grade 7 academic skills rundle college 2009-2010

Grade 7 Academic Skills Rundle College 2009-2010

Agenda Starting Junior High School How to Get Good Grades How Parents Can Help Testing Test Anxiety

Transition into Junior High Student Concerns: Getting to class on time, lockers, no recess, no free time, peer pressure, dealing with older students and more choices. Academic Concerns: Keeping up with work, new grading procedures harder tests and extra help.

Student Expectations The 5 Ps Be Prompt Be Prepared Be a Positive Participant Be Productive Be a Problem Solver

Homework vs. Study Blocks Unfinished class work ( aka homework ) Studying for tests Project work Review Organization

FAQs Communication (email, phone, meeting) Teacher Student Services Administration Boundaries Foster independence Intervene when results are unsatisfactory Focus on process of learning, not the results

Academic Support Starting in September: teachers address studying, test taking, organization skills. Dec. Jan. Student Services conducted sessions with Grade 7 classes. If problem arises, contact Teacher, Student Services or Administration as appropriate.

How to Get Good Grades Linda OBrien, Woodburn Press 1. Believe in Yourself 2. Be Organized 3. Use Your Time Wisely 4. Use Classroom Time 5. Take Good Notes 6. Study Smart 7. Read Text Book Effectively Scan, Read, Review 8.Focus on Writing Assignments

Believe in Yourself Positive Self Talk Dealing with Setbacks / Resilience Goal Setting 1. Within skills and abilities 2. Realistic 3. Flexible 4. Measurable 5. Within your control

Get Organized Time Management: agenda book master calendar study schedule Use checklists Organize notebooks Organize homework Arrange your locker Designate a study space Conduct a weekly cleanup Prepare for the day ahead

In the Classroom Use Time Wisely Reduce notes - successive condensing Prioritize time Understand, dont memorize Structure your material Be Successful in Class Adapt to teachers Be in school, on time Be prepared & participate

Taking Notes Write neatly, double-spaced. Use symbols and abbreviations. Write in point form. Focus on main ideas and supporting details. Structure

Kathy J., Science Jan. 12, p.10 Dinosaursfrom 2 Greek words deinos = terrible + saurus = lizard dominated life on land 140,000 years 2 ordersSaurischia + Ornithischia orders over 800 species w/ up. posture Saurischia incl. Tyrannosaurus Tyrannosauruslargest flesh eater 12 m in length slow, top speed: 5 km/h warm blooded, laid eggs lived during Cretaceous period

Study Smart 1. Working Memory: learning occurs best at the beginning and end of each learning period. One hour vs two 30-minute study blocks Take short breaks to increase the number of high points. 2. Review and Preview 3. Learning Style: efficient studying Beware of the Learning Style excuse! Goal: convert teacher format to best style

Reading & Writing Reading Textbooks Scan - read subtitles, words in bold / italics, charts, and review questions. Read with a purpose. Review - scan material to check comprehension. Writing Assignments Follow the directions. Spelling and grammar. Proof read. Final copy looks good. Hand it in on time.

Additional Support - Tutoring Hours of class time 1116 hrs. vs. 950 hrs. Extra help Why use tutors? Supplemental work Gain an advantage Danger of replacing the teacher Rundle College does not refer tutors

Peer Tutoring Program Senior high students Before school 7:45-8:15am & after school 3:00-3:05pm Schedule Monday Social studies Tuesday Math Wednesday English Thursday Science Friday - Second Languages

Accommodations Rundle College accommodations extra time, isolation if available Psychoeducational assessment report recommendations Role of Student Services

Test Anxiety Why do students panic? Lack of Preparation Excessive Worry

Symptoms of Test Anxiety 13% of teens have anxiety that causes problems for them. Physical Sweating, headache, upset stomach, increased heart rate and breathing Nervous Difficult reading and understanding, organizing, remembering, stupid mistakes Mental Racing thoughts, mind going blank, knowing the answer after the test is over

Is Test Anxiety Bad?

