Self-Improvement-40: "How to Handle Jealousy"

How to Handle Jealousy

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people feel jealous from time to time. Jealousy is easy to deal with, once you understand what it’s teaching you. Here are some pointers on working through your emotions and feelings of jealousy.

Steps

1. Understand the emotions. Jealousy is a combination of fear and anger: fear of losing something and anger that someone is “moving in on” something that you feel belongs only to you.
2. Allow yourself to actually ‘feel’ emotions in a healthy way. When you start feeling jealous, ask yourself: Is it more fear-based or more anger-based? Recognize which part of your body is being affected. If you feel a dropping or clutching sensation in your stomach, it’s probably fear. If you feel a burning, tight sensation in your shoulders and jaw, then you’re likely feeling anger. You might also feel a combination of those sensations.
3. Communicate your feelings. Sharing your true feelings with someone without blaming them can create a deep sense of connection between the two of you and open up a dialogue about the path of your relationship. Use “I” instead of “you.” Instead of saying, “You shouldn’t have done that,” say, “I felt terrible when that happened.”
4. Identify what your jealousy is teaching you. Jealousy can alert you to what you want and what is important to you. If you’re jealous of someone talking to a friend of yours, personal relationships may be important to you. If you’re jealous about money, you may have an underlying need for security or freedom. Ask yourself, “Why am I jealous over this? What is making me jealous? What am I trying to keep? Why do I feel threatened?” When you begin to understand what makes you jealous, you can begin to take positive steps to maintain those things, without the cloud of negative emotion that accompanies jealousy.
5. Change any false beliefs that might cause jealousy. There are often false beliefs that underlie jealousy and fuel emotion. If you examine the belief, you can often eliminate the jealousy. Some common underlying beliefs are “Everyone is out to get my money” or “If this person leaves me, I won’t have any friends.” Beliefs are changeable. If you change your belief, you change the way you feel. Choose to tell yourself a belief that is nurturing and supportive, and you’ll feel better. When you begin taking steps to creating a happy and fulfilling life for yourself, you will find the anger, the jealousy, and the fear will disappear. Don’t listen to people who make you jealous.

Tips

• Jealousy is not the same thing as love. Sometimes, people think that by feeling jealous about someone, they are loving them. Jealousy is not love; it’s the fear and anger of losing love. Jealousy disappears when you are truly loving yourself and others for whatever experience you’re having.
• Learn to be happy with yourself and what you have. Everyone is different, and each person has good and bad qualities. Realize that you have the potential to create a better future.
• Try to talk about your problems with someone. Perhaps you feel that these jealous tendencies are a private matter; then, you ought to anonymously ask an advice column or similar construct about your problem.
• Irrational jealousy usually stems from your own insecurities and low self-esteem. Address these issues first.
• Be happy for the other person. When you are jealous, you may think, “I like that; it would be nice to have that thing or experience.” When you can be happy for another person’s success and happiness, you allow positive feelings to flow into your life. Instead of being angry, congratulate the other person.

Warnings

• If jealousy in your relationship is leading to control or power struggles, it’s a sign that there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Related wikiHows

• How to Identify if You Are in an Abusive Relationship
• How to Have a Healthy Relationship
• How to Tame a Free Spirit
• How to Not Be an Obsessive Girlfriend
• How to Maintain Romance
• How to Make a Long Distance Relationship Work
• How to Get Over a Break Up
• How to Earn Friendships Back

Sources and Citations

• Advice and Examples on How to Cope With Jealousy Practical advice on how to deal with romantic jealousy.

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 Handle Jealousy. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

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.

Self-Improvement: "How to remember to take things with you"

How to Remember to Take Things With You

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people worry about finding themselves several blocks from home and suddenly remembering the keys left behind in the office, or the wallet. Anything can be forgotten. If you’re the type of person who tends to forget things, here are some tips to help you.

Steps

1. Establish a group of things that you cannot ever forget. This group includes such items as:
• Keys to your home, car, or office
• Purse or wallet
• Money and/or credit card
• Identification
• Badge for work
• Watch
• Cell phone
• Memory stick
2. Get a basket or other receptacle where you can leave the things you should always take when you leave home. There you can place your wallet, your cell phone, your keys and your calendar or planner. Make it a habit to leave these items (and any others you consider necessary) in the basket so that you can easily take them when it’s time to go. If you need to take something special with you on a particular day, i.e. a book you’re loaning to a friend, leave yourself a voicemail on your home or cell phone, and as soon as you get home and retrieve the message, put the item in the basket so it’s there waiting for you the next morning.
3. Try this memory trick as a checklist when making quick trips: “Sell M.I.L.K..” Instead of “Sell,” bring your cell, plus:
• Money
• I.D.
• Lipstick, Lip gloss, List or Lucky penny – whichever you use most
• Keys.
4. Make a big list and post it prominently by the door where you leave your house. Write in big letters so you can quickly review it on your way out.
5. Buy a white board and place it next to your preferred exit, next to the other list. On this board, write the things that vary (extra money for a special payment, picking someone up, etc.). Write things down as soon as you arrive home and review them when you leave.
6. Count the items. If you must always have your bag, your lunch box, your badge, and your keys when you leave, check to make sure you have four items each time you leave.
7. Place clocks in strategic locations throughout the house. Many times we forget things because we don’t have the time to check. The clocks can help to remind us of our sense of responsibility and return our minds to the real world.
8. Organize your room and your home. Slowly become the sort of organized person who knows where everything is. Even if disorganized people know where everything is, it’s more likely that something is out of place in a disorganized room than in an organized one. In an organized room, everything out of place is visible instantly.

