education – Page 4

5 Ways to Support Your Student Through Academic Stress

As a recent university graduate, I keenly remember the dark cloud of exams looming over me. As autumn became winter outside my window, I sat at my book-covered desk with a mammoth and ever-growing to-do list and the prospect of a good night’s sleep shrinking in proportion.

It is during such times of overwhelming academic stress that teens and young adults are most in need of parental support. Following is a list of ways in which parents of students can bring them comfort and provide practical help during exams.

1. Let them vent, and provide sympathy.

Sometimes, the best antidote to academic stress is simply to talk it out. While all their friends are just as entrenched in unfinished work and upcoming exams as they are, students are naturally looking for someone with the time and willingness to listen to their complaints, to commiserate, and to encourage them—someone like you.

Never press them to confide in you, which can cause them more stress if they’d rather not talk just yet, but be a sympathetic ear and a comforting voice should they need it.

2. Direct them to resources.

Knowing where to look for help is half the battle, and sometimes the prospect of seeking that help is too much for already-overworked students. If you notice your student is struggling with a particular subject or is simply unable to deal with the workload, consider researching the school’s academic services, such as a writing center or tutoring service, and gently directing your child toward whichever is suitable.

Alternatively, there are many online resources and books available to help students organize and learn material. This is a practical way in which you can help your student successfully navigate exam stress.

3. Help them prioritize.

As exams approach, students’ heads begin to swirl with due dates, exam schedules, and all the information they have to learn for their classes. Sometimes, just getting it all out of their heads onto paper will do wonders for their stress levels.

Encourage your student to make a list of when things are due and when they should be worked on. Then, help your student determine which tasks are of the highest priority so that he or she will know what to work on first and where to devote the most effort.

4. Remind them to rest.

No one can work 24/7, yet that is what many students feel they need to do to succeed. When I was a student, staying up too late was sure to burn me out and harm the quality of the work I was doing. Students often need help putting things into perspective. Remind them that, although it doesn’t feel like it, this stressful season will pass. In the meantime, they must take care of themselves.

Finding enough time to sleep, eat well, and be active can become yet another stressor to students, and these activities are often the first to be abandoned. Instead of berating students for not taking care of themselves as well as they should, do all you can to make these things easier for them. Send a care package with some healthy snacks for them to munch on while they study, or suggest that they take a half hour each day to simply rest by reading for pleasure, going for a walk, playing a game of catch with a friend, or taking a power nap.

5. Recognize their accomplishments, however small.

A lot of the academic stress students experience is internal, stemming from their own desire to succeed. To avoid adding to that pressure, remove any that might be coming from you by reminding them how proud you are of them and that your love is not dependent upon their grades.

Don’t reserve your praise only for when they ace a big exam; remember to take time to recognize non-academic accomplishments, too, such as helping a fellow student who’s having trouble or eating a healthy meal instead of fast food.

Whatever form your support takes, the main thing is that your child knows that you care and are willing to help however you can. When it comes down to it, exams are something students have to face on their own—you can’t take tests or write papers for them. But you can help them navigate the accompanying stress, worry, and pressure of exams by showing them compassion and kindness and by giving them practical advice.

11 Great Uses of Technology in the Classroom

Society has progressed into the digital age, and the field of education has advanced right along with it. Teachers must now reach out to a generation that is more comfortable asking questions by talking to Siri than by raising a hand in the physical classroom.

Whether you teach at a school that offers hundreds of iPads or a single dinosaur computer with dial-up (if that’s still even a thing), the following tips and tools will help you use technology in the classroom to foster learning in your tech-savvy students.

1. Bring teaching into a digital environment.

Ever wish there was “an app for that” when it came to teaching? Well, platforms such as Edmodo, Schoology, and Moodle are now available to help teachers stay on top of course content, assignments, and assessments. Your students (and you) will love the ease and convenience that modern technology offers.

2. Give your students a leg up in grammar

With access to a top-notch online grammar class, pesky spelling and grammar questions can finally be answered with ease! This resource allows older students to learn at home or in the classroom with interactive games and quizzes to help them retain lesson material.

3. Teach every subject, from physics to gym, using iPads.

With its internal accelerometers and balance sensors, the iPad is capable of recording the precise measurements necessary for physics experiments (e.g., with the Clinometer app). Ideal for kinesthetic learners, mobile devices can be used in gym class to assess students’ exertion and balance capabilities.

4. Liven up math, geography, and other subjects with Google Maps.

Are your students bored with English literature, math problems, or geographic measurements? No sweat! Recapture their interest with Google Maps, which has innumerable applications for education. Games such as Smarty Pins and Earth-Picker combine computer literacy with educational trivia, while My Maps lets you create your own maps and learn how to read them. With a little creativity, Google Maps is a valuable learning tool in the classroom.

5. Encourage your students to download free ebooks.

Ebooks that are in the public domain are available through Project Gutenberg, a site that offers a wide variety of classic literature for free. If you teach literature in a post-secondary school, you can provide links to electronic versions of your course texts to save your students some money (and to save paper).

6. Enhance audio learning with recording apps.

Not only can you record group discussions with a voice-recording app, but you can also use audio recordings to improve students’ ability to read aloud. Students can record their reading multiple times and listen to the audio playback. This can help students hear their levels of fluency while reading and recognize when they are speaking with expression. Though technology can have a distancing effect (e.g., paying attention to Facebook rather than the textbook), it can also help students to engage with concepts in unprecedented ways.

7. Have fun with SMART Boards.

Kids love moving, seeing, hearing, and interacting with information in exciting ways. What better method to bring all these teaching modes together than interactive whiteboards? In addition to their uses for notetaking, brainstorming, and media presentations, you can play games with your students using SMART Boards. Download templates for games like Jeopardy!, use interactive websites such as BrainPOP, or do some research to discover other relevant whiteboard activities.