Context Nervousness helps (fight or flight) Test anxiety isn't 'real' part of another anxiety learning disability manifestation of another issue Greatest trigger: focusing on the mark also the greatest trigger for cheating This kind if 'Test anxiety' is learned Managed, not fixed

Mind and Body Connection Tiredness Positive frame of mind Imagery Self-awareness and stress Sleep, nutrition, hydration 4 Bs Believe, Breath, Body and Break Away

Policies Assignments late assignments lose 10% per day more than two days late: teacher discretion no make-ups Exams no re-writes or make-ups exams stay at school midterm exam is worth 20% of second term grade Grade 7 final exam is worth 20% of final grade

How Parents Can Help (Adapted from U.S. Department of Education, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs - Helping Your Child with Homework) Success increases with family support Read with child, talk with teachers, participate in school activities, help them with homework Homework can help students -Review and practice -Learn to use resources -Explore subjects -Applying skills to new situations -Develop good study habits -Teach them to work independently -Encourage self-discipline and responsibility

How Parents Can Help Demonstrate that Education and Homework are Important Set a Regular Time/Place for Homework One that works for your teen and your family. Dont let your teen leave homework until just before bedtime. Homework is a high priority. Removing Distractions I-pod, Computer, Cell Phone

Tips for Parents Be a cheerleader for your childs success Ill be thinking of you while you are writing the test Give it your best Im proud of all your hard work Ease fears and anxieties Maintain perspective Provide a nutritious breakfast Good nights rest Relaxed routine before the test

How Parents Can Help Identify Resources (school web site) Set a Good Example Read books Use math to balance your cheque book. Share what you do at work.

How Parents Can Help Monitor Assignments What does the rubric suggest? pre and post assignment) Be Available

How Parents Can Help Monitor Time Spent Viewing TV and Playing Video Games Provide Guidance Yet dont do the assignments yourself - it wont help them to understand information or allow them to become confident.

How Parents Can Help Help Your Child Get Organized Make a schedule, use a planner, notebook. Watch for Frustration If your child shows signs of frustration, let him/her take a break.

How Parents Can Help Talk about the process of assignments Think it through. Break it down into small, manageable parts. Do you understand what youre supposed to do? (Instructions highlighted) Do you need help in understanding how to do this assignment? Graphic Organizers Do you have everything you need to do the assignment? Does your answer make sense to you?

Strategies All Subjects Make attendance a high priority. Focus on Interim Report and Report Card comments at least as much as grades. Chunk long-term projects into manageable pieces. If there is no homework, study anyway. Look at exam study guides provided by the teacher to see how you can help your child study.

Testing Why do teachers test? Assess student progress Identify weak areas Prepare students for future testing Important: test grades versus assignment grades.

Teacher Support Core teaching Capitalizing on class size 1:1 attention quick turnaround in grading Study guides for exams Communication home Extra help Teaching study skills and test taking skills for their particular subjects

Preparing in Class Study guide HOW to study Active learning Review class clues. Teacher: says something more than once writes material on the board pauses to review notes asks questions of the class says, "This will be on the test!"

The Study Guide Reading the textbook Study plan Study cycles: study all re-study what you don't know repeat until you're confident with it all

Studying at Home Reading comprehension Predict questions Memorization strategies Translate into teenguage Goals: process over product Mimic exam conditions www.exambank.com and other resources

Guidance Match your studying and test taking states of mind. Format? iPod? Time limit? Relaxation response

Writing the Test Brain dump! Read instructions, format, weighting Scan Read written response questions Write on the test Cycle Ask teacher if confused Review careless mistakes Ensure completion

Time Management Bring a watch! Work grade-effectively. Stuck? Skip it. Use the time.

