Note forms to help recall and review - Mind Maps or patterned notes

The Mind Map uses diagrams and key words to graphically link concepts and "map" the lecture (Tony Buzan, Use your Head, 1997). These notes are sometimes called patterned notes.

There are several descriptions of the methods of mind mapping contained in these links:

1. Mind Maps and excellent information on note taking generally from York University

2. BBC AS Guru web site on mind mapping. This site also contains revision tips for biology, maths, sociology, english and general paper.

3. Examples of visual organisation of notes from Bucks County Community College. They call a Mind Map, a web

Example of linear organisation for notes made at the active listening and note taking session

1. Note taking and listening skills crucial to success
(a) must take notes
only notes and memory after lecture.
Large classes teachers can’t check or spoon feed

(b) must listen in lectures
22 hours per week listening to classes
Hear information once
Long classes, many facts
Not time to revise or repeat

2. Best / worst ways to behave

Best
Prepared
Reading – notes/text book
Pens, paper etc.
Attention
On time
Not distracted
focus on teacher
listening
Participate

Worst (Note to students: only include additional information not opposites of best)
sleeping
day dreaming / getting distracted.
sitting at back to avoid engagement
Switching off - boring
Disrupting
Talking (mobile phone)
Eating,
writing up essays
reading another text book.
No notes or few notes

3. Students need to actively listen
(a) information = important
only hear information once - time constraints.
material for study / exams .
responsible for your learning

( b) difference between speech and thought speed
speak at 100 to 175 WPM,
listen 600 to 800 WPM.
can listen + think same time.
thought faster than speech.
Therefore can think about distractions + lecture
e.g. noise, what going do tonight
Attention drift

(c) Brain response to words causes unrelated thinking
Tony Buzan, “Use both sides of your brain”.
Brain network new info with other ideas
Unrelated , triggered by multi ordinate words
e.g. leaf = green or shape, links to trees, spring or fruit
Words set off unrelated thinking – attention drift

(d) Emotional reactions
disagreeing / jumping to conclusions
dislike, accent, delivery. or BORING.
reactions block attention

4. Active listening or listening with a purpose
3 components
( a) Use questions to keep thinking on track with the lecture
Questions to self not to teacher
Helps use gap btwn thought/speech speed
Brain organises info into long term memory
Specific (new ideas)
e.g. what are the 3 components of active listening,
General (organisation of lecture)
What is coming next?
What key point is the teacher making?
Do I agree with this argument?
What are the facts?

(b) Positively engage with the speaker
over react = miss info
eye contact
Focus on content not delivery e.g. not what teacher wearing
aware of your emotional reactions e.g its so dull
negative reactions block listening/attention

(c) Minimise distractions
use note and refocus technique
e.g. vans – hear it, say it’s a van and refocus
Neighbours – nod + turn away,
put away books,
phone to silent, bag not desk

(d) Self monitoring during the lecture
Am I actively listening?
Am I positively engaged with the speaker?
Am I distracted?


5. Notes
Help
(a) Concentration
actively involved
decisions what to note and avoid
(b) Remembering the lecture
No notes recall after 24 hours - 20%

6. What to include in notes
Difference between speaking 100wpm to 150 and writing (30 to 40 WPM)
Can’t write all – 40% max.

Include
a) Main points (e.g Note taking crucial to success)
b) Especially concepts (e.g. active listening)
c) Main arguments (e.g. psychology -cognitive –v- behaviourist theories)
d) Some detail (e.g. speeds thought / speech)
e) 1 example for each concept/main idea
f) References e.g. Tony Buzan book

7. Deciding main points – Signposts

(a) Lists main points at start
e.g.“Today I’m going to cover”
or each section
e.g. active listening “There are 4 main reasons…..”