8. Roll call? Or Balloon Pop?

Given the various options for using technology in the classroom, having students shout “Here!” and raise their hands seems a bit out of date. Instead of counting those outstretched arms by hand (no pun intended), you can use an interactive whiteboard to keep track of attendance. Students can even be made responsible for their own morning check-ins by tapping virtual balloons with their names on them. This use of technology saves time and helps you keep track of your class all at once.

9. Connect students to professionals and peers with Skype.

Though students are tempted to text in class, communication applications can be channeled for educational use. Programs such as the Skype an Author Network allow you to arrange interactive Q&A sessions with authors of children’s books for free. Or, you can use Skype to interact with other classrooms, enable remote participation and collaboration, or practice speaking in another language. Make the call (okay, that was a pun) to use technology to your classroom’s advantage.

10. Promote collaborative skills using Google Docs.

The importance of collaboration in educational, professional, and business sectors cannot be taught through teacher-oriented methods of learning (e.g., “the talking head” of traditional lectures). To prepare students for the working world, use platforms such as Google Docs for group projects. One idea is to have your students write collaborative stories using different font colors to keep track of each student’s edits. This program is also handy for shared research projects.

11. Use apps to get instant feedback.

If you’re wondering how your students are responding to your use of technology in the classroom, why not have them fill out a poll to receive their feedback? Use apps and programs such as Mentimeter, Poll Everywhere, or Socrative to gauge students’ responses to content-related questions or teaching-related feedback in real time. For once, mobile phones in class aren’t a distraction to learning.

Remember, technology is an incredible tool that can either enhance your students’ education or detract from it. If used creatively, apps, websites, resources, and devices can prepare your students with an education that is suitable for the digital age.

Back to School Again: Awesome Advice for Adult Learners

Introduction

Let’s begin this post with enthusiastic congratulations! Seriously, going back to school is a great decision. A degree or diploma, whether it’s your first one ever or the first one in a new field, can greatly improve your job prospects and further your career.

As a mature student, you will have a lot of advantages: you have experience in the working world, you have transferable skills, and you have a goal. There are several things you can do to make the most of your education and make the transition back to school a little easier.

Re-entering the World of Academia

The transition back into the world of academia doesn’t have to be hard. A few things may have changed, but as you already know, change is a good thing—that’s why you are seeking it out for yourself.

The biggest change for someone who hasn’t been to school for a few years (or a few decades) is probably in technology. It affects the way teachers teach and the way we learn. It is very likely that your professors will use a system such as Blackboard, an online portal for posting assignments, projects, and class notes. We can’t forget about email, either. Your email account will be your best friend. This is where you will receive notice about school events and where you can correspond with your professors.

As a student, be prepared to spend a lot of time creating assignments on programs such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs. Research will no longer consist of hours spent in the library but, instead, a few clicks on Google. However, you should be vigilant in identifying the quality of your sources and citing them properly.

If you are not familiar with the programs and platforms you’re expected to use, don’t get discouraged; many teachers have experienced the same learning curve, and they are there to help.

If anything, you will find that technology has made things easier, not harder. What you will really need to prepare for is the change school will bring to your everyday life. Pursuing an education takes up a lot your time, and as such, it is important to prepare yourself and your family.

Creating Work–Life Balance

Unlike some of your younger classmates, at this stage in your life you likely have many responsibilities outside of school: a spouse, kids, a job, a home, etc. Maintaining a strong work–life balance is key to success.

Be intentional with your time. Classes will inevitably stretch your already busy schedule, so make every minute count. Know that you will have to make some sacrifices, but remember that you don’t have to sacrifice everything. You can also expect your stress level to rise a bit, especially during exam season, so take care of yourself. Get your eight hours of sleep, eat well, and make time for your family and hobbies. It’s easier said than done, but being prepared and sticking to a schedule will help.

Plan your study time. Set a routine, and enforce it from day one. This will help you stay on track. If you have children, sticking to a routine will also help them know that although you need to study sometimes, you will also make time for them.

Study Tips

Making the most of the time you do get to study will help you ensure that schoolwork doesn’t overflow into your other everyday activities.

The first tip is simple: go to class, even when you don’t want to. Being in an environment with your professor and peers will greatly improve your understanding of the material, which is a lot better than trying to teach it to yourself the night before the test.

If you find you have a lot of distractions at home (such as kids, Netflix, or cleaning), consider moving your study space. You can book a study room at your school or use the library. If you learn better in a group, create a study group with your friends from class. This will allow you to hold each other accountable for your study habits.

Side note: Try using the Cornell Note-Taking Method to efficiently categorize all your course information.

Working with Younger Students

First, stop worrying about fitting in. College is all about being yourself, and chances are, there are going to be other mature students in your program.

Although you might encounter the stereotypical “party” student, most of your classmates will be just as dedicated to their studies as you are. Create study groups and join clubs. College is the best time to start networking, so make friends and get to know your peers—including those who are younger than you. You’re all in the same program, after all, so you must have something in common!

When it comes to group projects, seek out people in your program who have similar goals to your own. Remember that you bring a valuable perspective and skill set to the group: you have real-world experience and skills from your previous job. Don’t forget they have skills, too. Share your experiences, and you’ll all see how rewarding it is to learn from each other.

Conclusion

You are opening a new chapter in your life: new skills, new friends, and new experiences. If you are still nervous, contact your school—you’d be surprised how many resources they have to help you. This is an opportunity you won’t regret taking. After all, as you’ll likely hear around campus, you only live once! #YOLO