Speaking Skills

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When you're assigned a class presentation, think twice before dismissing it as important thing of your education. Employers look for speaking skills in job applicants, who may have to give presentations to clients or represent their organization in the field. It's never too soon to practice good eye contact and other speaking techniques. 

http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/17334/

According to The Book of Lists, the fear of public speaking ranks number one in the mind of the majority of people. Far above the fear of death and disease, comes the fear of standing in front of a crowd. Joel Wiener noted author and public speaker wants to help overcome that fear.

"The biggest fear is public speaking, with 15 percent of Americans experiencing a dramatic fear of it," said Dr. Michael Telch of the Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorders (LSAD) in the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. "People have had to turn down jobs, and certainly students have dropped classes because of it."

Regardless of your occupation, your success depends a great deal upon your ability to communicate effectively! Whether you're running a meeting, selling a product, making a presentation, motivating co-workers or just communicating one-on-one with others, you'll get far better results if you can speak persuasively, smoothly and intelligently.

Take Control of Homework

So It Doesn’t Control You

Part 3

Take Advantage of Any Free Time

If you have a study period or a long bus ride, use the time to review notes, prepare for an upcoming or start your homework. Flash cards are a great learning tool. They are easy to make, easy to handle, and are a marvelous tool to help you learn and remember anything. Punch a hole in the upper left corner of each index card and connect the stack of your flash cards with a ring. Then the cards are bound and not flopping around. Flash cards bound like this act like a small book with pages. You can even have separate ringed stacks for each subject. WHATEVER YOU WANT TO REMEMBER PUT IT ON A CARD.

Study with a Friend

Get together with friends and classmates to quiz each other, compare notes and predict test questions. Consider joining a study group.

Communicate

If you have concerns about the amount or type of homework you have, you may want to talk to your family, teachers or counselor. They can help you understand how much time you need to allot for homework and how to manage your tasks.

Celebrate Your Achievement

Reward yourself for hitting milestones or doing something well.

Take Control of Homework

Part 2 

Keep Things in Perspective

Know how much weight each assignment or test carries, and use your time accordingly. Don't waste time, but be wise and smart. Doing the most important things first is being wise and smart.

Get More Involved

Keep your mind from wandering by taking notes, underlining sections, discussing topics with others or relating your homework to something you’re studying in another class. Learn actively and not passively. Be anxiously engaged in your studies and you will have a great experience. Demonstrate a good attitude toward some assignments, and you will begin to love doing it.

Organize the Information

People process information in different ways. Some people like to draw pictures or charts to digest information, others prefer to read out loud or make detailed outlines. Try to find methods that work best for you. Ask your teacher for recommendations if you’re having trouble.

Take Control of Homework

Although very few students love homework, it does serve a purpose. Homework helps you:

• Reinforce what you've learned during the day
• 
  
• Build study habits that are essential in college
• 
  
• Prepare you for your classes 
• 
  
• Get a sense of progress

  

Here are some tips to help you deal with homework more efficiently and effectively.

Set the Mood

Create a good study area with everything you need (ex. a calculator). If you don't have a quiet place at home try your school or local library.

Know Where to Begin

Make a list of everything you need to do, and note all deadlines. Do the more difficult assignments first, so you don't have to face them at the end.

Study at the Same Time Everyday
Even if you don’t have homework every night, use the time to review notes. If sitting down to work is part of your normal routine, you’ll approach it with less dread. Also, you’ll become a pro at using time productively.

Note-Taking Strategies

Part 3

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

After Class

As soon as class ends, review your notes and fill in any blanks.

Underline, highlight and use symbols to sort through the information. If you don't understand something, get help from you teacher or classmate.

After you've reviewed all you notes from class, in the left hand area of the the page write down key words and questions your teacher might ask on a test.

At the bottom of each page, write a summary of the notes. This helps you digest what you've learned. It also improves the memory of the material for the long term and for test down the road.

Note-Taking Strategies

Part 2

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

During Class

One approach that has been proven effective is called the Cornell note-Taking system. Here are some of his methods.

