Teach Kids to Write

In today's NY Times there is an article by Stanley Fish, a Professor at Florida International in Miami. While grading papers, Fish was appalled at the poor writing skills students displayed. In an insightful article, Fish analyzes the root causes of the lack of uniform writing instruction within institutions of higher learning. For the full article click here: http://tr.im/x3lx

Re-Taking the SAT

Great success results from great disappointment. This fall, many High School Seniors will be taking the October or November SAT. For many, this will be at least the second time they will be sitting for this exam. Poor scores on one or more parts of the SAT is the main reason students choose to retake the SAT.

To ensure a better performance the second or third time around student must:

• Start early- 8 to 10 weeks before the exam
• Hook up with a good private tutor or review class
• Focus on the parts of the SAT he or she performed the poorest on
• Do as many practice tests as possible
• Take the test seriously!
• Have a positive mental attitude
• Set goals and write them down

In my experience, those who practice the above, have the most success the second or third time around!

Don't Be Afraid to Guess!

Every student believes he or she is a terrible guesser. Fortunately, this dogma with respect to guessing on exams is misplaced. Ever since that very first wrong guess on a second grade spelling pre-test students have convinced themselves that if they guess, it will most likely be the wrong choice. Why? Because we tend to remember only those questions which we guessed incorrectly. How many times will a test taker silently say to himself, "I knew it was A, why did I choose B?" Our minds like to revise history. When we review an exam a week later, we don't dwell on the correct answers (even if we had to guess the correct answer). The mind assures us that we "knew" that correct answer all along. We only admonish ourselves for guessing a wrong answer. This is the same reason why dialed wrong numbers are never busy. When we dial a wrong number and receive a busy signal, we think its the correct number-- that the person we want to reach is already on the phone. It is only when an unfamiliar voice picks up and says, "hello" that we realize that we have in fact dialed the wrong number. In the long run if you can pare down 5 answer choices to 2, you will answer 50% of those remaining choices correctly and 50% of the others incorrectly. Unfortunately, we tend only to remember the bad 50%. There is no conspiracy theory working here. The only conspiracy theory is the one in your mind.

Develop a Love For Reading

Excerpt from zenhabits.net:

How to you discover the joy of reading? Well, start by finding amazing books, as I discussed above. If a book bores you, move on to another. Find a book with a main character you love, doing things that excite you or give you joy.
But beyond the book itself is everything else that surrounds you — where you sit, how quiet it is, how comfortable you are. You want the experience to be as pleasurable as possible. For some, that might be reading while taking a hot bath (reading in the shower is more difficult). For others, that might be with a hot cup of tea or coffee. For still others, it’s reading in the park, near a river or lake or ocean, on their front porch as the sun rises.
Whatever works for you, but make it something to look forward to.
Don’t force yourself to read — do it because it’s fun and enjoyable. If you treat it like a chore, it will feel like one. If you treat it like a treat, that’s what it will be. Make reading a voluntary thing, a hobby, a passion.
Learn to immerse yourself in the world of a book, and forget about the world around you. This is related to being in the moment, or finding the state of Flow — time seems to disappear, and nothing else exists but your book

Tis The Season for SAT Prep

Its August 5th, and for those who will be sitting for the October 10, 2009 SAT, now is the time to start preparing. How? Read something challenging each day. I post a new article everyday on twitter with at least five new SAT words. Take the time to learn some new words.

Buy the new Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd edition and start doing some practice tests. Pay attention to the SAT Question of the Day.

Wake up sleepy heads! School will be starting before you blink. Use the quiet time in August to do something productive. Senior year is particularly stressful with college applications. Don't put off your SAT prep because September and October will be a mess.

Are You An All Star?

As I watch the MLB All Star Game this evening I am thinking-We can all be All Stars in some facet of our lives. Whatever path your life takes, strive to be the very best. This is especially true in today's economy. Very highly qualified people are losing their jobs daily. One way to prevent this from happening to you--work so hard that you become an indispensable employee. Become the "Go To" person, the one others look to for leadership and advice.

Students should start early. Find a passion and put in the effort necessary to be an All Star. Do what is necessary to prepare for your standardized tests, obtain the best grades, put forth the best college application. Be the best you can be.

Change Your Habits and Change Your Life

I know many of my students are sleepy heads during the summer. Believe me, I have two kids of my own, and given the choice they would sleep until the afternoon every day.

Behavioral scientists contend that it takes 21 days to break any bad habit. How about making a pact with yourself to wake up an hour early every day this summer? That hour will be yours and yours only! Run, workout, watch TV, listen to music, blog, eat breakfast, whatever. After three straight weeks, waking up early will be a whole new way of life.

Think of what you can do with this extra time when school starts--maybe the extra hour will help alleviate the stress of classes, applications, test prep, etc.