(b) Board –outline of lecture
(c) Verbal clues, -
e.g.I would like to emphasise,
(d) Repeat
3 Ts Tell what going to tell, tell, tell what told
(e) Body language / non verbal –
talking louder, animation

8. Organising notes
Good notes = organised and reviewed.
(a) Linear organisation
Main points /sub points numbers or letters,
New point new lines/ indents or underlines
Aim – not to rewrite just review
(b) Other forms
Mind map or Cornell/Jeopardy – see SDP web site

Note forms to aid review and recall - The Cornell/Jeopardy Method

Before the Lecture
1. Complete assigned readings before class and/or review notes from the previous class

2. Bring all necessary materials (notebook, pen, handouts). Prepare at least 20 sheets of note paper in the following format: Draw a line down a sheet of paper allowing for a 3-inch margin on the left-hand side of the page. Write lecture notes in the wide right-hand column and reserve the 3-inch margin for questions derived from the lecture notes.

3. Date and number each day's notes.

During the Lecture
1. Listen carefully to the teacher/lecturer and take notes that focus on main ideas and supporting details. Be alert for signals that indicate the importance of information.
2. Condense the main ideas and supporting details into short phrases or sentences using abbreviations whenever possible.

3. Use an indenting form for writing notes (linear notes). Start main points at the margin and indent secondary ideas and supporting details. Further indent material that is subordinate to secondary points.

4. When the instructor moves to another idea or topic, show this shift by skipping two lines.
(see the example of linear notes on this blog)

After the Lecture
1. Add any important information you remember the instructor saying but you didn't write down.

2. Locate information you didn't understand in the lecture from the instructor, another student, or the textbook.

3. Play a form of academic Jeopardy and think about notes as answers to questions. Shortly after class, read the notes over carefully. Write the questions that the notes answer in the left-hand column of your note paper.


4. Once a question has been identified, return to the lecture-note text and underline or highlight a key term or phrase that triggers an answer to the question.

For example in a lecture about memory: What is the IPS? Key words = Information Processing system. What are the the 3 parts to the IPS? Underline or highlight key words Short Term Sensory Store (STSS), Working and Long term memory.

5. Read the key terms or phrases to verify that they help you recall the information in the notes. If the key terms or phrases trigger only partial answers to the questions, underline more information.

6. Cover the notes with a blank sheet of paper and attempt to answer questions.

7. If appropriate, construct diagrams or mind maps to show how the material was organised in the lecture.

8. Write a summary question for the total lecture at the end of your lecture notes for the day.

Adapted from Dembo MH, (2000) Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach and Cherry, CW (1997) Excellence without Excuse – a Black Student’s Guide to Academic Success

Reviewing and Recalling Notes

Note taking, according to research(1), helps students in two ways; firstly to understand the lecture and make connections with existing knowledge while it is happening (encoding) and secondly, later to help recall and store the information (storage). A study of students found that those students who took notes and then reviewed their notes (encoding and storage) out performed students who just took notes (encoding only) or those just reviewed another’s notes (storage only). You may well have observed or experienced this first hand.

Taking notes is essential because of the way the memory works. The brain uses short term (working) and long term memory. The working memory can only hold 5 to 9 chunks of information and needs to constantly repeat the information to remember. It passes information to the long term memory. Deciding what to note, summarising and recording helps the working memory pass information to the long term memory during the lecture. Without notes less information is passed to the long term memory and of that information only 80% in the long term store can be recalled after 24 hours of listening to the lecture. Recall of this information reduces to 20% after a week. At A / CAPE level, complex and extensive factual recall is necessary to achieve a good pass.

To make optimum use of the 2 types of memory, it is vital to review notes. Immediately reviewing your notes within 10 minutes of the lecture makes best use of the working memory to fill in missing information and amend any unclear information. The working memory will then pass more information to the long term memory which is your key to recall for examinations and other uses. The review after class makes recall peak before declining over 24 hours.

A further review after 24 hours helps the long term memory to work like a filing cabinet. New information is linked to other information already in the store and in order for recall to take place the long term memory needs to repeat and rehearses the information. Using techniques such as underlining or highlighting key words to help recall and link information to existing knowledge works well at this review. Recall of long sentences is difficult as 90% of the words do not trigger any association. Key words tend to be a noun or strong verb . Evocative or creative words e.g. bizarre, furious whilst strong are tend not to trigger recall. Key words can then be used for other recall aids such as mnemonics, question and answer techniques (Cornell/Jeopardy method) or to construct a Mind Map (2)(patterned notes). After this 24 hour review recall will peak to the same level as the review after class then decline over 7 – 10 days again .

