Category Archives for "School"

How to improve at test preparation and relaxation

Juicy asks: How do I concentrate in my studies? When I get lots of work to do, like when I have two tests on the same day? And then how can I relax on weekends, when I’m so stressed?

Hi Juicy –

 

Everything you’re talking about really comes down to one thing – staying centered.  To concentrate on your studies, especially when schools pile on the work and tests, and yet be able to de-stress, is a great skill that can improve one’s life immeasurably.  I’ve heard that one reason Julius Caesar was able to do so well in his battles was that he had the ability to completely relax and take very short intense naps, so that when his opponents’ generals were sleeping through the night, he’d be able to wake up after an hour or two and plan the next day’s strategy.  Now I’m not suggesting you try to get by on two hours’ sleep a night, but it’s a pretty cool Continue reading

How a kid can make money.

harley asks: I’m ten and I need ways to make money for a school trip to Mexico. Do you have any ideas on how I can get money? My parents are low on money so I can’t ask them.

Hi Harley –

How great!  I will love throwing some ideas at you, especially as I’m such a fan of travel, and I’m so impressed with your willingness to work for the money for this cool trip!  Mexico is really beautiful, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time.

But how to get there?  Well, I don’t know where you live, but a few kind of universal ways would be:

1)    Yard and House Work.  Most of your neighbors, and your friends’ families, probably have some sort of projects they’d love to get done around their homes.  Maybe it’s continuing work, like keeping their lawns mowed.  Or perhaps it’s some one-off project, like putting a new coat of paint on something, or clearing out an overgrown area.  Of course you don’t want to offer your services for a job that you’re not qualified for, but if it’s just simple labor, people will pay well for a good cheerful hard-worker.

2)    Vacation Care.  When people leave their homes for a vacation or work trip, it’s great to know there’s someone taking care of the place.  Maybe that means feeding pets, watering plants, picking up newspapers or Continue reading

How to prepare to study overseas

Pragya asks: I am studying in high school right now. After completion of my high school, I will have to go abroad for my further studies. Till now, I have been living with my parents and I think I really don’t have many responsibilities to fulfill. Even though I have grown, I am still dependent on my parents, and so I feel my behaviors are too childish and I lack confidence. I am seeking some ideas for changing myself into a mature and independent girl, in order to go through my upcoming strange days in a completely strange country. Can you give some ideas?

Hi Pragya –

 

How exciting!  This is a tremendous chance for you, something very few people get to experience.  And my greatest wish for you is that you are able to embrace and absorb all the treasures an overseas education has to offer!

 

So do I have any ideas for you?  I mainly have one:  Pragya, give yourself a break!  You are so self-critical!  There’s nothing wrong with living with your Continue reading

How to do better in science classes

Tun Tun asks: Hi, I want to ask you why I cannot get good marks in science. I try my best always, but never get good marks in that particular subject. Can you give me any study tips for it???

Hi Tun Tun –

 

It’s no “breaking news” that different people have different interests and skills.  But it is always surprising when students who do well in most courses do poorly in one or two areas.  Handsome was kind of like you, but he also always had trouble with History classes.  Why someone should do well in Math but poorly in Science, or well in Literature but poorly in History, makes no sense to me, but it’s absolutely normal.  So I’m sorry you’re going through this, but please know, it can get better.

 

My guess is that the core problem is that you don’t actually find the Science class interesting.  Other classes deal with issues you are more drawn to than those in the Sciences.  So the first question I’d ask you is… why you’re not interested!  Science is the core of everything that we know exists – how beings live, how materials exist, what the rules of the universe are.  Which all sounds pretty interesting to me.  But I’m not a person.

 

Maybe if I were a person, I’d be more interested in how to make things work (as in Math classes where I’d learn to solve problems), or in how people think and act (as in pretty much all other classes, like History or Literature or Philosophy or Psychology).  So what the parts of a flower are, or how they procreate or grow or fade… just wouldn’t cut it for me.  Similarly, I might not be very interested in memorizing a Periodic Chart – I might not care what chemicals do what things – or understanding the Theory of Relativity.

 

But what if I looked on each Science class as a group of Mysteries?!  Maybe I just love mysteries, and if I could think of the class as one, it would suddenly fascinate me.  What if I made it my job to understand how flowers grow, or how a laser beam works?  And each bit I learned in class fed my chances of getting that solution?  Maybe then I could get myself to learn all that I’m supposed to, and then be fine (except for the annoyance of dealing with exams – annoying because the teacher always asks different questions than the one I’m struggling to answer!) as I progress through the course.

