St. Albans Home | Mrs. DeBord's Math | STAySmart

Mrs. DeBord, Room 203 (Steuart)
202-537-6410

STAySmart STUDY SKILLS

When I am not teaching I will be available for study skills help, either one-on-one or small groups. My room (203 Steuart) is open before Sports, four afternoons a week, as a quiet study area. Students should feel free to drop in or make an appointment. Their Form Master will refer some students to me. Please look at the following two sections and use the suggested sites as needed. If you come across sites you think should also be included, please let me know.

I. GENERAL HELP:

1. Starting out the year in an organized way
   • Is your workspace clutter-free, well lit, no distractions?
   • Do you have lots of supplies in one place? Stapler, tape, pens, pencils, straight edge, paper, file folder for each class (or a large accordion-style folder), high-lighters, big surface desk or table, comfortable chair.
   • Do you have all the supplies for each class and your name on everything (including your jacket!)?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.dartmouth.edu/admin/acskills/#study
2. Note-taking skill essentials
   • Do you start class ready to be an active learner?
   • Do you have a good system of note-taking for each class?
   • Are your notes helpful for tests?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html
3. Reading for understanding
   • Do you have an overview of what you are reading?
   • At the end of each paragraph could you give a one sentence summary?
   • Do you know what to underline?
   • At the end of the reading could you come up with a potential essay question?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.how-to-study.com/
4. The point of homework
   • Do you put in quality work? (thorough and neat presentation)
   • Has it reinforced what you learned in class?
   • If it were collected, how would you do?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://KidsHub.org
5. The art of reviewing
   • Do you review your notes on a daily basis?
   • If a "pop"-quiz was announced, how would you do?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.angelfire.com/oh/gidi2
6. Preparing for quizzes and tests
   • Do you know what topics will be covered?
   • Did you attend any review sessions?
   • Could you come up with several potential test questions?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.csbsju.edu/academicadvising/helplist.html
7. Balancing all one's activities
   • Have you done at least one class's homework at school?
   • Do you have an order as to how homework gets done?
   • Do you use weekends to catch up or get ahead in your courses?
   • Do you get enough sleep?
   • Do you eat a healthful breakfast, lunch and dinner?
   • Helpful web-sites:
     http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocs/Study/studyindex.html

1. I read but I can't remember...(Go to #3 above)
2. I have a quiz tomorrow...(Go to #5 and #6 above)
3. I have a test at the end of this week...(Go to #5 and #6 above)
4. A big research paper is coming up...(Helpful web-site:
   http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html
5. My notes are not useful...(Go to #2 above)
6. How long should I study? (Helpful web-site:
   http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocs/Study/studyindex.html
7. Should I do my homework in any particular order? (Helpful web-site:
   http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/study/
8. I was absent and am behind in all my classes...(Helpful web-site:
   http://www.angelfire.com/oh/gidi2/
9. Mid-terms/Finals are on the horizon...(Helpful web-site:
   http://www.unc.edu/depts/unc_caps/TenTraps.html
10. I'm signed up for the S.A.T.s and don't know what to expect...(Helpful web-site:
    http://www.collegeboard.com