Mastering MiddleSchool
A Resource
for
Kids and Parents
@PMB, CutlerMiddle School, 2007
Mastering Middle School is the work of Mrs. Pat Berggren. Pat graduatedfrom the University of Maryland with a degree in English and Secondary Education. After 10 years as a high school English teacher, she received her Special Education certification, Grades K-12, from Southern Connecticut State University. Currently she is in her 10th year as a middle school Special Educator. Noting a need for all students to understand themselves as learners, MasteringMiddle School provides a resource of skills to help YOU become a confident and successful learner andalso serves as a reference for your parents as they guide and support you through your school career.
~ Many thanks to Mrs. Judy Evans for her ever-vigilant proof-reading and creativity – she made this project look good ~
~ A big thank-you to Mrs. Sashi Govin whose eyes were always looking for new material and who provided me with a beginning ~
You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be
There is inside you,
Al the potential to be whatever
you want to be –
all the energy to do whatever
you want to do.
Imagine yourself
as you would like to be,
doing what you want to do,
and each day, take one step…
~author unknown~
Table of Contents
Get Organized1
Agenda Books – Use Them2
Good Stuff for Good Students3
How Do You Learn Best4
Reading Skills – Why Should I do This?8
Listen With Eyes and Ears10
Concentrate!11
Hummm – Bad Test Grades12
Stressing Out13
Absent?? Missed Work ? ?14
Procrastination – Who ? ? ? Me ? ? ?15
Get It Done16
Motivation17
Dr. Seuss18
Sources19
GET ORGANIZED – 4 Steps
1.Use agenda book
Assignments – practices – chorus – guitar – karate -
Put it all down in the Agenda –
Look at the big picture each week
2.Organize your notebooks
Finding notes and assignments - keep to the system
Label notebooks as asked by the subject teachers – They refer to work that way- helps stay organized
Cover your books - write the subject on the spine – it’s easier to grab the correct book
3.Arrange your locker
Lockers are small – clean them out regularly - Friday take home gym clothes anything else you don’t need
Extra sets of gym clothes and extra jackets take up too much space and can hide books and notebooks
4.Choose a work time and space
Look at your agenda book - plan aregular study time.
A g e n d a B o o k
Use it !!!
At the beginning of each week, write in all the extra stuff – practices, lessons, meetings
Take it with you to every class
Write the CORRECT assignment down
on the right page
(If it is a project, write down any extra material you might need to do it)
When you’re done, check it off or highlight – use your own reward system!
Good Stuff for good students!
Books
Dictionary, thesaurus
Tools
Pens & pencils, colored pens & pencils
highlighters
ruler
stapler
paper clips
tape
calculator
Paper
large calendar
notebooks & dividers
plenty of loose-leaf paper
computer paper
index cards
Don’t forget good light.
How do Y O U learn best?
Knowing how you learn will help you work at your best!
There are 3 major ways people learn:
Seeing (visual)
Hearing (auditory)
Doing(kinesthetic)
Most people have one dominant style. Look through the lists on the next page and you will see yourself in all three styles, but as you go through, your personal style of learning will become more obvious.
You are a person who learns best by seeing if:
- You notice little details
-You like the descriptive scenes when you are reading a book
-You would rather watch people than talk
-You are good at remembering faces
-You find spoken directions hard to follow
-You like to doodle
-You like to see what you are learning
-You understand concepts better if there is a picture
-You don’t like to talk or listen for a long time.
-You like picture directions when you have to put something together
-When you need help on the computer, you prefer the icons or diagrams
You might learn best if you:
-use charts and graphs to study things
- use drawings
- look at pictures
-take written notes- it will make you look at the words you write down!
-use Flash cards – they can be your friends!