The review within 24 hours is the most important. If notes are not reviewed studies will become progressively harder as new information is not linked in the long term memory and each learning experience is not placed in context. The CAPE and A level syllabi have a theoretical basis and heavy factual content which cannot be memorised without incremental study over the 2 year course.

A final review at 7- 10 days will ensure that recall of the information peaks again and has been effectively processed in the long term memory. This final review reinforces the recall pathway within the brain which can then be refreshed before examinations and for assignments rather than information relearned. Using methods of review such as survey, question, read, recite, review (SQ3R), Cornell method and mind mapping, which have been developed to assist long term memory and in response to knowledge about brain function, at this stage will be more effective than just reading through notes.(3)

Taking notes in a lecture is very demanding as the student needs to listen to the lecture, make sense of the lecture, decide what to record and record it. Students who take notes can only record 25% to 40% of the lecture and significantly the quantity of notes varies over time. We all have experienced “brain overload” towards the end of a lecture however it is important to force yourself to concentrate and continue to note. The quantity of notes taken by students had an effect on their marks as well as whether they reviewed their notes (4).

Top performing students take sufficient and relevant notes and review their notes. Recall is strengthened by 3 reviews; immediately after the lecture, within 24 hours and within a week to memorise the new knowledge and make links to existing knowledge. Students who used a variety of recall techniques performed better in exams and assignments than those using a single technique(5).


Questions

(a) What two factors mentioned above helped students get better marks?

(b) Based on the above information about memory and recall, what difficulties might a student have if they tried to cram for A level exams?

(c) To effectively recall notes, how many times and when should a student review notes?

(d) What kinds of words make the best triggers for recall?



ReferencesR
1. Kiewra et al (1989) and Scerbo et al (1992) cited by Caverly and Flippo, Handbook of College Reading and Study Strategy Research (2000)
2. Buzan, Use both sides of your brain (1991)
3. Cherry, Excellence without Excuse – a Black Student’s Guide to Academic Success (1997)
4. Caverly and Flippo (2000)
5. Dembo, Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success: A Self-Management Approach (2000)

SELF STUDY ACTIVITIES FOR ACTIVE LISTENING AND NOTE TAKING

You will need to use the Study Development Programme (SDP) website for some of these activities. It can be found at www.vincysdp.blogspot.com. You can access the internet in the Learning Resource Centre (LRC /Library). All the material is available in printed form in the LRC (Library). If you want a copy of the printed form, you can purchase them in the Business Centre at the College.

Active listening

(a) Apply active listening techniques in a lecture for one of your subjects then write a short report on your experience giving examples of how you applied each of the 3 components and self monitoring

Note taking

(b) Read the page on the SDP web site about review and recall of notes and answer the questions that follow. Write up your answers.

(c) Look at the notes you took during the lesson on note taking and active listening, could they be improved and how? Submit a copy of the notes you took during the lesson with your answer.

You can look at an example of linear notes and how they are organised on the SDP web site to help you.

(d) Look at the page on the SDP web site about note forms to help recall and review. Produce either Cornell/Jeopardy style notes or a Mind Map (patterned notes) for the notes you took during the lesson on note taking and active listening.

(e) Think about the activities and information in the lesson and for self study about active listening and note taking. What was most useful and why? What will you or have you changed as a result of the lesson? What was least useful and why? Submit a write up of your responses to these questions and any other thoughts you may have on the subjects covered by this class and self study.

The self study activities are to be submitted at the second class with in Communication Studies (approximately 3 weeks time from the induction week). They form part of the Communication Studies CAPE programme and will be marked.

Reminder about Weekly Study Plan A copy of your weekly study plan should be submitted at the first Communications Studies Class

Welcome to Community College Induction Programme 2005

Welcome to the Community College of St Vincent and the Grenadines (Division of Arts Sciences and General Studies if you are joining us for our Induction Programme beginning Monday 26th September.

You will have already received your packs of information. Remember only to attend on the days set out in your letter.

The other pages on the site in September will be have handouts and information from the Study Development Programme sessions you attended during induction.

The posts from last academic year may be of interest to new students as they cover reading skills, critical thinking and exam technique among other topics.

