learn all the vocabulary and buzzwords associated with your topic. If you like cars, know what a V-8 engine is, for example.
  
• A good way to find others interested in your topic is to join a club. If birdwatching is your thing, start going on those Saturday morning hikes you have read about in the paper.
  
• You don't have to know a lot about everything to show that you are in fact quite intelligent. You just have to know a lot about any one small area. Not too many people can tell the difference between a Gypsy Moth and a tent caterpillar, but if you can, people are going to notice!
  
• When you try to impress someone with your intelligence, be sure to find a person who will respond well to your area of expertise.

Warnings

• Sometimes people are put-off or feel belittled when talking to someone who is trying to impress them with smarts. Be modest with how much you throw at the person all at once.
  
• Try not to make your knowledge too obscure or uninteresting to others. Don't specialize in something like the manufacture of ballpoint pens.
  
• If you try to impress someone, who doesn't play computer games, with your Marvel vs. Capcom 2 knowledge, you'll come off looking like a geek. Pick your targets with care.
  
• Try not to look like a know-it-all because no one likes them.

Related wikiHows

• How to Ask a Question Intelligently
  
• How to Become More Intelligent Than You Are Now
  
• How to Be Smart
  
• How to Challenge Your Mind to Become Smarter and Wiser
  
• How to Be Good at Geography

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Impress Someone With Your Intelligence. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-65: "How to Excel in High School"

How to Excel in High School

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Know the truth -- high school is now all about endurance; no longer can you coast by. With competition for high-demand courses and tuition fees in colleges rising, and consequently scholarships becoming more and more of a necessity, it's time to face the facts: you'll need to do well in high school to get the college admission you want and scholarship you need.

Steps

1. Do very careful research to find out exactly which classes you should enroll for. Read the class descriptions. Talk to other students about the class. Try not to be in a class just because a friend is in there(very distracting) wont help you.Try to take a look at the textbooks of various subjects to decide which one is right for you, also keeping in mind the subjects necessary to pursue your intended career. This could be one of the most important decisions you will make in your life!
   
2. Research the best textbooks. Ask your teachers, seniors, consult the Internet. Use several reference books that complement each other. Don't be afraid of doing difficult problems, give them your best shot.
   
3. Get really good tutors. A good tutor will able to help you understand concepts, make the class fun and set problems which are neither too easy nor too difficult for you. Try to find a class where the best students are just above your level, this will motivate you.
   
4. Prioritize your after-school schedule as much as possible. Continue doing the extra-curricular activities that demonstrate your abilities and commitment, and don't cut back on all the things you love to do, but allow yourself enough time to study. Exactly how much time depends on your class-load and goals, but strive to keep it within three to 10 hours per day. Studying beyond your abilities can be as bad as studying too little. If you are enrolled for tuition, make sure you have enough time left for self-study (studying by yourself).
   
5. Organize everything; your backpack, your desk, everything. Organize all loose papers and notes. Place notes for every subject in separate 1" binders. Archive completed homework for every subject in an easily retrievable manner, use topic-wise indexes for quicker access. Use database and flowchart applications to maintain a complete record of your empire of studying. Label each paper clearly with a colored pen: CW for classwork, HW for homework, N for notes. Clear out your backpack. Dump it on the floor, sort everything into piles, then place all necessary papers into the correct binders and throw out what you don't need.
   
6. Make and maintain a study place. If you don't have a set study place, make one now. Is your study place organized and clean? Is it well-lit? Is it quiet and well-ventilated? Do you have necessary materials at your fingertips? If so, good! If not, work on it. Store all textbooks, notes etc within reach as well as a computer (desktop/laptop) with Internet access if possible.
   
7. Make and maintain a high standard before moving on: promise yourself, not others, that you'll keep an acceptable level in tests and complete all homework. Take notice if your marks start falling. Find ways to motivate yourself, convince yourself that you want to get in that elite college more than anything.
   
8. Start studying. The night before every class, read through the material in the book that you predict or have been told will be covered that day. Use review questions at the end of the chapter to make sure you have a basic understanding of it. Write down any questions you have and ask them to the teacher.
   