You are a person who learns best bylistening if:
-You remember names
-You prefer to listen to get your information
-You read aloud as you are reading
-You remember things that are said to you
-You mutter to yourself
-You talk to people in class and listen to what they have to say
-You are easily distracted
-You find written directions hard to follow
-You like to hum or make sounds
-You sound out words when you spell
-you like the dialogue or conversation in a book
-when you need help with the computer, you ask for help or talk to the computer
You might learn best if you:
- read out loud when you are reading
- talk to yourself when you are studying
- repeat things over and over again out loud
- sound out words you are having trouble with
You are a person who learns best by doing if:
- you want to touch things as you talk
- you don’t want to hear talk; you just want to “do”
- you like labs
- School is hard because you like to move
- you tap feet or pencils
- you don’t hold reading as a priority
- you frequently use your hands to talk
- you use a lot of hand gestures when you talk
- you prefer action stories when you read
- you put things together by figuring things out as you go instead of following directions
- you always like to do new things
You might learn best if you:
- walk around as you study or read
-write on surfaces with your finger
-write lists over and over again
-take notes-it keeps your body involved with what you are doing
Reading Skills
Preview – Read – Recall
Why should I do this?
Makes you an active reader
Helps increase understanding of the material
Helps fight boredom while reading a text
Increases what you remember
How Do I Do This??
At the beginning of the year, look quickly over the key parts of your textbook that you are using.
Title
Front and back cover
Table of contents
Introduction
Index
Glossary
Before you read each chapter, look over:
Title
Introduction
Sub-headings
First sentence of each [paragraph (should give you the main ideas)
Diagrams, charts, etc
Conclusion or summaries
Then answer the following questions:
What is this mainly about?
How is it organized?
How do I do this ???????
~ Be honest with yourself about how much you can read
~ Divide the chapter into small do-able sections (I page, or 1 column)
~ Don’t try to read the whole chapter non-stop
~ Use the subheading and turn it into a question then scan the section for that answer
~ Daydreaming ? Hungry ? Bored? Take breaks if you can’t stay with the material
~ After a short break, you can return with a better attitude and more energy.
Now, I read it – so how do I rememberwhat I read?
~ After reading each small section of material, do one of the following:
~ Recall or recite out loud the most important parts of what you have just read
~ Ask yourself questions – even little simple ones and answer them.
~ Keep your notebook handy and jot down important facts or outline what you have just read.
Remember, this might seem like a lot of work but practice makes perfect and the more you use this, the quicker and more efficient you become.
Now we are back to your main learning style.
~ If you are an auditory learner you will want to talk to yourself and answer your questions out loud.
~ If you are a kinesthetic (doing) learner, you will probably prefer writing things down to put them in your memory.
~ If you are visual learner, you might just like looking at the section over and over again, seeing the answers to your questions in your head.
Information on P-R-R acquired from the University of Texas Learning Center, University of Texas at Austin,
“P-R-R: How to Read Your Textbook More Efficiently.”
“Listen with eyes & ears!”
Pay attention not only with your ears but your eyes too ~ look at whoever is speaking ~
Do you “Turn off to the subject” because it is dull?
- Listen closely for information that might be helpful
- Find something interesting.
Do you find fault with a teacher while looking at them & assume they have nothing interesting to say?
Understand the teacher is not a performer – look and listen for the ideas and concepts.
Do you only want the immediate big picture?
Understand that facts and theories are equally important –stay tuned in.
Do you stare at the teacher and then “space out”?
Look at them and try to understand what they are saying.
.Do you become involved with disagreeing and miss most of the information?
If you disagree write it down on the side and disagree later but keep listening to what is being said.
Do you use distractions such as dropped pencils & foot tapping as an excuse not to listen?
Discipline yourself to try and shut out those distractions.
Concentrate!
Reasons for poor concentration:
TVcomputer too comfortable bedpeople
noise food music conversation
Fix it!Control it!
Leave the distracting area Go to a quiet room
Train yourself to get away Get rid of people
More reasons for poor concentration
hungrysleepyboredanxioustoo much to do
stressed
More ways to control it!
eat a good snackmove around
find some part of the subject that is interesting/skim through/find it
Take it in small parts – take a break, go back and take another small part
Write down in a notebook the important things you were reading (notes) then turn away from your reading and daydream for a bit.
If your mind starts to wander, write down the interrupting thought on a scrap paper and put it aside. Get back to work.
NOT TO DO
Daydream and read at the same time!
Bad test grades? Hummmmmm…
Cramming all in one night ?
Teacher is unfair?
Didn’t check answers?
Absent and didn’t make up the work?
Didn’t pay attention in class?
Didn’t do homework?
Didn’t care?
Didn’t do the reading?
Studied the wrong “stuff”?