Tips

• Don’t stop to think too much about what you might be forgetting. Most of the time it doesn’t work anyway since there is nothing you’re forgetting, anyway. If there were something, you probably wouldn’t be forgetting it. It’s better to review your list and leave confidently.
• Using the list and the board can be difficult at first. People are creatures of habit and it takes time to change. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t remember to use the board and the list at first. The important thing is to keep trying.
• It’s important that you organize your things for yourself. Otherwise, it’s not likely that you’ll find something quickly when you need it.
• A very easy way to remember things is to attach them to you somehow: for example, a wallet with a chain, commonly known as a “biker’s wallet” or “trucker’s wallet”. Mini-carabiners, sold for about a dollar or less at discount stores, let you expand this idea to several other items. Something large, like a laptop that you leave behind after a few drinks at the bar, can be attached by looping the shoulder strap around a leg. You might fall flat on your face getting off the barstool, but you won’t forget your laptop!
• A very simple way to make sure everything is still with you, e.g. when you get off a bus, is to build the habit to put keys, wallet and cell phone always in the same pockets. In the meanwhile, the quick mechanical movement of touching your pockets on the outside with your hands, will allow you to immediately tell what is there and what is not (if the left pocket, where you usually put your phone seems empty, you have surely forgotten your phone somewhere!). After a while this check sequence will become a subconscious action, and every time you get off the car, leave the house, go through a crowd (risk of pick-pocketing), you will be sure everything is with you.
• If you can’t leave without your car keys (if you have to drive to go anywhere), place your car keys on top of items that you don’t want to forget–your lunch leftovers in the fridge or that pie to take to dinner at a friend’s house, for instance. This way it is impossible to leave without your keys, which are with your ‘don’t forget’ stuff.
• Another can’t miss tip is to put easily forgotten items in your shoes. This is especially helpful with unusual items that you may only need to remember occasionally such as a grocery list or a bank deposit.
• Always lock all the doors to your house, so you get in the habit of always carrying a key. If your front door has a deadbolt lock, use that, because it has to be locked with a key from the outside.
• If you pack your lunch for work the night before, place your keys in your refrigerator next to your lunch before you go to sleep. Never mooch again!
• Have duplicates (when possible) in case you do forget something really vital. For instance, if you’re likely to forget your key for home, have a duplicate at work. Or be sure your roommate, spouse, or friend has a copy.
• Checklists aren’t a sign of weakness. Airplane pilots have a checklist that they use every time they fly, no matter if they’ve just earned their license or have flown for thirty years. Don’t be afraid to use a physical checklist if it helps you.

Warnings

• Take care to include all the items you need in the list and on the board. At first it’s likely that you’ll forget to write down certain things until you make it a habit to do so. Remember to check your list twice before continuing.

Things You’ll Need

• A basket or other receptacle
• A white board
• White board markers
• A white board eraser
• A sheet of paper for your list
• A pen to write with

Related wikiHows

• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Memory Trick
• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Roman Room Trick
• How to Remember Your Password
• How to Remember Your To Do List
• How to Remember Anything

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 to Take Things With You. 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.

Self-Improvement: "How to remember to take things with you"

How to Remember to Take Things With You

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people worry about finding themselves several blocks from home and suddenly remembering the keys left behind in the office, or the wallet. Anything can be forgotten. If you’re the type of person who tends to forget things, here are some tips to help you.

Steps

1. Establish a group of things that you cannot ever forget. This group includes such items as:
• Keys to your home, car, or office
• Purse or wallet
• Money and/or credit card
• Identification
• Badge for work
• Watch
• Cell phone
• Memory stick
2. Get a basket or other receptacle where you can leave the things you should always take when you leave home. There you can place your wallet, your cell phone, your keys and your calendar or planner. Make it a habit to leave these items (and any others you consider necessary) in the basket so that you can easily take them when it’s time to go. If you need to take something special with you on a particular day, i.e. a book you’re loaning to a friend, leave yourself a voicemail on your home or cell phone, and as soon as you get home and retrieve the message, put the item in the basket so it’s there waiting for you the next morning.
3. Try this memory trick as a checklist when making quick trips: “Sell M.I.L.K..” Instead of “Sell,” bring your cell, plus:
• Money
• I.D.
• Lipstick, Lip gloss, List or Lucky penny – whichever you use most
• Keys.
4. Make a big list and post it prominently by the door where you leave your house. Write in big letters so you can quickly review it on your way out.
5. Buy a white board and place it next to your preferred exit, next to the other list. On this board, write the things that vary (extra money for a special payment, picking someone up, etc.). Write things down as soon as you arrive home and review them when you leave.
6. Count the items. If you must always have your bag, your lunch box, your badge, and your keys when you leave, check to make sure you have four items each time you leave.
7. Place clocks in strategic locations throughout the house. Many times we forget things because we don’t have the time to check. The clocks can help to remind us of our sense of responsibility and return our minds to the real world.
8. Organize your room and your home. Slowly become the sort of organized person who knows where everything is. Even if disorganized people know where everything is, it’s more likely that something is out of place in a disorganized room than in an organized one. In an organized room, everything out of place is visible instantly.

