1. Ten Easy Steps How To Get Good Grades in
Distribute booklets and ask each student to write his/her name inside the front cover.
Extended activity:
before students open it, bring to the attention to students the title of the booklet. Ask them to list ten (or any) steps they think are important to getting better grades. As they do so, write their responses on the board.
Compare their list with the Table of Contents.
Have students complete the self check “What Kind of Student Are You?” page 1 in the booklet.

2. Step One Attend Every Class
Step One Attend Every Class. "What you have to do & the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." -- Peter F. Drucker
Step One in the booklet says “Believe in Yourself.” We have edited Step One on this slide to read, “Attend Every Class.” Have student fill in the grid on the bottom of the page.

3. Don’t kid yourself. SKIPPING= missing lectures, discussions,
Ask students what else they miss by cutting class? i.e. missing lectures, personal contact with teacher . . .
Ask what other consequences they may face? Grounded, miss sharig lunch with friends, miss sports practice or other things they enjoy at school . . .
SKIPPING= missing lectures, discussions,
homework explanations & assignments.
You cannot replace being in class.

4. Step Two Be Organized. “We are what we repeatedly do
Step Two Be Organized. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” -- Aristotle
Activity:
Ask students to take out their planners and notebooks.
Have students describe what they are currently doing to keep track of their assignments.
How are their methods working?
Allow neighboring classmates to visually assess the neatness or lack thereof of each others’ planner.

5. Keep your backpack/ bag & study area neat & organized.
Obtain classmates’
phone numbers,
addresses . . .
Keep your backpack/ bag & study area neat
& organized.
Get organized before
you go to bed.
Some students print small “business” cards to exchange at the beginning of a course with classmates they academically respect. These students agree to share class notes if one is absent. Others form study groups.

6. Use three-ring notebooks for class notes.
Use folders for each class. Keep assignments, tests, &
a running “grade.”
Keep a computer file for each class.
Use an assignment
notebook.
Break assignments
into smaller parts.
This is a good opportunity to present a model notebook. Perhaps borrow one from a student who has one.
Point out the advantages of a three-ring notebook.
Show students where they may access a hole punch in your classroom. (if available)
Demonstrate a method that students may use to keep track of their grades e.g., a sheet on the inside front cover of their notebook.

7. Step Three Manage Your Time Well
Step Three Manage Your Time Well. "What may be done at any time will be done at no time." -- Scottish Proverb
Downloadable schedule:
This is a bare bones schedule. Students’ AHS planner is better.

8. Do not overextend yourself. Studying needs to be your #1 priority.
Identify your time robbers.
Make a “Do Not Disturb” sign & use it when studying.
Ask students to share what outside school activities occupy their time.
List some of these activities on the board and have student estimate the time each requires.

9. Weekly Course Schedule
See if students detect this is a college schedule.
You may tell students that this same booklet is used by universities to help their freshmen learn study skills.
Show & Tell. This is an opportunity to have students take out their planners and compare who has what written where. Let classmates pass judgment on one another’s effective use of the planner. Perhaps use these comments: no effort, minimal effort, better, best. - Or your categories.

10. Weekly Planner
Here, advise students that they need to include non-academic activities, appointments, tasks and responsibilities on their calendars.
Students should identify things that “sabotaged” their studying during the past.
List these on the board.
Ask students to brainstorm ways to prevent this sabotage.

11. Sample Weekly Planner
Ask students to locate items that are not study related.
Again, point out the importance of including such items.

12. Step Four Be Successful in Class.

13. Learn how to adapt to different instructors.
Communicate with your instructors.
Be prepared for each class.
Page 6 in the booklet is helpful for pointing out the importance of body language.
This is a fun activity if you are up for it.
Time and your willingness permitting, hand out a few 3X5 cards with a different emotion/attitude written on each.
Have the student (perhaps a drama student) who receives the card demonstrate that behavior/posture.
Meanwhile, select other students to come to the front of the classroom and interpret the emotion/attitude the student is showing.

14. Sit in the front of the class if possible.
Be on time to each class.
Participate in class.

15. Step Five Take Good Notes
Step Five Take Good Notes. "The secret of success is to do the common things uncommonly well." -- John D. Rockefeller
Request a model template from the GRT, Lenore Savage if you elect to give this instruction. In brief it contains the following information but in a clear format.
The Cornell Note Taking System
(Paper divided into two columns. Roughly in 1/3 on lest side, 2/3 or right side.)
Recall Column Notes Column
/2” ”
Reduce ideas and facts to
concise jottings and
summaries as cues for Record the lecture as fully and as
Reciting, Reviewing, meaningfully as possible.
and Reflecting.
5 R's of note-taking:
1. Record. Record meaningful facts and ideas in the main column.
2. Reduce. ASAP, summarize ideas and facts concisely in the Recall Column. Summarizing clarifies meanings and strengthens memory. It is one way of preparing for tests.
3. Recite. Now cover the main column. Using only your Recall Column notes as cues or "flags" to help you, in your own words, remind yourself of the facts and ideas of the lecture. Next, uncover your notes and verify your understanding. This helps to transfer facts and ideas to your long-term memory.
4. Reflect. Experienced students make their own musings upon the subjects they are studying the starting point for forming opinions. Reflection helps them make sense out of their courses. Reflective students label and index their experiences and ideas, put them into structures, outlines, summaries, and frames of reference. They have an eye for the vital-for the essential. Unless a student places ideas in categories and then later re-examines the ideas, a student will forget them.
5. Review. If you will spend 10 minutes every week or so in a quick review of your notes, you will retain most of what you have learned.