Didn’t review from day-to- day?
K e e p u p
w i t h
y o u r w o r k!
??? Stressing Out ???
Accept only YOUR responsibilities
Be realistic about YOUR expectations
Focus on Doing, not the finished product
Be REALISTIC about your time
Do paperwork immediately – do not procrastinate
DECREASE TV and computer time
Stay physically ACTIVE
REMEMBER – we all have tough times
Absent ? Missed an assignment?
Late assignment?
Did you do it? Yes?
Turn it in – don’t do it for nothing !
Did you do it? No?
Get it from a friend, look on the agenda board, ask the teacher for it,
GET IT !
and
Turn It in !
Did you turn it in? Yes?
Good job – you’re done!
Did you turn it in? No?
Do you care? No?
Dead end - O
Procrastination – Me ????
Avoiding what needs to be done ? - painful consequences!!!.
It interferes with your academic and personal success .
Why do we procrastinate?
-poor time management – uncertain of what to do, overwhelmed so we put it off
-difficulty concentrating – daydreaming, distracting environment, cluttered work area, going back and forth for your stuff – erasers, pencils, pens, rulers, paper, etc.
--fear and anxiety –afraid to try so you avoid the work instead of trying to complete it
-Negative talk – “I can’t do this!”
-Personal problems with friends, parents, etc
-Bored
Overcome Procrastination !!!
-Recognize you’re procrastinating – being indecisive, not concentrating, anxiety
-Know what you can do best
-Study or work in small blocks instead of long periods - you will accomplish more if you work 45 – 60 minutes -take a 10 minute break- don’t pretend to work for 2 – 3 hours.
-Motivate yourself – break the task into small parts
-Change your environment – eliminate / minimize noise distractions – gather your “stuff” before you sit down to start – don't get too comfortable – be neat & organize your space first (less distractions and daydreaming!)
-Know your little procrastination tricks –
Phone? Computer? Socializing? Day dreaming?
Know what you do STOP IT!
GET IT DONE !
Plan it !
Read the directions – circle the words that tell you what to do – get out the right material
Finish it !
Do all the items – if you can’t – ASK for help
or
go to the next item or section
Check it !
Did you do all the steps right ?
Did you proofread ?
Turn it in!
Motivation
Success in school = motivation and time management.
MOTIVATION is a major key in doing well in school.
We can give you lots of tips and ideas about how to do well, but
you
are ultimately responsible for doing it.
If you are motivated and plan your time, you will be free most of the time to do the things you really like to do and do well in school too.
Give yourself time to change – there will be times you backslide and make old mistakes
Expect some tension – that is what gets you up and moving
Start early – the sooner you start the sooner you will be free to do other things
If you have a long hard task, make it comfortable – do it in short bits – be comfortable and keep plugging away
Learn to realize that not all things turn out the way you imagine in your head – realize this and learn that you may need to retry things – that is okay!
Don’t dwell on things that go wrong because things will go wrong once in a while – concentrate on what you are doing well.
Don’t be a perfectionist - do a job you are proud of within YOUR capabilities, not one to match someone else.
~ Practice controlling those impulses to avoid the task ~
Don’t disappoint yourself.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
~Dr. Seuss~
Information Gathered and Adapted From The Following Sources:
BucksCountyCommunity College, Student services
CaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversity, Student Academic Services
ColumbiaUniversity, The Augustine Club
DartmouthCollege, AcademicSkillsCenter
Frender, Gloria. LEARNING TO LEARN. Incentive Publications, Inc., Nashville, TN.
Hopper, Dr. Carolyn, Developmental Studies Department, MiddleTennesseeState
Howtostudy.org
LDonline.org
LoyolaCollege,The StudyCenter, Academic Support Services for Students
StateUniversity of New York at Buffalo, Center of Cognitive Studies
Study Guides and Strategies, Web site designed by Joe Landsberger
SweetBriarCollege, AcademicResourceCenter
University of Buffalo, StateUniversity of New York, “Students First”
University of Minnesota – Duluth, Student Handbook
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Counseling and Psychological Services
Virginia tech, Division of Student Affairs, CookCounselingCenter
skills
and families.com
“Teaching Study Skills Guide for Parents”
National Association of School Psychologists