Tips

• Don’t stop to think too much about what you might be forgetting. Most of the time it doesn’t work anyway since there is nothing you’re forgetting, anyway. If there were something, you probably wouldn’t be forgetting it. It’s better to review your list and leave confidently.
• Using the list and the board can be difficult at first. People are creatures of habit and it takes time to change. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t remember to use the board and the list at first. The important thing is to keep trying.
• It’s important that you organize your things for yourself. Otherwise, it’s not likely that you’ll find something quickly when you need it.
• A very easy way to remember things is to attach them to you somehow: for example, a wallet with a chain, commonly known as a “biker’s wallet” or “trucker’s wallet”. Mini-carabiners, sold for about a dollar or less at discount stores, let you expand this idea to several other items. Something large, like a laptop that you leave behind after a few drinks at the bar, can be attached by looping the shoulder strap around a leg. You might fall flat on your face getting off the barstool, but you won’t forget your laptop!
• A very simple way to make sure everything is still with you, e.g. when you get off a bus, is to build the habit to put keys, wallet and cell phone always in the same pockets. In the meanwhile, the quick mechanical movement of touching your pockets on the outside with your hands, will allow you to immediately tell what is there and what is not (if the left pocket, where you usually put your phone seems empty, you have surely forgotten your phone somewhere!). After a while this check sequence will become a subconscious action, and every time you get off the car, leave the house, go through a crowd (risk of pick-pocketing), you will be sure everything is with you.
• If you can’t leave without your car keys (if you have to drive to go anywhere), place your car keys on top of items that you don’t want to forget–your lunch leftovers in the fridge or that pie to take to dinner at a friend’s house, for instance. This way it is impossible to leave without your keys, which are with your ‘don’t forget’ stuff.
• Another can’t miss tip is to put easily forgotten items in your shoes. This is especially helpful with unusual items that you may only need to remember occasionally such as a grocery list or a bank deposit.
• Always lock all the doors to your house, so you get in the habit of always carrying a key. If your front door has a deadbolt lock, use that, because it has to be locked with a key from the outside.
• If you pack your lunch for work the night before, place your keys in your refrigerator next to your lunch before you go to sleep. Never mooch again!
• Have duplicates (when possible) in case you do forget something really vital. For instance, if you’re likely to forget your key for home, have a duplicate at work. Or be sure your roommate, spouse, or friend has a copy.
• Checklists aren’t a sign of weakness. Airplane pilots have a checklist that they use every time they fly, no matter if they’ve just earned their license or have flown for thirty years. Don’t be afraid to use a physical checklist if it helps you.

Warnings

• Take care to include all the items you need in the list and on the board. At first it’s likely that you’ll forget to write down certain things until you make it a habit to do so. Remember to check your list twice before continuing.

Things You’ll Need

• A basket or other receptacle
• A white board
• White board markers
• A white board eraser
• A sheet of paper for your list
• A pen to write with

Related wikiHows

• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Memory Trick
• How to Remember Lists of Words With the Roman Room Trick
• How to Remember Your Password
• How to Remember Your To Do List
• How to Remember Anything

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 to Take Things With You. 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.

Self-Improvement: "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-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

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 Excel in High School. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-64: "How to Be One of the Best Students in Your School"

How to Be One of the Best Students in Your School

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Ever wanted to show everyone that you’re not a dunce, and that you’re a teenager who won’t let anyone put you down? If you follow this guide from the beginning of the year, I guarantee respect, and excellent grades.

Steps

1. Be prepared on the first day of school! Most kids aren’t. You want to show the teachers that you plan ahead, are prepared, and on task. If you don’t understand something when your teachers are explaining, do not hesitate to ask, they like seeing that you’re both interested in the subject, and want to learn. Do your homework! It can be in between classes, home, library, just do it!
2. Keep up! Don’t slack off during the week and then cram before the test. Not only does this not work, it makes you tired and therefore less able to concentrate on the test. It is much better to study a little bit every day than cram and stress yourself out before an exam/quiz/test. If you can discipline yourself into studying half an hour a day it will help you more than you can imagine. Trust me. I learned this the hard way and my grades suffered because of it. Set up good studying habits NOW because when you get to college it will be double or even triple the work load of high school and you won’t be able to keep up at all.
3. #Keep your classwork organized by date, in a notebook, or folder! Some teachers check classwork.Study every night! Even if there’s no test the next day. You never know about pop quizzes.If your teacher teaches according to a text book, in order. Force yourself to read the lesson ahead of the class. This helps you to be more on task, and might even make your teacher think that you’re really smart. Never let an extra credit assignment slip by, it gives you extra points to make up that B. (Yes, you’ll need straight As to be #1)If you’re absent, be sure to get the notes from a trust-worthy friend, study the lesson, and ask your teacher for any classwork you may have missed. This shows that you care for your grades.
4. Dress appropriately. Ripped pants are not cool. Girls, wear real clothes. You’re at school, not at the club, and the purpose of school is to learn, not to attract a mate. Also dress appropriately for the season/weather and occasion.
5. Try to never forget your homework, worksheets, slips, or anything that your teacher expects turned in at home the day it’s due! Get some post-it notes and put a reminder on your door. That way you won’t forget. If possible, try handing it in before it’s due!Don’t rush through your classwork. Instead try to make it flawless, and “A” worthy.Bring at least two pencils to class!
6. Be a perfectionist. If you want to be the best in the school you have to keep in mind that there are other people who are also striving to be the best, who want to be number one just as badly as you do, maybe even more. When you think you’ve studied enough to make an A on a test, keep in mind that there’s probably a lot of people who studied “enough.” If you want to be number one, you have to work the hardest and do the best. Think a few points up on a test doesn’t matter? Maybe not, but if you put that much energy into every assignment, you will have a higher GPA than the people who did just enough to make an A or a B, which makes you the best in the school.
7. If you want to dress nicely, try some NON-ripped jeans, and a neat shirt, not too long or too short. (Wear body spray and deodorant, shower daily, and comb your hair.

Tips

• Use studying strategies like acronyms and little sayings to help you memorize things quickly.
• Don’t be afraid to go to tutorials. When I was in middle school I thought they were for dumb people, but I realize now that just a ten minutes of undivided attention from your teacher (that you can’t get in class because there’s 20-30 other kids who need help too) will help you very much and is worth showing up early to school or staying late.
• Keep the place you study in the way you like and keep your folders and school things organized. If mess distracts you, then keep your desk clean. Play your favorite music softly in the backgruond.
• Wear something comfortable while you study so you can study longer without fidgeting or getting distracted.

Related wikiHows

• How to Get Better Grades This Year Than You Did Last Year
• How to Get Nice Grades While Still Being a Cool Socialite
• How to Do Well in School, and Get Good Grades
• How to Get Good Grades

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 One of the Best Students in Your School. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-63: "How to Balance School and Work as an Adult"

How to Balance School and Work as an Adult

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You’ve found a great opportunity: you’re able to work and go to school to earn a degree or take courses for personal interest. But once you’ve started, you can’t seem to find time to fit everything in. Here are some guidelines for working students who can’t seem to find enough time in a day.