16. Take notes that are easy to read. Use symbols & abbreviations such as:
Business
My Name
Today’s date
Stock Market the system of buying & selling
Dow Jones Stat. showing state of NY St.
of shares of 30 maj. US Corp.
stocks & shares
Bear/Bull Bear market – stock prices
Bull market - stock
Exch. Measures change in prices
Crash prices of stocks
bankruptcies, famous Wall St crash
Be an active listener.
Recognize important
information.
Take notes that are easy to read.
Use symbols & abbreviations such as:
AHS students, even honor level seniors, report that no one has taught them how to take class notes. (That’s what they say.)
This also ties in with memory research and the 24 Hour Rule. (See the notes section of the next slide.)
Tell students this is a good opportunity to use their text messaging shorthand.
Ask students to share their “code language.” List the abbreviations on the board.
The Cornell Method of Note Taking is straightforward and easy to teach.
= same or equal ↑ up or inc. w with
≠ not equal ↓ down or dec. w/o without
> greater than → resulting in w/in within
< less than * most importantly b/c because
~ approximately eg for example v very
therefore ie that is esp especially

17. Go over your notes as soon as possible.
Get lecture notes if you are absent.
Share this information with students.
The 24-Hour Rule /or How to Save Hundreds of Study Hours
Say you spend an hour learning something—reading, listening to a lecture, or participating in an activity. At the end of the learning experience you know 100% of what you know, however well you know it.
In 24 hours, if you have done nothing with the information you learned, didn't think about it again, read it again, etc. you will have lost 50%-80% of what you learned. By Day 7, you remember even less, and by Day 30, you retain about 2%-3% of the original information.
Within 24 hours of getting the information - spend 10 minutes reviewing and you will raise your retention to 100% again. A week later (Day 7), it only takes 5 minutes to "reactivate" the same material, and again raise the curve. By Day 30, your brain will only need 2-4 minutes to give you the feedback, "Yes, I know that. Got it.“
Note: The 24-hour rule reinforces the practicality of two study skills:
Review class notes or other class materials for a few minutes the night after a class; don’t wait to review only the night before class.
Using note or flash cards results in significant recall of factual information.
Source: PVCC’s “The Learning Center”

18. Step Six Know How to Read a Textbook.

19. REVIEW by scanning the material to check your comprehension.
SCAN by reading subtitles, words in bold & italic print, summaries, charts & review questions.
READ with a purpose.
REVIEW by scanning the material to check your comprehension.
Feel free to have your students use their class textbooks for this exercise.
Using class books, go through a few pages and use the scan, read and review process.
Have students read the subtitles and turn these into questions. Model to students how to do this by using “how” and “why” questions.

20. Step Seven Study Smart.

21. Know your learning style.
Visual Learners
Auditory Learners
Kinesthetic Learner
Technological Learners
Explain that kinesthetic learners like to manipulate materials; they learn by doing.

22. Find a good place to study.
Get started.
Organize
your study time.
This would be a good place to ask students where they study and how this space works for them.

23. Know how to: Study for tests, Memorize & remember information,
Use technology,
Write a paper.
Ask students to brainstorm ideas to help them study for tests and/or memorize information.
Ms. Savage has classroom–tested handouts and exercises covering mnemonics, note cards and more than you probably care to know or use. Just ask.
Make that 11 steps. Discuss the writing process. Page 21 of the booklet does not include the COMPOSING STAGE among the “ten” steps to write a paper. This highly useful step follows the prewriting steps but precedes the first draft. This is the time students organize their ideas into paragraphs.
Writing Exercise:
Have students choose a quote from page 30 of this booklet and use the writing process to begin a paper.

24. Virginia Tech – Cook Counseling Center
Self-help
Virginia Tech – Cook Counseling Center
Study Skills Self-help Information

25. Step Eight Be a Good Test Taker.
Teachers,
Freshmen have never experienced a high school exam schedule. They are confused. This would be a good time to tell them how AHS does it.
Exams – First 2 times
Tuesday, Oct. 26 – Friday, Oct These are midterm exams for 4X4 classes.
Tuesday Jan Friday, Jan = Midterm exams for full year courses. Final exams for 4X4 classes. There is a 1 p.m. early release at the end of each day during these exam days.
They will need to know:
what an exam bell schedule is,
how the day is abbreviated,
they need not come to school if they do not have an exam that block,
how much an exam counts toward their final grade,
that exams include material from the entire semester.

26. Look for key words in True/False questions.
Be prepared for open book tests.
Check your answers.
Go over all returned tests.

27. Step Nine Reduce Test Anxiety.

28. Mentally practice going through the testing experience.
Start studying early.
Mentally practice going through the testing experience.
Act confident.
Use relaxation techniques.
Ask and you shall receive.
Ms. Savage (in the guidance office, Room 103-E) has handouts for students with tricks, hints and helps for taking:
Multiple choice tests,
True/false tests,
Short answer tests,
Math tests
Open book tests
Exams
Essay tests . . .

29. Step Ten Get Help When You Need It.

30. Ask for the help you need.
There are a number of tutoring opportunities at AHS including:
UVA Madison House volunteers
Peer counselors
Honor societies have provided tutoring during the past.
Ms. Key, the guidance secretary, has a list of private tutors.
Take the initiative.
Ask for the help you need.

31. How to Get Help From AHS Home Page or directly.
your teacher.
From AHS Home Page or directly.
Request a Patriot Period pass.
Teachers, tell students the best way to contact you.
Ms. Savage, is available to visit your classes and deliver study skills lessons. You select the skill/s you know your students need, and she will custom make a lesson for your class.
Additionally, feel free to refer students to Ms. Savage if you recognize they need help. She works with small groups and individuals.

32. Just for Parents
Have students read what the book is telling their parents.
Ask students if they have any advice they would add to this section.
Page 30 offers inspirational quotations from a variety of sources about achieving success. Have students take turns reading each aloud.