9. Take Perfect Lecture Notes. A good rule of thumb is to copy down all diagrams as completely as possible and write everything you can in the first go. Ideally you need to write as neat as possible such that you do not waste time re-writing your notes. Too many students choose re-writing their notes as an alternative to studying. Spend time reading, understanding, consolidating and memorizing your notes. Remember, what is in your brain is much more important than what is in your notes.
   
10. Don't wait for a test to begin studying. Constantly stay in touch with the material you have covered. Once you have finished a chapter, don't just shelve it. Periodically review the material, do a few of the typical sums. This way you don't get overworked before tests. When a teacher announces a test in fewer than five days, begin studying for its specifics right away no matter how easy the test is going to be.
    
11. Avoid pulling an all-nighter to study for a test. It does not pay off. It's OK to stay up late to write essays or complete projects however. Lack of sleep will only hurt you though if you are taking a test or giving a presentation.
    
12. Do the homework. If you just put on some music you enjoy, set a timer and get popping, you'll eventually finish and be a whole lot happier.
    
13. Do some extra. After you finish your homework, do some difficult problems from good textbooks and problem books. Solve past test papers of reputed exams. Learn some advanced techniques you can apply to solve problems more easily.
    
14. Set limits for yourself. Work as long as you can before you start procrastinating or digressing, then take a five minute break. Set the timer, and don't break it. Gradually work your way up. If you can already work an hour at a time, go in that direction, and work 50 minutes, take a ten minute breather, and continue working. When you finish a homework subject, no matter what, you're entitled to a treat before you move on to the next class's homework. Read the next chapter in an engrossing book, go play some basketball outside, whatever. Just remember to get back to work in time.
    
15. Begin working on long-term projects ASAP. The longer you have, the bigger they are, so estimate it this way: total points possible divided by days given to work on assignment = points per day (round up). 1 point is about 6 minutes of work. For example, if you have a 200 point essay with 1.5 months to work on it, 200/47= 4.25; so you should work on your essay about 25 minutes per day. If you do it this way, you'll generally finish light years ahead of time, and have the all-important "crunch time" before the essay is due to kick back and relax because you finished early!
    
16. Form a study group with friends. If it's convenient, meet bi-weekly. Consider aligning classes with friends, but only if you're sure you'll be able to get work done, and not just chat.
    
17. Be a creative student. Got a doctor's appointment? Arrive early and take a small assignment with you.
    
18. Cram as a last resort. This should not be your everyday routine, but if you just have to keep that grade up and you've fallen behind on a busy work assignment because you didn't deal with your time accordingly, don't just give up. Five minutes before class can be very rewarding. Learn the art of cramming. It helps on essays, homework, busy work, and many other note assignments. However, it does not help you learn.
    
19. Know the syllabus set by your school or relevant board This is like a set of guidelines or outcomes that a student is to learn or be able to do after the period of learning a subject. Your teacher may sometimes provide these guidelines or outcomes, and if they haven't, be sure to ask for them. That way you know which area (or how big an area) you will be tested on in that subject. Make sure that you follow these guidelines or outcomes when you study for your exams (You will not go wrong on this one). In fact, these guidelines will assist you in knowing "how much" you need to study for a particular test.
    
20. Do extracurricular activities after school. Good grades are an excellent way to impress that certain college but something extra will show that you can do more while maintaining excellent grades.
    
• If you are athletic, consider joining a sports team that you are particularly talented in. Try out every year for the team to establish a reputation within your high school.
  
• If you lack certain skills required to join your high school's sports team, then simply join a club. Join any club you are interested in or have a good background knowledge in. IE: If you are great in Spanish, then join the Spanish Club. If you're good at music, join something music related.

Tips

• If you seem to have too little time for independent study and have to bunk school, then do it only on days when you have unimportant classes, bad teachers, off-periods, etc, and only do it to give yourself valuable time to study on your own. If you're skipping school to play, you'll regret it later. Call your teachers immediately after school, get your assignments, and prepare/do as much as possible.
  
• Remember: Work before play. Once you get into the habit of rigid study and keep at it, it will become easier to finish early, thus making your study schedule not only simpler, but more flexible!
  
• Play is so much sweeter when work is finished!
  
• Be on time, always!
  
• Exercise daily. Exercise brings up endorphin levels, and keeps you in overall good health.
  