The new CAPE Communication Studies programme replaces Study Development Programme from October 2005. You can find further information on the Communication Studies blog at www.comm-ss.blogspot.com

I wish all the new and returning students a very productive, successful and enjoyable first year and the students

Remember:
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit" Aristotle

Start as you mean to go on. It is easier to keep up than to catch up.

May God bless you and guide your studies.
Clare Ibberson John

Straighten it out

A message from the Dynamites – Romancia Gaymes, Phylicia Frederick and Kamale Charles


It was around two o’clock when Philmancia glanced out of the psychology class. Behold the sun was shining in all its glory beaming on the luscious grass below. The cool breeze blew her long black hair leaving it with not choice but to embrace her spinal cord. Her hair fell on her back like a cascade of water, like a waterfall travelling down a river to get to the mouth. Her eyes, so bold, so beautiful, wandered around with Alice in Wonderland. Her neck made a ninety degree turn to the left and eyes back into the class. Her mind was held captive by the kiss she received yesterday from her boyfriend. Her hand taking a trip to her lips as her delicate fingers slightly caressed those pink borders of her mouth tracing the lines around them. The way in which they had been traced was like walking in a field of roses, no where to go but to lose yourself in their scent, their touch, their presence.

“Miss Frames, isn’t Philmancia here?” asked the teacher quite abruptly.
“Yes, Miss” shouted her friend, Sandy and her voice made a squeaky sound that bounced on the walls that towered over them and enclosed them so that the classroom seemed packed. On hearing that sound the whole class began to laugh; everyone except Philmancia. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she missed the opportunity to show her glistening white teeth that always made the sun hide in its sacred Neptune chamber. “Phil, Manci”, said Sandy to Philmancia trying to reach her in Mars even though she was still on earth, but Philmancia still did not hear her name ring out of Sandy’s mouth like a song ready to be heard.

Pow was the echo of the lash which was planted right on Philmancia’s back like an explosion. It awoke everyone’s attention. In that little instant, she was brought back to her senses like the dead come back to life. “Girl, you want to kill me?” cried Philmancia in great pain. “No but I’m glad my mission’s accomplished, you are back on earth and that will change all the suspicions that were arising in the class. Go for your test paper”. Taking her time, she stretched her long legs to go up for the paper. She braced herself so she would not feel so bad when she saw how low her mark was. By now it was a custom of her failing psychology, her favourite subject, because she was not mentally equipped or prepared for College. Her priorities were in disarray. But no matter how strong her weapons against disappointment they were not enough to protect her from the mark she got for this exam. Finally she reached the desk.

“Young lady, what were you so caught up in?” asked her teacher, a little mockingly. “Miss, I was thinking about the ex for tomorrow” was her reply. “Okay, concerning your ex, you can do much much better than that. You are too easily distracted. When you just started doing this subject I saw so much potential in you – a true psychologist but your stars are fading away so time for improvement”.

Once again seated, she shoved her paper in her bag so no one would ask how much she had got. All around her people wailed, laughed and had mixed emotions because of their marks. Philmancia waited to leave the class last. On the way out she took out her paper and searched it to analyse her failures and mistakes. Many may think that she should not have been surprised with the mark she received but she was astounded. Her brace grew loose, her weapons fell and her guard died. All that was left was a feeling of guilt. There was something holding on to her heart squeezing al the life out of her, she began to get pale and head towards the bathroom. Her mind walking on glass soon became battered, bruised and abused. Her shoulders slumped, her head bowed and there was this little voice within her repeating to her that she was a nobody, that she was worthless. All the times she wasted at school, Tokyo and home flashed before her eyes. It now dawned on her the benefits of having a study timetable to guide her and actually studying.

The route to the bathroom seemed to have stretched and, just as she was about to fall, there appeared Prince Charming to hold her up. “Babes, how you strolling like if you are sick?” asked Jay-C. On seeing her eyes fill with water like a volcano about to erupt his happy mood evaporated and was taken over by concern. “What’s wrong” he asked but there was no reply so he knew something was bothering her. “Philmancia ,sweetheart” he said, escorting her to their favourite liming spot, “you know, may be you can fool Sandy or all your other friends but my well runs deeper than theirs. Look baby I know something is bothering you and if I can’t be of any help to you then us being together would be all wrong and I’ll be a big distraction to you. Maybe this is not the best time, but I came looking for you because I wanted to talk to you about your studies. You’re not doing as well as Sandy and I expect you to and we want you to do better, I want you to do better. I am not moving on in life without you”, said Jay-C, quietly concerned.

