Student Success Resources
Our goal with the resources you will find on this page is to assist students with executive function skills. Executive functioning skills are are so important for young adults to learn; they are the foundation for so many other skills that help us be successful in school and our every day lives. While you can use these resources on their own, the counseling team is happy to guide you through these areas and go over these resources with you.
WAIT! What ARE executive function skills?
Self-control- the ability to regulate yourself including your emotions, thoughts, and actions
Attention - sustaining focus, especially for a long period of time, and shifting that attention when needed
Task Initiation - the ability to independently begin a task--even when you don't want to-- and overcoming a desire to procrastinate
Organization - the ability to develop and maintain a system that keeps materials and plans orderly
Planning and Prioritizing - the ability to figure out how to accomplish goals, including mapping out multi-step tasks, and tackling tasks in order of importance
Time Management - is having an accurate understanding of how long tasks will take and using time wisely and effectively to to accomplish them
Flexible thinking - the ability to think of new ways to do something or work through something
Metacognition - the ability to reflect on one's own learning and have self-awareness that drives good choices
TIME MANAGEMENT
Time management means having an accurate understanding of how long tasks will take and using time wisely and effectively to accomplish them. Not applying this skill can make school overwhelming or cause you to fall behind, so please consider the following plan and techniques to help if you need it!
3-Step Plan to Tackle Time Management:
1. Set Goals
Create SMART goals for yourself every six weeks
Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (have a deadline)
2. Prioritize and Plan
Assess what you need to do then divide and conquer!
Study harder subjects first
Break down large assignments and plan out when you will complete each part
Create a weekly/daily to do list and cross items off as you complete them or use a calendar to plan out your big assignments
3. Find an environment that is organized
Create a space where you are able to stay organized
Find a quiet place to work on homework and study for tests
Study and complete assignments where you are focused and alert
STUDY SKILLS
Study Skills Basics
Pay attention in class
Come to school and be on time
You can't learn if you're not in school
Take organized and clean notes
Keep class materials organized
Ask questions in class and participate in group activities/discussions
Plan a definite study time and consistent place of study
Get enough sleep and eat well on the day of a test
Study Session Tips
Organize subject matter - Prioritize the hardest concepts first
Don't make study sessions too long
Break down tasks into smaller parts
For instance, you might make notecards one day, highlight your notes on another, etc.
Do daily summaries of work covered in class in your own words and title it "Main Points"
This can be part of your notes
Set a task to achieve for each session
Resources
Learning Styles and Study Skills Worksheet
Assess your learning style (visual, kinesthetic, auditory) and then review the best learning and studying strategies for your style
Break down studying so it's not so overwhelming--the worksheet also breaks down tips and goals for how to create a strong plan
Flashcard machine (web-based study flashcards)
Quizlet - app - create your own study materials or choose from others created by Quizlet users
Khan Academy (tutorial vides for most subjects)
TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
Test Taking Strategies: Before, During, After
BEFORE the Test
Have daily, weekly, and major reviews
Create checklists
Make Flash Cards
Take practice tests
Study with friends and/or family
DURING the Test
Arrive on time
Scan the entire test before starting
Take a few deep breaths and relax any tense muscles
Read ALL directions carefully
Answer easy test questions first
Manage time wisely and don't spend too much time on any one question
AFTER the Test
Reflect on how the test went
Improve on any study habits you may have not used in preparation for the test
Review questions you might have missed
Check in with your teacher if they allow test corrections if you think you could have performed better
Test Taking Strategies: Question Strategies
Multiple Choice
Answer each question in your head first
Read through all of the answers before selecting one
Test each possible answer
Eliminate incorrect answers
Trust your gut
True/False
Read the entire questions
Look for qualifiers (all, never, etc)
Look for details (dates, facts, etc)
Watch out for negatives (no, not, cannot, etc)
Essay Response
What is the question asking?
Outline your response
Be precise, not repetitive
Write legibly/Use correct punctuation
NOTE TAKING STRATEGIES
Class Notes Tips
Sit close to the front of the class to minimize distractions.
Use a separate spiral-bound notebook for each subject, or use dividers in your loose-leaf notebook to make separate sections for each subject.
Begin each note taking session at the top of a fresh page. Start by writing down the date.
Focus on important facts or main ideas
Use short sentences and phrases and easily remembered abbreviations and symbols. Some commonly used abbreviations and symbols are
Write clearly and leave lots of blank space in the left margin or between ideas in case you need to add information later.
Read over your notes as soon as you can after class. If there is anything you don't understand, ask the teacher at the next class.
Textbook Notes Tips
Put the date and textbook title at the top of the page
Keep textbook notes separate from class notes. Use a separate notebook or a separate section in your loose-leaf notebook.
Get a general idea of what the reading is about prior to reading.
Read the introduction, headings and subheadings, and any paragraphs that summarize the content.
Look at any illustrations or graphs and charts and read the captions.
Go back and read the chapter or section carefully. Look for the main ideas.
summarize the information in your own words
Use quotation marks if copying directly from the textbook (also include page number!)
Summarize the main ideas at the end of your notes and circle them.
Resources
Visual examples of the different ways to take notes: paragraph form, outline form, concept mapping
Breaks down this popular style and provides a visual guide
Video of how to take Cornell Notes for visual/auditory learners