• When you have major end-of-year tests, make sure you have a timetable for revision, which lets you revise each subject at least 3 times. This can be in 3 different ways, but your 1st revision should always take longer than your 2nd, and your 2nd longer than your 3rd. One good method is to make notes of all your subject material for your first revision (don't just copy word for word from your classwork) and then use these to revise later on, that way, your revision will be more concise and organized.
  
• When doing any sort of work that will be submitted, be it homework or other, have it edited. Make sure it is both neat and correct.
  
• Don't understand the material? Read through the book, do some exercises on your own, then consult the teacher, or get a tutor.
  
• If you're studying a language (which you definitely should be), practice it as often as possible. Mentally review words in your head when you can zone out, like in PE, or if possible, speak your studied language at home (chances are you have a native-speaker to practice with in your friends circle).
  
• If you feel like saying "Nuts to this!" and going off to play, mentally recount how much work you have to do and about how long you think it will take under the worst possible circumstances. If it's possible to actually fit in a few hours of hardcore gaming, great!--just do it after the homework.
  
• Get plenty of rest every night. Teens need more sleep than adults, so 9 hours are healthy and 8 is a minimum. Getting 7 hours of sleep or less has been proven to be unhealthy. Don't destroy your health trying to get better marks; it does not pay off in the long run.
  
• Take a few short naps if you feel the urge. They're incredibly refreshing. However, if you begin a REM cycle, it will just tire you even more, so keep naps to about 15 minutes.
  
• Don't lose hope. If you're having a panic attack or the like because of overwhelming amounts of pressure and work, take a 10 minute rest, and calm down by breathing deeply and switching your focus. Hysterical crying solves nothing, but it's good to get the frustration out of your system.
  
• If it is financially necessary for you to work, get a job close to your home, and one that respects the fact that you are still a teenager and need to spend the majority of your time on school work. If you decide to work weeknights, get home with plenty of time to relax and finish your schoolwork before a reasonable hour. Remember that you will spend the rest of your life with a job. High school, when all the work is finished, is also time for you to have fun!
  
• Wear your nice set of clothes on test day, not your typical daily attire.
  
• Pay attention to the details. If you don't like the pen you are writing with, it will diminish your interest in doing homework, at least subconsciously. Unless looking at your educational equipment gives you a sense of satisfaction, something must be wrong. Work to correct it.
  
• It really comes down to 3 basic rules:
  
  • Keep quiet in classes except to ask questions,
    
  • Pay attention to what is being taught,
    
  • Do the homework and then some.
    
  
  
• If you feel so ill-prepared for something that you must cheat, don't, instead, act like you are going to. Put everything you need to ace the test on paper, then memorize it. It makes the studying much easier.

Warnings

• If you have an exam or a test, make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before.
  
• It's best if you have an idea about your aptitudes and interests so you can choose a career. Don't choose something you don't like just because the jobs are good, it won't pay.
  
• Don't try to be too perfect. By setting unrealistic expectations for yourself, you'll only hinder your own chances of achieving them.
  
• High school retains its traditional status as the place where kids do much of the socio-emotional experimentation required to become young adults. Neglecting this other sort of "work" to focus solely on studies will leave you alienated from your surrounding culture as you enter college.
  
• Before committing your life to doing perfectly in high school "to get into a great college", consider whether this is really your goal, your parents', or someone else's. If it is genuinely your sole dream to go to that name brand university, then by all means, go for it. If it is not, remember that this is your life, not preparation for life: do well in your studies, but be yourself and follow your own dreams.

Things You'll Need

• Motivation
  
• Patience
  
• Enrollment in a High School (or Middle School)
  
• A study area
  
• Equipments of education (paper, books, pens etc)
  
• Determination
  
• Amazing self-control

Related wikiHows

• How to Excel As a Student in England
  
• How to Pass All Your GCSE's
  
• How to Ace Your Next Test
  
• How to Throw a Graduation Party
  
• How to Take Perfect Lecture Notes
  
• How to Study Better
  
• How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams
  
• How to Finish Your Homework
  
• How to Be an All Around Good Student
  
• How to Do Your Homework on Time if You're a Procrastinator

Sources and Citations

• give yourself college credit -some examples of college in high school programs
  
• Prepping for college - a Seattle Times article on how to excel in high school and prepare for college

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