Steps

1. Be organized. Keep your school materials organized and in one place. Mark upcoming deadlines on your calendar and start school projects early to allow sufficient time to complete them in case other things come up in the meantime. If you’re taking several courses at once, don’t spend all of your time on one course while other deadlines begin to loom on the horizon.
2. Create a flexible schedule. Some parts of your schedule are going to be inflexible, such as class times and work days. Fit homework and studying in when you’re either not in class or not at the office. Build a routine that you can stick to, but are able to adjust if other important things come up. As a working student, you have to be ready to adapt to new assignments, unexpected errands, and sudden work crises that need to be addressed immediately. Make enough studying time in your schedule so that if something comes up, you can shift it into another slot during the week.
3. Communicate your schedule to your employers, friends, clients and family. Make sure the people around you know where you’ll be and when. Sign up for an online calendar and send the URL to the people who depend on knowing where you are and when. Not everyone you work with will understand the demands of being a student and, similarly, not all of your classmates will understand the additional responsibilities of working while in school.
4. Manage stress. Stress is an inevitable part of being a student and a worker–combine both together and you can expect to be stressed out. As much as you may try to prevent stress, you’re going to have to learn how to relieve it as well.
• Take those much-needed breaks. Give yourself time to collect yourself when you need it the most, so you can re-approach things with a clear head.
• Be active. Stretch. Swim. Run. Lift. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps relieve stress and you’ll find if the more you get out and exercise, the easier work and school will seem. Exercising is commonly known to reduce stress.
• Live. Don’t forget to enjoy life. Don’t get bogged down by nuisances of the demands of your academic and professional life. Take time to experience the world around you and appreciate your relationships in life. See movies, read books, watch sports. Don’t forget to squeeze in the things that make life worth living into your schedule.
5. Be realistic. There may not be enough time for everything, so get your priorities straight and don’t beat yourself up if you don’t accomplish every single task you’ve set out to do on a given day. Stay positive and be thankful that you have the opportunity to make a living and get an education–two things many people in the world go without.
6. Remember why you’re doing it. By taking on work and studies at the same time, you’re accepting a challenge that most people don’t dare to attempt. But, you wouldn’t be doing it if you didn’t have strong reasons and motivation. Whether it’s the desire to pay your way through school and remain debt-free, or because you want to get ahead in your career (or switch to your dream career), or simply because you know that life is short and you want to make the most of it–keep your goals in mind whenever it starts to feel like too much.
7. Know that it can be done!. It may seem overwhelming at times, but remember that other people have gone through the same thing you are, and they have succeeded! You can too.

Tips

• Keep work and school separate. Don’t worry about work while you’re at school, and vice versa. Keep them separate, and focus on one thing at a time.
• Find online tools that are useful for time management, such as calendars, reminders, etc. Use portal pages to arrange easy access to both work and school related websites.
• Plan your academic path. Figure out what steps you need to make it to where you want to go and set goals for yourself. Do you need 5 courses to finish a program? Find out when they’re offered and create a multi-year schedule.
• Guilty pleasures. Everybody has them, whether it’s MTV or getting lost in idle chit-chat with your neighbor. If there’s an activity that you tend to get caught up with, but that doesn’t further your goals in life, avoid it like the plague.
• Work smarter, not harder.
• Get buy-in from friends and family. School will limit the amount of social time you have. It’s important to keep these relationships healthy while you have limited time for them. Communicate via e-mail on a regular basis.
• Create some sort of progress measurement. Cross completed classes off of a list or use a countdown clock to measure time to completion. This will help keep your eyes on the prize.

Warnings

• Be aware of the signs of burnout and make adjustments if you feel like you’re at the end of your rope.
• Doing school and work at the same time might not be for everyone. Be realistic and prioritize. Don’t let going to school part-time jeopardize your income if you can’t handle being unemployed.
• Do not stop! Taking a semester off may seem like a fine idea, but only do so for extraordinary circumstances, such as a death in the family, etc. Rather than stopping, if you find you are tiring of school, relax your schedule and take only one class in the next semester, one that is fun or indulgent rather than tough. Otherwise, you risk losing the momentum and never returning.
• “TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE, SO DONT QUIT!”

Related wikiHows

• How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation
• How to Be an All Around Good Student
• How to Be Organized
• How to Call in Sick When You Just Need a Day Off
• How to Make Time by Prioritizing and Scheduling
• How to Write a Statement of Purpose
• How to Balance School Homework and Fun

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 Balance School and Work as an Adult. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-62: "How to Build Literacy Skills Through Games"

How to Build Literacy Skills Through Games

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Create a simple board game with letters, spelling and pictures to learn the English alphabet and spell simple words.

Steps

1. Make 9 x 3″ (22.9 cm x 7.6 cm) squares on a board with a pencil and scale.
2. Keep the first square in the bottom left-hand corner empty.
3. Paste a picture in each of the other squares. Each picture should have printed prominently on it:
   • one of the letters of the alphabet (for example, ‘A’)
   • a word beginning with that letter (“apple”, “bicycle”, “cat” etc.)
   • a picture relating to that word. You should have pictures for all 26 letters of the alphabet.
4. Make a die using a paper cube. On each face of the cube, write four letters of the English alphabet randomly (not in any order). This way 24 of the letters would be written on the six faces of the die. On any one face, write the remaining two letters of the alphabet.
5. Make 7 place markers each for four players of different colours. Good choices might be blue, green, red and yellow. Create these from cardboard, which you can laminate if desired, or save time and use laminated cardboard to begin with.
6. Let the four players roll the die. Whoever rolls the six letters side up, gets to play first. The rest of the players will then take turns to play in an anticlockwise direction.
7. Move. When a player rolls the dice, he or she puts a coloured marker in the box (on the board) which matches the first alphabet on the face of the die that he or she rolls. For instance, if you roll the die to a face that contains “DFGH”, then you place your marker in the box on the board which contains the letter D.
   • If somebody else’s marker is already there in the “D” box, then put your marker on the “F” box, which is the next letter on the face of the die.
   • If somebody already has a marker in all the four boxes then the player does not get to place his or her marker and it becomes the next person’s turn.
   • If one of the players rolls the die with the six letter face up, he or she gets another turn.
8. Once all the boxes on the board are covered with a marker each, the number of markers that each player has placed on the board is counted up. The player who has placed the maximum number of coins on the board wins the game.

