Remember, success is not a certain grade in a class, but showing growth as a person/student. Success comes from hard work and can only be earned. Having it handed to you results in having little to no appreciation of what has been gained.
Success is not an "A" or "B" in a class. Remember a "C" is an average grade. It is having the attitude that "I can always improve."
Student Responsibilities:
1. Fill out your planner completely every day in every class.
2. Write the homework down exactly as written on the board.
3. Only use pen to write down homework.
4. Ask every teacher to sign your planner before you leave class. This is your responsibility.
Parent Responsibilities:
1. At the first opportunity each evening, review your child’s planner.
*Check what each assignment requires and when it is due
*Check to make sure each teacher has signed (remember that it is your child's responsibility to ask for that signature)
2. If your child has neglected to get any single class signed that they are required to, there should be some consequence and, if there is time/opportunity, return to school to get the signatures.
3. Cross-check what your child has written with a teacher's website. If a teacher does not maintain one, email that teacher. In today's world, not maintaining a website as a teacher is irresponsible (my opinion).
4. Monitor your child’s homework as they work by checking on them periodically.
5. Be sure that the place they choose to do their homework isn’t distracting and is appropriately lit. In some cases, students can’t complete their work because the environment is too quiet. Some music might help (headphone/earbuds are not recommended (who knows what they are listening to), or try having them work at the kitchen table. You may need to assist your child at times, but don’t give them the answer, direct them as to how to/where to find it.
6. When they are done, confirm it by comparing the assignment as described in the planner to what they have completed. You are not expected to correct their work only check it for completion.
7. If the work is complete, sign your initials next to the assignment in the planner.
8. Check Aeries every week to be sure that homework is being done and turned in properly. If a teacher is not updating grades online, email that teacher and ask for an update.
The idea behind the Cornell notes is that we take notes in class or from the textbook or a video at home. These notes go on the right side of the paper (note-taking). There are times that I will allow students to discuss an issue, question, or portion of the notes in class to be sure they have the info. they need or to gain clarification. THEN, sometimes in class (limited) but mostly at home, students are to do the note-making AND the connections to the notes. The note-making is what is done to the notes a student took in class (re-read, circle terms, underline subtopics, and highlight main ideas). The "connections" are what is done in the left margin (ex. writing definitions, asking questions, stating opinions, etc.) This should take 7-10 minutes a night, BUT the great thing about it is that a student will be reviewing his/her notes from each day AND if he/she starts with the note-making and connections at the beginning of the notes each night, then they will likely gain more understanding and insight each time they review them.
Finally, Cornell notes can be folded to cover the right side and the connections on the left can be used as a self-quiz.
Remember, what ever you choose to do to study must use the necessary information and then do something else with it - note - making, connections, discussions, etc.
Visit my YouTube channel (seitzacademy) to see a video that explain how to do Cornell Notes.
Middle school students are of the notion that simply reviewing/reading their notes/homework is enough for them to understand and be able to work with the required information. This is not studying!
To truly study requires that students "interact" with the information they need to retain in order to gain a greater understanding of it. This will require a consistent effort (nightly).
Here are a few approaches to studying that might help
To start, be sure you know your goal. In other words, “What am I expected to accomplish/understand by studying?” Do this by getting an overview of what you are expected to know. If it is a chapter from the text, most textbooks have a review section at the end of each chapter.
List all the key words or ideas that you are expected to know is another good way to start. Most textbooks will have a list of these at the beginning or end of each chapter.
Using your Homework/Notes to Study:
After students receive their graded work, they are encouraged to re-write it, adding any necessary changes/corrections as was done in class as it was discussed. In this way a student’s homework serves as an addition to their regular class notes. It can then be easily studied for future quizzes and tests.
Further, Bernardo Yorba is an AVID school. The AVID methodologies are applied in many classrooms. One of the key aspects of AVID is Cornell Note Taking, Note Making, and Interacting with your notes. Visit my YouTube channel (seitzacademy) to see a video that explain how to do Cornell Notes.
For classes where Cornell notes are not taken/used, students can do what is called Focus Notes. Is this case you use the notes you took, the worksheet you completed, or any other assignment and do the following: 1. Break the work into subtopics (grouping info. into the BIG subjects in these notes or on this worksheet). You may have to create your own, if so, do it in an obvious color. 2. In each subtopic, highlight the main/BIG ideas. 3. Circle the key terms throughout your assignment. A key term is a word or short phrase that is important to know, in order to really understand the info.