Start by using the main section of you page to take down notes during class. Be sure to leave space on the left side of the page and the bottom. Things to keep in mind:

1.   Get the speaker’s main points. Don’t right down every word you hear.

2.   Leave blanks in your notes to add explanations later

3.   Organize as you write. Pay attention to clues such as repetition and emphasis

4.   Indicate main and supporting points as you go.

5.   Jot down key vocabulary and important facts and formulas

6.   Ask questions. If you’re confused, it’s better to ask while the material is fresh in your mind.

Note-Taking Strategies

Part 1

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/955.html

How to Get Your Class Notes into Shape

Getting the most out of high school and college means studying hard and using your time in class wisely. An effective note taking strategy can help you do both. Here are the basics.

Stay Organized

It may seem obvious, but your class notes can only help you if you can find them. While you’re taking notes make sure to be:

·        Keep them all your notes in one place.

·        Date and number pages; keeping them in order makes them easier to understand later.

Before Class

Review the materials assigned for that class period thoroughly. Bring a list of any questions you may have.

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Emphasis on the Written Word

Most of the communication, as well as course work, in distance-learning classes is written. Thats a plus, because the focus on the written word gives you the opportunity to develop as a writer - and strong writing skills are essential to academic success. However if writing is a serious weakness for you, virtual learning may not be the best educational option until you improve your skills. Yes, most of distance education is the written word; therefore, you need to be a good reader, love to read, and love writing also. Most of your assignments will be written and submitted to the instructor in the written format. Your penmanship needs to be excellent, spelling great, sentence structure above average, vocabulary extraordinary. You need to have online access with reliable equipment. If your Internet communications at home isn't working, you can't do online education from home and will need to go to someplace where you do have access to the internet.

Decide Whether It's Right For You

Distance education isn't for everyone, but it just might be for you. You really should seek it out and give it a try. You never know until you try. You might even fall in love with distance education. While distance education may be the perfect alternative for some students, it's not the right choice for everyone. So Carefully consider your unique needs and interests and give distance education a try; then, decide if its right for you.

Distance Education: Is a Virtual Classroom for You?

Part 2

Positive Aspects of distance education

·       Independence and time management: Taking courses online lets you hone your ability to work on your own. You also gain experience in managing your time efficiently

·       A flexible schedule: Schools can only provide a certain number of class periods in a single school day, and there may not be enough time for you to take everything you want. Because distance education lets you take classes outside regular school hours, it gives you the flexibility to explore all areas of your interest.

·       Advanced and specialize classes: some schools can’t provide advanced or specialized classes. Distance education gives you the chance to gain experience in areas that would otherwise remain out of reach.

Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 5

Additional Tips

Although working and going to school is challenging, it can be a rewarding experience if you use some foresight. These tips can help you handle the situation and make the most of your time:

·      Discuss your plans with your family. Balancing the demands of your school and work is easier with their support.

·      Start slowly; don’t commit to working a lot of hours immediately.

·      Avoid time conflicts by planning your class and work schedules as far ahead of time as possible.

·      Use your time efficiently. You can use 10 minutes waiting in line to go over a few pages of assigned reading. If your job has a line to go over a few pages of assigned reading. If your job has a lot of downtime and your boss has no objection, you can use slow periods to do schoolwork.

·      If you commute to your job on public transportation, bring your school work so you can work along the way.

·      Be flexible and willing to make sacrifices. You may have to cut down on some other things you’d like to do because of your school and work commitments.

·      If you have too much on your plate, admit it. Then cut back as needed.

·      Schedule relaxation time. Everyone needs some downtime to stay happy and healthy.

Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 4

He reminds students that “the activities and courses students choose vary considerably, so it’s important for young people to keep their individual situations clearly in mind.” MacGowan continues, “For example, student actors should allow for the fact that they won’t have as much time during performance seasons. Student athletes need to remember the times of the year that they would be tied up with games and practice. Other students who are in classes that makes considerable demands outside of the class room must keep that reality in mind.”

Balancing High School and Part-Time Work

Part 3

Brad MacGowan, of the Career Center at Newton North High School in Massachusetts, thinks that working can be a valuable part of a student’s life, if taken on responsibly. “You can derive a great deal from working, considerably more than just money,” he says. “In most cases, you can acquire a nice dose of discipline and a whole new set of skills and experiences.” In addition, your supervisor may be willing to write a strong college recommendation for you.

School Comes First

Schoolwork, including homework and studying for test, should always be your top priority. MacGowan cautions  students who decide to work, “If you are rushing through your assignments … or not studying enough for test because of work, it’s time to cut back or quit and find a less time-consuming job.”