Tips

• Two to four players can play this game.
• This is a fun way of recognising the letters of the alphabet and recognising the spellings of simple words. As well, it helps with associating pictures with the letters, so that the learning is retained.

Things You’ll Need

• Board – large enough to fit the 26 squares
• Pictures for pasting
• Paper glue
• Scissors
• Paper cube (for die)
• Cardboard (laminate it or use laminated cardboard)
• Pens or pencils for the lettering

Related wikiHows

• How to Exercise Your Brain for Better Thinking Skills
• How to Improve Your Reading Skills
• How to Become an Advanced English Speaker
• How to Use Children’s Literature and Cooking Activities to Teach Early Literacy Skills
• How to Read Aloud to a Child

Sources and Citations

• For more learning games for kids and adults visit http://www.experiential-learning-games.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 Build Literacy Skills Through Games. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-61: "How to Study for a Test Without Cramming"

How to Study for a Test Without Cramming

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

There is a way to study for a test without cramming. The first and most important way for this to work, is based on notes taken in class. If you are not willing to take notes, than this is NOT for you. Start by trying this method with a class you are comfortable in. When you see how well it works, you will definitely want to put it in place for your other classes.

Steps

1. Get about 10 sheets of copy (computer) paper, a spiral notebook large enough for the class you are attending, and a three-ringed binder, either large enough for the class you are attending, or to contain notes for several classes, which ever is best for you.
2. Fold and cut the copy paper sheets in half, making them 8.5″ x 5.5″. At the top of the first sheet for that day, write the class you are in and the date. This will help with the organization of your information at a later time. You should never mix up your notes with several classes. Each group of note taking sheets should be kept in the associated book.
3. Use these sheets to take notes on in class. Don’t worry about how they look, if you scratch something out, if you have to write things out of order, or upside down. If you find the need to draw instructional pictures, or lines drawn from one point of information to another, definitely do so. This is for your use only, and the only person who needs to understand the information is you.
4. Turn the pages over, or go to another sheet, as necessary, progressively numbering each page in the top right hand corner. By numbering them, if they were to get out of order, you can easily find how they should be organized. Again, do not worry about how things look. The most important thing here is to get the information given in class so you are able to use it at a later time.
5. Remember as soon you get home from class, if any reading is required to correspond with the days lessons, it would be worth while to take notes, again on your note paper.
6. Know that as soon as possible, preferably that evening, but before a test is scheduled, rewrite the information you took in class, and any associated reading notes, into a spiral notebook. This spiral notebook should be for this particular class only. There should be one notebook for each class. At this time, just rewrite the information in an more organized manner than on your note sheets.
7. When a test is scheduled for that class, a day or two before the test, rewrite the information from the spiral notebook into the three ringed binder. At this time, you should take care to make sure all of the information is as organized as possible. Using an outline form can be very helpful.
   • If there any associated drawings, for example, a drawing of a plant cell and all of it’s components versus an animal cell, include it in your binder in as much detail as possible. Do not worry about your skills as an artist, but concentrate on the accuracy of the information. Also, coloring in items in your drawings will help you to remember how things look. Once you have completed the above steps, put everything away, and don’t look at it anymore before your test.

8. Get to bed at a reasonable hour,the night before your test and get a full nights sleep. Make sure you have all of your materials needed for your test; i.e., pens, pencils, calculators, etc.
• The morning of your test, get up early and eat a healthy breakfast. Taking a test on an empty stomach, or a stomach with out the proper food, is like trying to drive your car 100 miles on two gallons of gas. You will move along fine for a while, but will eventually poop out.
• Arrive to your test a little early to avoid panic and rushing.When you in your class at your desk, don’t panic about the test. Take a couple of deep breaths and relax. You have done a lot of work preparing for your test, and the information is in your brain ready to be called on.
• As you take your test, you will find you will be able to recall the information you wrote or drew. Sometimes, after reading a question, you can close your eyes, and you will actually be able to see your notes in your mind. The idea is, you have seen the information so many times, you have actually stored that information in your brain with out trying to cram it in there.,
9. Understand that what this method works, is your persistence in following the above noted steps. If you don’t do all of the steps, most likely you will not be able to retain the information as well. Good luck!

Tips

• Cut about 10 sheets of copy paper so they are 5.5″ x 8.5″.
• Take accurate notes in class not worrying how neat the information is.
• Indicate the class and the date at the top of the first note sheet.
• Number each note sheet to keep the information in order.
• Take notes from any associated reading.
• As soon as possible after your class, preferably that evenings, copy all of the notes into a spiral notebook just for that class in a more organized manner.
• A day or two before a scheduled test, rewrite the notes from the spiral notebook into a 3 ringed binder as neatly and as organized as possible using an outline format.
• If any drawings are needed, do not worry about the artistic quality of your drawing but the accuracy of the information.
• Highlight very important information, and use color for the illustrations.
• The night before your test, organize the materials needed for the test.
• Get a good nights sleep.
• The morning of your test, eat a healthy breakfast.
• Get to your testing area early.
• Take a few deep breaths, and relax.
• The morning of your test, do a few short exercises like jumping jacks, running in place or sit-ups. This will get the blood flowing and help motivate you.

Warnings

• If you are not a note taker, this method will not work for you. But if you want to get good grades then perhaps you should learn to take notes.

Related wikiHows

• How to Cram for a Test
• How to Find Extra Time to Study for the CPA Exam
• How to Study For Exams
• How to Get a Last Minute Passing Grade on a Mathematics Exam
• How to Prepare for a Test
• How to Get a Good Grade on a Math Test

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 Study for a Test Without Cramming. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-60: "How to Beat Examination Stress"

How to Beat Examination Stress

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Do you sweat as the date of your examinations approaches? Is the lack of calmness causing you to under-perform? Here is some advice to tide over those anxious moments!