She raised her head in slow motion, looked up at him and handed him the psychology paper with its two out of sixty four written on it and waited patiently for his reply. Her eyes now entwined with his looked for signs of scorn but there were none.- only signs of love. “I don’t…….” was all Jay-C managed to say before she cut him off. “Shh” she said to him, “I feel like dirt, I feel wasted, I feel a stupid, senseless dunce. Look for the worst works you can find and they will express how I feel. I feel as I the whole universe has been crumbled up and thrown on my shoulders”. By now her face was like a landslide as her tears made all her Face Nutrients run off and soak her shirt and jacket or fall on the desk between them. “I have never scored such a low mark in my entire life until now. Back at secondary school I was the top student in my classes, back then I walked with some pride because I knew my stuff, but now it’s like I can’t keep up. I can’t work at the level everyone expects me to and this uniform creates such a hot environment and makes it uncomfortable to study”. Jay-C, not accustomed to see her so unhappy, went to her side and massaged her back as an encouragement for her to go on and so she did. “I remember the times I sat down and knew I should have been studying or reading or doing something constructive with my time but no - I’d rather hang with my friends and waste time with them while you go home and study. I can’t study at home because there is so much going on; Mum and Dad are filing for divorce, money is limited, my grandmother just died and more. I try to study in my room but before an hour is up I’m already asleep. When I am at school and I try to study there is no place to study. If I go to the library to study read or do unfinished home work I have to leave after 5 minutes because my bones get too cold and there are only 6 study booths in the library for 1000 students in the school. You know, when I started to get to know you I used to burn a few classes because I felt I needed your presence like I finally belonged. I’m going to stop because I‘ve realised that you want me to be somebody. It’s sad because you are the only person that cares so much about me”. She began to weep again. This time Jay-C held her to his heart - to hold her, to protect her, to give her a friend and not just a boyfriend – and he began to speak.

“Look darling I was once like you not sure of what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong I always wanted to be an engineer but I didn’t start from day one at College to accomplish my goals. However, it’s a good thing I got a hold of myself before it was too late. If I didn’t get through with that I might not have found you. What I like most about you is your kindness, your intelligence – you speak at such a high level. Baby, if you want to be a psychologist as you say then go for it. Let everything have their time. I shouldn’t take up all your time. Here are some ideas: make a study guide, write down your homework in a special book, study a portion of a subject a day and write down encouraging statements to study”.

“Straighten out all the creases in your life. Let God be your number one, family number two, education number three and me and Sandy can settle for number four”. Jay-C summed it all up.

“Thanks, boo. I feel so much better. Like if you have cut me open and washed all the germs away. Thanks for being there for me. I love you”, said Philmancia with red eyes.

“I love you too” was Jay-C’s reply as he planted a kiss on her tempting lips and she forgot her pain. He promised to help her in her studies and so he did. They became partners even in study.


What about you? What about me? When are we going to set our priorities straight? Girls – don’t let boys become a barrier to your success. Boys – don’t let the girls be a barrier to your success. Instead let their love be an encouragement to you to be successful in life. Forget that there are problems, ignore them, don’t let them come between you and your studies. Ignore the problems of the library, the uniform, wasting time and television. If you just try, you can achieve your goals in life.


Note from Mrs John: This was written before the opening of the new Learning Resource Centre at Community College.

Study Development Programme - Graduation Awards

This year's awards are for the best group presentation on barriers to success and for the best individual performances

Group presentation winners

Kamale Charles, Phylicia Frederick and Romancia Gaymes for their creative response to the question - a cautionary tale in the form of a romance novel. Excellent work which can be read on this web site.


Individual Performance

Uklyn Abbott who had a distiction for attendance, group presentation and portfolio. Uklyn was the only student to have 3 distinctions.