Strategies for Format Multiple choice Numerical response Written response Short answer- sentences, paragraphs, webs, diagrams Long answer (stories, essays) Essay Reading Comprehension Lab Questions Other

Challenges for Grade 7s Skill-based questions versus knowledge-based questions 60% skill-based Reading comprehension Current trend in critical thinking EXAMPLES

It doesnt say that! The Story Johnny dragged his feet into the classroom and slumped into his desk. Billy asked with a smirk, Having a good day today, Johnny? Yeah, right, Johnny replied. The best day of my whole life. The Question Which is the best word to describe Johnnys mood? a) happy b) angry c) depressed d) envious

But my answer is right! Example #1 Which choice best completes the following quotation? Although ________ are the same for all people, each culture has a different way of dealing with them. a) human needs b) points of view c) economic institutions d) cultural communicators

But my answer is right! Correct: Examples would include cotton as land, a seamstress as labour, and a sewing machine as capital. Incorrect: The factors of production are land (resources), labour (workers) and capital (machinery). Example #2 Give one example of each of the factors of production involved in the making of a shirt.

You tricked us! After the principal saw the smoke, he ran to the control panel to sound the fire alarm. What is the meaning of the word sound as found in the above sentence? a) noise b) signal c) speak d) test

I have to read all that! ABACUS EVER SEEN AN ABACUS? You know, those centipedelike things with wooden beads in rows. Theyre sold mostly in knickknack import shops, for wall decoration. But, in fact, an abacus is an adding machine, calculator, and computer. On second thought, thats not quite true. The abacus is just a visual record of the computations going on in the mind of the person using it. Millions of people in Asia still use the abacus daily. And it has been in use there for a couple of thousand years or more. Not only is it an effective practical tool, but it is nice to look at. Nice to hold and touch. Wood and brass and ivory. And the older they get and the longer they are handled by a human being, the lovelier they getsmooth and dark and polished. They will last for a lifetime; hey will never need updating; all the software needed to drive them is between your ears; and if they break they can be fixed by an eight-year-old with household tools. The presence of the abacus puts some kinds of progress in perspective. I remember a time when a Japanese-American computer conglomerate moved into the Chinese market in a big way. In order to demonstrate the value of its small pocket calculators, it arranged a contest. The great abacus-PC shoot-out. The guy who wonthe one with the abacus, of coursewas named Chan Kai Kit. Hong Kong Chinesea senior clerk for a shipping company. It is true that the operator of the little computer did handle the pile of invoices forty-four seconds faster than Chan Kai Kit and his abacus. But the computer got the wrong answer. Seems the machine operator was in too big a hurry to prove how smart his machine was and fed it fuzzy facts. Much face was lost. Now dont get me wrong. Pocket calculators are here to stay, and they have their place. A Luddite I am notmachines are not evil in themselves. And a careful, thoughtful man like Chan Kai Kit might do even better with his own pocket calculator instead of his abacus who knows? Its just that Im a sentimentalist about the wonders of the human hand and mind. And when I find evidence that it can still hold its own in the face of the wizardry of the electronic circuitry of little chips, I am pleased. It is comforting to know that some very old and very simple ways of getting from one place to another still work. And I ponder the fact that an ancient and worn abacus will find its way to the walls of the twentieth century as a thing of art and wonder, made lovely by its usefulness and made useful by its beauty. I have an old wooden bowl and an elderly chopping knife I would stack up against a food processor any day. Its the same story. Question: The outcome of the contest was mostly a result of the A. invoices not being printed quickly B. abacus operator completing the work first C. spectators distracting the calculator operator D. calculator operator entering inaccurate information

Spelling doesnt count in Science! Education is cross-curricular. Cognitive leap between subjects.

The worst for last? economics: why should I? maturity conscientiousness innate intelligence learning disability attention concern over-parenting under-parenting drugs / alcohol grief displaced sexual interests sexual orientation attendance gaming nutrition sleep academic skills self-esteem resiliency feel disconnected unconditional love depression / anxiety body image safety bullied

and good luck!

grade 7 academic skills rundle college 2009-2010

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