 

Anyway, that’s one thought.  Another is to divide all the stuff you have to learn into very tiny chunks, and memorize all of them in those bits, to the point where you’re carrying thousands of facts which you can then easily regurgitate on an exam.

 

But whatever method you use, the key is to find a way to be Interested in the subject.  If you just can’t find a way to do so, you might want to talk with your teacher, and see if they can find a way to help you with this.  And once you find an interest, then your job is simply to work as hard as, or harder than, you work in your other classes.

 

And then, truly the world is your oyster!  (And Tun Tun, if you can explain that sentence to me in scientific terms, I know you’ll do fine at school!)

 

Cheers,
Shirelle

 

How to be a great teacher

kald asks: How can I be a good teacher?

Hi kald –

There are a lot of classes, books, and videos for schoolteachers about how to be great.  But from my experience of kids, I’d sum it up in four suggestions.

#1 is keeping them focused.  In today’s rapid-fire world, it is harder than ever to keep kids still and interested in their studies for hours on end.  If you look at my answer to ethan23’s question about concentration, I explain a lot about that.

#2, I’d argue, would be Continue reading

How to pick a college or university.

teejay 96 asks: Hi, I am writing from Africa. I am in my last year of high school and I do not know what college I am going to attend. I’m still trying to pick between Australia, Canada, the Middle East, and Europe. How do you suggest I compare my choice universities in these areas so as to pick the right college for me?

Hi teejay 96 –

 

What a coooool situation to be in!  No matter which of those places you choose, you’re going to have an amazing experience that will change your life and grow you in ways you can’t imagine!

 

Now as a dog, and a dog who lives in one country you aren’t even looking at (and has never been to any of those places), I can’t offer ANY opinion on where you should go!  It sounds like you’ve already looked into the quality of the colleges, so what you’re going to make your decision on is something else.

 

So I have two thoughts.  First, what sort of Continue reading

What’s important about Math and English classes?

WILL asks: Do you like Maths and English? I asked it because these subjects are my favourites, and I like to study them.

Hi WILL –

 

That is so cool!  I hear from kids all the time that they hate those two subjects!  It’s wonderful that you like them, and I’m guessing that some credit should go to at least some teachers you’ve had.

 

Now I have to admit, my knowledge of Math is mainly about comparing my running speed to that of a squirrel, and my knowledge of English is about grasping what I need to know to write here (and a few really important spoken words like “Come,” “Sit,” “Stay,” “No,” and “Hey what would you think of us going out and sharing a ham and Continue reading

Do good students always “fall off” as they near the end of high school?

pia asks: Hi, I have just completed my 10th, with a very good percentage. Many people have told me that students who score well in 10th usually tend to get low in 12th and fall in bad ways. I have lost all my confidence and motivation! I hope you understand my problem.

Oh what a bunch of poops!  I’m a big fan of telling the full truth, but this is a perfect example of what happens when people talk NEGATIVE all the time!  Look at you, Pia!  You are an excellent student, and clearly have a really good attitude.  Now do some students fall off at the end of their high school years (especially if they’ve already been accepted to a college or university)?  Absolutely.  But do you have to?  Of course not!

And look at what these naysayers have done to you!  You say that you’ve “lost all confidence and motivation.”  Yucch!  I hate Continue reading

How to learn about the best colleges and universities

Cat asks: Hi, I’ve just finished high school with a total of 98.5 %, thanks God, and I am really confused about choosing the college that is suitable for me. I can’t choose between being a doctor or a dentist, with respect to the importance of the materialistic side of the job, but I really wish I could find some advice about this stuff with a report about colleges that includes the fields of study & jobs of each. Thanks a million.

Wow, Cat!  I’m always putting cats down and insulting their intelligence, but you sure provide an exception to that rule!  Well-done!!

I live in the United States, and here there are tons of books that come out every year, comparing and contrasting all sorts of colleges and universities, and rating them on lots of scales.  I don’t know where you live, but I would suggest doing a web-search for a similar sort of list.  “Comparative Listing of Medical Schools in New Guinea” or “Best Universities in Eastern Europe” or “Most Successful Dental Schools in Iran…” whatever’s appropriate for Continue reading

1 How to keep children focused in Sunday School

Jena asks: I am a Sunday school teacher and handle younger age ranges 7 to 8 yrs. I am just so curious what can I do to calm their very active moods during discussion! Hope you can help me.

Hi Jena –

 

There are a lot of books and videos for schoolteachers about how to keep kids focused, and if you look at my recent answer to ethan23’s question about concentration, I explain a lot about that.

 

But you’re facing yet a different issue.  You are a Sunday school teacher!  And when most kids think of weekends, they think of running around and having fun and not having to Continue reading

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