Steps

1. Start studying well before the exam. Make sure your schedule provides for sufficient revision time. As any good test-taker will tell you, the revisions are more important than the first time study.
2. Focus on understanding the concepts rather than mugging. Use mnemonics if rote learning is the only way out.
3. Think about the time after the exam. Visualize the happiness on your face that the stress period is now over. This works very well.
4. Keep telling yourself that your hard-work will not go to waste.
5. If you are afraid of tough questions, it helps to know that most questions are of average difficulty and designed to be answered correctly by most examinees.
6. Designate a “study buddy”, a classmate who is an expert in a subject you have trouble in, that you can come to with questions.
7. Get plenty of sleep. It’s way more stressful to memorize lots of information or comprehend complicated concepts on less than 6 hours sleep.
8. Eat healthy food, since it’s often easier to function on nutritious food than junk. While sugar might be a quick source of energy, sugar lows happen pretty fast and the let-down can often be severe.
9. While taking notes, use as many diagrams, graphs and figures and illustrations as possible. This helps to make several revisions at the last moment!
10. Ask a senior or more knowledgeable person to prepare sample tests for you. If such practise tests are available in the market, go for them. Many questions are similar to or verbatim from practise material.
11. On the day of the exam, feel happy! Think positive and keep cool! Good luck!

Tips

• On the day before the exam go see a movie or a play. You could even go to a fair. This works only if you have put in lots of work in advance. This tip works because your brain has created the necessary pathways to store and retrieve information that you have learned. So relax and watch a movie.

Warnings

• If you find yourself getting very stressed about an upcoming exam, don’t be afraid to talk to somebody. This can be a parent, a friend or a helpline. It’s better to talk to somebody before you let your nerves affect your health.

Related wikiHows

• How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams
• How to Cram for an Exam

Sources and Citations

• http://www.uk-student.net/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=103

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 Examination Stress. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-59: "How to Revise for Tests, Quizzes and Exams"

How to Revise for Tests, Quizzes and Exams

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Everyone will go through exams and tests during their life. Even if this “exam” is you first ever spelling test, you should still revise. Each person is different so take your time and learn which revision tactics work best for YOU!

Steps

1. Make a clean, simple, empty space to revise in.
2. Get all the pens, calculators, note etc. that you will need.
3. Make sure that your space is quiet.
4. Start revising with one subject.

Tips

• Drink lots of water!
• Some people like to chew gum while revising.
• Take 15 minute breaks every hour/hour and a half.
• Stretch your legs every now and again.

Warnings

• Don’t over do it! The last thing you want is to be super-stressed for the exam.

Things You’ll Need

• Quiet work place
• Notes

Related wikiHows

• How to Study for a Test
• How to Study for a Math Exam
• How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams

Sources and Citations

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/

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 Revise for Tests, Quizzes and Exams. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-58: "How to Study for a Math Exam"

How to Study for a Math Exam

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Many people try to study for math in the same way they would study for a history exam: by simply memorizing formulas and equations the way they would memorize facts and dates. While knowing these is important, the best way to learn them is by using them. That’s the great thing about math – you can do math. You can’t “do history.”

Steps

1. Go to class. The more exposure you have to the material, the easier it will be to recall the steps to doing a problem later. Most professors and teachers will do lots of example problems that mimic the problems that will be on exams.
2. Read the text. Make sure to read all of the text and not just the examples. Text books often include proofs of the formulas that they expect you to know, which will be useful for truly understanding the material and why it works.If you have read the text and tried some of the problems, but still do not understand how to do them, see your professor or teacher. Not only will they show you how to do the problem, but a professor who has seen you before and knows who you are will be more willing to help you in the future, or cut you a little slack if your grade is borderline.
3. Do homework problems. Most classes have assigned or at least suggested problems that the professor feels are most useful. Doing problems is the most valuable use of your study time. A lot of exam problems are extremely similar to homework problems; sometimes they are even exactly the same.

Tips

• In all math tests, the toughest questions that you encounter while preparing are the ones asked in the test, prepare by reviewing study guides, other tests, homework, and other papers regarding the things covered before the test

• Do not rely on your teacher to make you understand a concept or a problem. You will never get it and you might feel that the teacher is being rude by not bringing down the question to your level of understanding. Instead, do it all by yourself, start to finish. Some questions are so tricky, they almost always have to be memorized, so mark them and revise them again and again before an exam so that it is well set in your mind.

Start studying while you still have time to go to a professor or teacher for answers if you need to. If you start studying too late, you leave yourself with no options and opportunities to study.

It is often useful to understand how a formula is derived rather than just memorizing it. Things will make more sense, and it is often easier to remember just a few simple formulas and how to derive more complicated ones from them.

If you can, join a study group. Different people see concepts in different ways. Something that you have difficulty understanding may come easily to a study partner. Having his/her perspective on a concept may help you to comprehend it.

Solve problems. In this way, you have the tendency to understand and realize the formulas and the given problems. You can solve the problems that have been given to you. Solve some problems even if you don’t know the answer and let someone check it for you.

Warnings

• Do not just try to find example problems that emulate homework problems. Try to understand why certain steps are taken. If the professor likes to be tricky (many do), knowing the example problems will not be very helpful, but truly understanding the material will.
• Don’t look up the answer as soon as you get stuck on a problem. Struggling with it for some time will be much more beneficial, even if in the end you need to look up the answer anyway.