Thank you award winners for your efforts.

Writing Workshop 1 - What is Standard English?

Standard English: what it isn’t
(Tony Bex & Richard J. Watts eds. Standard English: the widening debate. London: Routledge, 1999, 117-128.)

“Standard English is not the English language but simply one variety of it.” - Trudgill

Standard English is not an accent

Received pronunciation (BBC English or Upper Middle Class British English) is often thought to be Standard English but most standard English is spoken with an accent e.g. Caribbean Standard English (like Jimmy Prince o f SVG TV), Northern British accented Standard English (Mrs John’s accent in class). Northern U.S accented Standard English (Mr Gleicher in class)

Standard English is not a style
Style is the words and order of words (lexis and syntax) such as formal, informal, colloquial. Switching occurs within dialects not between them. So a person might use informal words e.g. old man, knackered, bloody and still be speaking Standard English.

Standard English is not the type of words (Register)
E.g. terms used in law, maths , geography. E.g. I-man sight two eskers dem inna dah U-shaped valley the register is physical geography but the dialect is Rasta English. Standard English does not have particular words e.g. cry is used by to all kinds of dialects but it does not contain non-standard words e.g eye-water instead of tears

What is Standard English?

A dialect or form of English which is used mainly in the written form and is often referred to as S. W. E. – Standard Written English. It is not a “superior” form of English but some may consider it to be because often the dominant social class who because of education tend to use it. Standard English is taught during foreign language teaching of English.

Used mainly in:
 written in published work or academic writing
 spoken in situations where published writing is most influential, especially in education (and especially at University level),
 spoken ‘natively’ (at home) by people who are most influenced by published writing - the ‘professional class’. (Richard Hudson)

Standard English is "good" grammar
Standard English is mainly determined by grammar and only about 20 very specific areas of grammar make up S.W.E. Some of the key ones are
 Use of irregular verb forms particularly for the third person by the “s” to indicate 3rd person (he/she/it)
 Use of irregular form of the verb to be for both present and past tense e.g. I am, you are, he/she/it is,
 A variety of past tense forms eg. (Simple past ) I saw, (past perfect) I have seen
 Does not use double negative e.g. I don’t want none is an error
 Reflexive pronoun is irregular i.e. myself, yourself, himself, themselves, ourselves.

Writing workshop for Term 3 - Week by week programme

Mon 18th April to Fri 22nd April
Intended Audience
A level examiner‘s expectations
What is "Standard Written English"?
Making A level style your style

Mon 25th April To Fri 30th April
Prewriting
Help, I don’t know where to begin?
Getting ideas, planning, thesis statement

Tues 3rd May To Fri 6th May (Labour day holiday)
Paragraph structure
Topic sentence improvement
Transitions between paragraphs

Mon 9th May To Fri 13th May
Introductions and conclusions
Attention grabbers
Effective summaries

Tues 17th May To Fri 20th May (Whitsun holiday on Monday)
Academic writing style (1)
• Concision
• Complexity
• Cutting out fillers and cliches

Mon 23rd May To Fri 27th May
Academic writing style (2)• Parallelism
• Tentative –v- certain
• Using strong active verbs
• Eliminating the passive

Mon 30th May To Fri 3rd June
Creole interference
Does a Vincentian dialect affect written English?
The arguments
The solutions

Mon 6th June To Fri 10th June
Rewriting, editing, proofreading
Good, better, best – rewriting
Error checking techniques

Mon 13th June To Fri 17th June
Using sources
How to use other people’s ideas
The vocabulary of references

Writing workshops - Term 3 timetable for drop in sessions

In Term 3, SDP transforms itself from compulsory weekly classes to a week of drop-in writing workshops on the same topic for each class.

Times are as follows

Mondays
11 a.m. - T3 with Miss Soleyn

Tuesdays
9.45 a.m. - T1 with Miss Lee

2.15 p.m. - T3 with Mrs John

Wednesdays
9.45 a.m. - T1 with Mrs John

2.15 p.m. - T2 with Mrs John

Thursdays
9.45 a.m. - Bio Lab with Mrs John

Fridays
11 - Outside Computer Room with Mrs John

1 - G2 with Mrs John

See the other post for the weekly programme

Academic warnings for failing SDP course in Terms 1 & 2

I am sorry to say 107 students failed SDP mostly because they did not meet the requirement of 90% attendance in class over 2 terms.

You will receive an academic warning from the Principal which will be taken into account when considering your progression from Lower to Upper Sixth.

If you have not seen me about mitagating circumstances, or wish to query your failure you need to do so by Friday 23rd April.

Mrs Clare John

Congratulations Graduating Class of 05 from the first ever Study Development Programme

Congratulations all of the 398 you passed two terms of compulsory SDP. 37 of you were awarded distinctions for 100% attendance, 28 got distinctions for their group presentations, 6 got distinctions for their portfolio.

13 students got distinctions for their presentations and 100% attendance - very good work. I was also pleased to award one distinction in all three: attendance, portfolio and presentation - exceptional commitment to improving study habits.

The standard of the group presentations was variable however there were some excellent solutions from students to the barriers they face. There were also some enjoyable dramatic presentions of the barriers which certainly livened up SDP for the last couple of weeks.

Well done Lower Sixth of Community College.

The lists of the passes and distinctions are on the notice board.

The QUIZ with the answers

1. What was the pass rate of all A level exams taken at Community College in Summer 2004? 45%

2. How many weeks teaching do you have at Community College to cover the A level syllabus 48

3. How many weeks teaching for CXC 60

4. Name a notetaking technique which uses “branches” from a central point with words on them mind map

5. How many hours per week should you spend studying for each A level? Same as in class 5 hours

6. What are SMART goals? Specific, Measureable, Achieveable or Action orientated, realistic, time limited

7. Why is an “I will” statements useful when changing habits? I won’t sets up rebellion, I will is positive and definite

8. What can you use to find out time wasting activities? Time log

9. What are Quadrant 2 activities in the 4 quadrants of time management? Important but not urgent

10. What is the first habit of “Highly Effective People” from the book by Stephen Covey? “Put first things first” – acting on principle

11. What is the second habit? Begin with the end in mind – setting goals

12. What is active listening? Listening with questions in mind, listening with a purpose

13. How many times and when should we review notes to ensure transfer into the long term memory? 3, 10 mins after, 24 hours after and 1 week after

14. What is the Jeopardy or Cornell method of notte taking? Questions down one side of the notes for test/recall purposes and a summary question a the bottom

15. What does SQ3R method of reading consist of? Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review

16. Robert Ennis thought critical thinking had two main qualities beginning with “R” Reasonable and reflective

17. Richard Paul’s definition of critical thinking was “Thinking about ……….. “. Complete. Thinking about your thinking while you are thinking to make your thinking better

18. What are two elements of the 8+ elements of reasoning? Concept, consequences/implications, information, question at issue, main purpose, assumptions, conclusions, point of view (+ context and alternatives)

19. What is the central element? Alternatives

Last Lesson of Term 2 - The QUIZ

1. What was the pass rate of all A level exams taken at Community College in Summer 2004?

2. How many weeks teaching do you have at Community College to cover the A level syllabus

3. How many weeks teaching for CXC

4. Name a notetaking technique which uses “branches” from a central point with words on them

5. How many hours per week should you spend studying for each A level?

6. What are SMART goals?

7. Why is an “I will” statements useful when changing habits?

8. What can you use to find out time wasting activities?

9. What are Quadrant 2 activities in the 4 quadrants of time management?

10. What is the first habit of “Highly Effective People” from the book by Stephen Covey?

11. What is the second habit?

12. What is active listening?

13. How many times and when should we review notes to ensure transfer into the long term memory?

14. What is the Jeopardy or Cornell method of notte taking?

15. What does SQ3R method of reading consist of?

16. Robert Ennis thought critical thinking had two main qualities beginning with “R”

17. Richard Paul’s definition of critical thinking was “Thinking about ……….. “. Complete.

18. What are two elements of the 8+ elements of reasongin?

19. What is the central element?

If you had to give a new student coming into the Lower Sixth next year some advice about Community College, what would it be?

Lesson 14 Exam technique

The best thing you can do to improve your exam technique is to improve your time management and planning followed by improve your stress management.