Related wikiHows

• How to Study Better
• How to Study Effectively
• How to Study Math
• How to Study for a Spelling Test
• How to Work and Study at the Same Time
• How to Be Prepared for a Pop Quiz
• How to Cope With Repeating a Grade

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 Study for a Math Exam. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-57: "How to Study for the TOEFL"

How to Study for the TOEFL

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

The TOEFL, or Test of English as a Foreign Language, is an exam designed to measure fluency in English. There are four sections to the test: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Steps

1. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Learning a language takes a long time.
2. Think in English. Do so all the time, while you walk, while you plan your day, while you eat. It will become easier as you practice more.
3. Practice listening abilities as much as you can.
   • The best way is to put your skills to use, having conversations with native speakers. There are many sites on the Internet offering pen pals and conversation partners. You can meet face to face or use Skype or other services. You may even meet an English-speaker who wants to learn your language, if you’re willing to return the favor.
   • You can also listen to radio, television, and even podcasts in English.
4. Learn English grammar. Grammar alone will not assure you a good score in the grammar section, but it is important to know
5. Learn to recognize the parts of speech in English. Nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections are the primary ones. There are also phrases that function as nouns, verbs, and so on.
6. Learn some idioms. Try Wiktionary for a list of idioms with definitions.
7. Read as much as you can in English. Magazines, newspapers, and short articles are a good start, but try to work up to reading books. The reading section will be hardest if you don’t understand the main idea.
8. Write as much as you can in English. Don’t worry if your writing isn’t perfect. Just work on putting together good paragraphs of about 5-6 sentences each. Practice pre-writing, or organizing your writing using an outline or other technique. You will find it easier to write a good piece if you have a plan.
9. Take a practice test. You can find TOEFL practice online or purchase a test preparation book such as Barron’s TOEFL.
   • Time yourself during your practice so that you learn how long each section takes.
   • Practice each section of the test and become familiar with it, so that you understand how each section works.
   • Learn what sort of questions have been asked before, what sort of essay topics have been assigned, and what sort of subjects have been on the test before.
   • Find out which sections and concepts are difficult and work on getting more practice in those areas.

Tips

• Don’t sit near your friends because you will lose your concentration in the exam.
• For listening, read the items quickly because you don’t have enough time to read them twice.
• Practice good test-taking habits.

• Learn how quickly you can work without making too many mistakes.
• If you’re not sure about an answer on a multiple choice question, eliminate as many possibilities as you can and make your best guess from the others.
• If any one question is taking too long it may be best to guess or skip that question rather than waste time on something you don’t know.

Warnings

• Find out if your exam is a paper based or a computer based exam. That’s very important.
• Don’t expect to pass with a good mark at the first attempt.

Related wikiHows

• How to Calm Post Exam Nerves
• How to Succeed in a GED Class
• How to Get Ready for Tests in School
• How to Ace Your Next Test
• How to Revise for Your A Level Law Exam
• How to Ace Your Vocabulary Tests

Sources and Citations

• [www.ets.org/toefl/ The TOEFL page].
• Wikipedia article on the TOEFL.

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 Study for the TOEFL. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-56: "How to Help Your Child Prepare for Exams"

How to Help Your Child Prepare for Exams

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Taking an exam for the first time can be a nervewracking experience for a young student which can highly effect his or her grades. While you can’t take your child’s exam for them, you can help them study and provide a supportive environment.

Steps

1. Be prepared! Be well versed with the 4 Ps – Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. The most effective way of alleviating the stress brought on by tests and exams is to be well prepared.
2. Cover all the relevant material. Organise and timetable the period running up to exams. Help your child write down the topics they have to cover – then divide them by the days left until exams begin. This way, they’ll be sure to cover all their subjects, not just their favourite ones!
3. Practice answering questions. The last stage of revision should involve practice in answering examination questions in the time allowed. It’s important that your child not only knows their work, but is able to regurgitate that information in the allocated timespan of the exam.
4. Take time out for regular breaks. Recognise that concentration falls off after certain amount of time. This can vary from person to person, but a short break is a good idea every 60 or 90 minutes. A brisk walk is a great way to recharge the batteries.
5. Eat to improve concentration. Feed the body and you feed the mind. Omega 3 fish oils are said to be an aid to concentration. Make sure they eat healthily and regularly and don’t let them skip meals.
6. Rest the mind. Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep. Give them time to wind down if they’ve been studying in the evening. Let them watch a bit of TV, have a warm drink and a read before trying to go to sleep.

Warnings

• You can’t do the work for your child.
• At the end of the day, you can insist that your child stays in and spends a certain amount of time in front of their books but you can’t make them study. Take the time to talk to your children about the importance for them of doing well. They have to want to do it for themselves. If they don’t work hard and fail, it will be a salutary lesson to them that they are ultimately responsible for themselves and that it usually takes an effort to succeed in life.
• Never cheat in exams, this is called academic dishonesty. Cheating is just not looking to the person on the right/left/front/behind you and looking at their answers. Cheating can also mean:

• getting someone to do your work for you and say it’s yours,
• sneaking a peek in the answer book or the answers page
• writing answers on your hands, passing crib sheets, having them on your mobile phone
• taking other things into the examination which are not allowed, e.g., taking in a calculator when it says ‘no calculators in the exam’
• altering answers, passages, words or marks
• passing off someone else’s words, thoughts and ideas as your own. This is a form of telling lies called plagiarism, (not only done on pen and paper, it can also mean, downloading something off the Internet and saying it’s all your own work when it isn’t).

Remember that cheating can land you in serious trouble and you can face consequences such as disqualification, a mark of F or a 0 and if severe you could be expelled from college or university and less likely of excelling and landing a job/career, it can cost you trust and friends, and remember cheating gets you nowhere!

Don’t let anyone copy your work off you. Always do the work in your own words, your own writing and alone.

If you see anyone cheating or doing any form of academic dishonesty of any kind, report it to a teacher or an invigilator.

Things You’ll Need

• Somewhere quiet for children to work
• An agreed time when the TV is turned off and no phone calls or instant messaging is allowed
• Healthy food and snacks to aid concentration
• Old papers to enable your child to practice answering exam questions

Related wikiHows

• How to Study
• How to Study For Exams
• How to Study Better
• How to Get Your Child Into a Good School

Sources and Citations

• http://www.raisingkids.co.uk Original source of this material. Shared with permission

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 Help Your Child Prepare for Exams. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-55: "How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams"

How to Create Good Study Habits for Exams

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Taking exams can be a time for stress and anxiety if you have not studied during the year; you will find yourself cramming for each test and studying late into the night. With a little time management during the school year, you not only minimize stress at exam time, but maximize productivity and results!