Timing
* Think about timing in advance of the exam. You should be able to find out or base your estimate on past papers of the number of questions and time allowed. Exam anxiety can make it hard to do this in the exam room. Especially work out what time you need to be doing things e.g. if a 2 exam starts at 9.30 and there are 4 questions with equal marks then by 10.30 you will have completed or nearly completed 2 questions.

* 5 minutes spent planning your strategy and timing will be time well spent

* If you feel better just rushing in to settle yourself answer a question with a few marks. If they are all essay type questions break this habit.

* Plan all the questions before answering

* Consider doing all the plans first. If you mess up your timing then the plans will get you marks – but this does need discipline on the timing.

* Draw little clocks on a bit of paper with the times you need to start each question.

* You don’t have to answer in the order on the paper as long as they are clearly numbered and you have answered the required number of questions

* You can only get marks for questions answered. REMEMBER the first 50% of marks are the easiest to get, 25% harder, last 25% hardest – poor timing means that you miss out on easy marks.

* Think about the examiners’ marking strategy – put possible marks on the plan to help with emphasis.

* Remember question answering techniques – turn all the parts of the question into a question – use the Elements of Reasoning

Stress Management

Stress in exams is good. You should be feeling adrenaline coursing around your body in an exam. An athelete relies on adrenaline for optimum mental and physical performance and during an exam you can welcome those feelings by reminding your self a little stress improves performance.

However too much stress, especially being overwhelmed by adrenaline, has a negative effect on our bodies and minds. Deep breathing is often recommended to counter this however it can make things worse as it often hyperventilates the body and makes you feel more panicky and light headed.

What is needed is deep breathing using the diaphragm. The stomach muscles should be gently pushed out as you breath in counting about to 5 or what ever is comfortable, then drawn back in as you breath out to the count of 5. This at first is counter intuitive to what the body wants to do but it stops the adrenaline flowing and prevents hyperventilation.

Other stress control methods such as visualising before the event how the exam is going to go (well, you remain calm, you are in control etc), counselling, relaxation techniques can also be considered.

Lesson 12 Are you the paragon of preparation or rubbish at revision? A quiz to look at areas to change

Answer YES OR NO
1. Do you find out from teachers what parts of the syllabus are to be covered in the exam?
2. Do you find out from teachers the form of the exam (number of questions, length of time of exam, form of questions e.g. essay, short answer, case study)?
3. Do you always attend the last class before the exam?
4. Do you prepare a list of topics that will be covered for each examination?
5. Do you organise notes from text books, class notes and tutorial notes in to topic themes?
6. Do you get examples of past papers and questions?
7 Do you set goals for what you want to do each time you sit down to revise?
8 Do you make a revision time table?
9 Do you set aside enough time to prepare for exams?
10 Do you develop a revision plan over a number of days?
11 Do you say the ways you will study such as model questions, preparing topic cards, refining notes, self testing in each of your study sessions?
12 Do you stick to your revision plan?
13 Do you change your revision plan if necessary?
14 Do you chose a quiet place in which to revise?
15 Do you revise in study groups?
16 Do you ask other people to test your knowledge e.g. study groups, parents?
17 Do you use other ways of revising as well as just reading through notes and textbooks and rewriting notes to revise for exams?
18 Do you look at your mistakes on past exams and essays and get material to correct them?
19 Do you write questions to answer while revising?
20 Do you practise writing answers to model questions or past papers?


Scores

0 – 2 You are rubbish at revision! Look at some of the ideas from your classmates and during the class. Set goals to do some of them for the next exam. Build up to all of them by the time you take your mock A levels.

2 – 10 You could be better prepared for exams. Try to put into practice two new ideas for your next exam and set a goal for yourself that you will do all of them by Year 2.

10 – 15 You prepare for exams well but may be missing a vital area such as self testing, planning or finding out what needs to be covered. Check your answers for the gaps and set a goalsl to fill those gaps and become a paragon of preparation.

16 – 19 You have nearly all the techniques for exam preparation in place, well done! Look at ways you might improve and make a plan to start doing them for the next exam.

20 You are the paragon of preparation! Make sure this is followed up with excellence in exam technique so as not to waste the hard work.