Steps

1. Buy an extra notebook for each subject at the beginning of the year so that as you finish a chapter in class, you immediately write notes and summaries in that book. The classwork will still be fresh in your mind so at exam time you merely have to take the notebook home from school. Write down the key points you learned from each lesson onto a cue card. This helps your mind to retain the day’s important facts. On the weekends look over the cue cards. Get your parents or friends to quiz you on them.
2. Learn how to make mind maps, cluster maps and other memory aids. Mind maps are graphical illustrations of a subject and a great memory tool to use, especially during exams.
3. As soon as you finish a topic take out a book from the library and read more information about the subject. Take notes to refer back to them before and at test time.
4. Don’t do rough drafts for essays. Just do the good copy straight away, but thoroughly as well. In an exam situation you won’t have time to write out a whole draft copy, so practice writing out good copies straight away.
5. Make a timetable for exam days by marking the dates on a calendar, so you can be prepared by the time the test comes around.
6. Make a list of your classes and the topics covered in class. As you study a topic, mark it in a way that is meaningful to you, to remind you which topics have already been studied.
7. Set aside a study time each day when you are not too tired, or too hungry. If you are going to study for a long time, remember to take a break in between.
8. Set up a study group. Study groups share notes, thoughts and ideas or how to solve or understand a particular problem. Be sure to honor the class rules on what work may or may not be done in groups.
9. Plan out ‘trial’ exams for yourself. All you have to do is redo one of your past tests or quizzes within a time limit. Get into the exam mode by clearing your work desk of everything except your paper and pen.
10. Get enough sleep at night. It’s harder to concentrate when you got less than six hours of sleep the night before.
11. When choosing individual subjects to study, start with the least enjoyable or difficult subject. Master it, and you’ll end up loving it, (seriously). At the very least, you won’t have to worry about putting it off until it’s too late because you don’t like it

Tips

• Don’t panic on test day. On the night before the exam, and in the morning of read through your notes a few times, then put them away.
• Don’t panic if you have not studied well just think over the question you might remember something the teacher might have taught you or you may think from your brain what might be the answer after all you are studying what men have discovered things before us without any clue about them
• Eat a healthy breakfast that day, so you feel energized, but don’t eat so much that you feel full. Something to consider is a study that says males do better on tests if they are slightly hungry, and females do better on tests if they are slightly full. Again, don’t overdo it.
• You gain less by studying for exams at the last minute. One way to think about it is to start studying for the next exam as soon as you get the material, don’t wait until a week before the test to start.
• If you suffer from exam stress then take a calming antidote, perhaps an herbal tea. Just don’t overdose because it’ll make you drowsy.
• Don’t stress out, it makes your mind work slower.
• Have a balance in life, exams are simply a quick and lazy way to assess people. Don’t panic, just study.
• Develop a positive attitude towards exams. If you are well prepared you’ll walk into the exam room thinking “WOW! I can’t wait to prove myself to these examiners, I’m gonna whizz this test, just to show them.” Negative attitude: ” Oooh, I’m so nervous. I hate exams; what’s the point? I really don’t feel up to this.”
• Ever heard this? “Good luck with your exam!” This is false hope, you shouldn’t need a pint of luck to help you succeed,and if you DO need good luck, then you obviously haven’t prepared enough.
• While some can be, most exams aren’t really this big. Exams are really just large quizzes with a time limit. No big deal.

Warnings

• If you have not prepared yourself for the test, during the term, and before the test, do not expect a high mark!
• Too much study can be as bad as not enough study because the mind shuts down when too much information is crammed into it.
• Mind blanks are possibly the most frightening things to occur in an exam. They can happen in any subject, but you can overcome them. The only way to overcome mind blanks is to relax the brain from its hysterical state. In the exam room, close your eyes, breathe in for 5 seconds and let it release through the mouth automatically. Repeat this until you can feel the facts crawling back into your memory.

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Sources and Citations

• http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newISS_01.htm.

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 Create Good Study Habits for Exams. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How To-55: "How to Avoid a Mental Block"

How to Avoid a Mental Block

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit

How can you overcome mental blocks in math or science and in other technical or analytical material? Did you know that you create a mental block when you accept not being on the ball. Do you or someone you care about allow oneself to just coast down hill–not knowing and not understanding the subject or lessons? Here’s how to get rid of that mental block and get going!

Steps

1. Nod positively. Shake your head “Yes!” in class during lecture and class discussion.
2. Pay close attention to whomever has the floor. Be on the ball. Listen to the teacher and to the students who are participating.
3. Smile when you understand a step or an answer to a question.
4. Agree with lecture, with the teacher and with students who go to the board and give solutions–showing how the answer is found.
5. Say affirmations like “Okay, yeah!”, “That’s right!” or “You got it!” and “That’s how I did it too!”
6. Participate in the whole class activity, your small group, or board work (go to the board and try to do the problem).
7. Stay up to date, be on time, do the homework. Get help if you need it. Maybe you have a friend in the same class who will work on homework or other assignments with you…
8. Ask questions if you don’t understand.
9. Be interested in technical and analytical matters. Always be on the edge of your seat; be ready. Act sharp, by really being able to comprehend the material and you will become sharper, keener and wiser…

Tips

• If you are intimidated by people who say that you ask “dumb questions” or that you ask “too many questions.” You will slump in your seat, your class grade and in your mind.
• Be sure you always know and understand what the teacher and the lesson means and how to do your assignment.

Warnings

• If you do not accept the class subject, assignments, and concepts–then the result is a mental block.
• Do not accept less than being on the ball. Don’t coast down hill without trying.

Related wikiHows

• How to Avoid Confusion in Study and Work
• How to Increase Your Brain’s Processing Speed
• How to Use and Improve Your Abilities
• How to Help Paranoid People

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 Avoid a Mental Block. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.