Checklist for Success

Mr. Stroebel, 7/8 History

All of these points have been repeatedly emphasized in class; however, when a student is struggling, it does not hurt to reinforce them at home. It is best that parents not try to micromanage their child’s education. Allow the pressure of high (but reasonable) expectations drive your child to do the things that he or she needs to do to have success.

Throughout the Unit:

_____ Try not to miss class. Keep in mind that you can usually function at less than 100%. If you miss several days in a row, this cannot help but affect your grade.

_____ Some absences are unavoidable. If you are absent, keep your assignments up to date. This will prevent you from being “buried” when you return. Check my web page (https://www.angelfire.com/home/sycamorehistory/index.html.) for assignments and/or send an e-mail message (jstroebel@indy.rr.com). Get missed notes from a dependable student. You must seek help after extended absences.

_____ Take pride in doing your reading. Always read the questions first, then read the assignment, and finally take some notes on the questions and key terms. Be prepared to ask questions in class about anything you do not understand.

_____ Be organized. Always bring your binder and notebook to class.

_____ Take good notes. This will be a key part of almost every academic class that you are in now and in the future.

_____ Everything we do in class has a purpose, whether it is to introduce or reinforce information. Pay attention to everything. There is no substitute for understanding the course content.

_____ Participate in class. It will help you stay focused on what we are discussing.

_____ Review briefly what we have studied in class everyday. Even five to ten minutes of thinking about what we have discussed can make a huge difference.

_____ Develop a study plan. Most everyone needs to do some studying beyond reading assignments. A bit of studying over several days is usually more effective than a lot the night before the test.

_____ Never turn in a paper that you have not carefully proof-read. Parents are usually good proofreaders, but remember that you should be more familiar with the course content than they are.

_____ Do not be afraid to seek help outside of class if you feel lost. Appointments may be scheduled on the form by my phone.

Before Tests:

_____ Start to study early. You will always have three days notice prior to a major test. You will get more out of our in-class review if you have done some studying in advance.

_____ Make sure that you have mastered the Unit Guide. Studying with a friend can be fun and mutually beneficial.

_____ Review the topics that we have spent the most time discussing in class.

_____ Brainstorm and then prepare a brief outline for each possible question. Only when you have carefully thought out what you want to say should you fill out your writing guide.

_____ Seek help from me if you need it. I will usually be available for additional review the afternoon prior to a test. If this is impossible for you, I will try to accommodate you at another time (but not the morning prior to a test).

During the Test:

_____ Budget your time. Be aware of point values on questions. Do not waste time in any way. Short questions may not require complete sentence answers.

_____ Relax before the essay. The better you prepare, the less test anxiety you will experience.

_____ Follow the basic format for good historical writing. Address the main points of the question and then use your knowledge to develop each point. Illustrate your main points with examples, analogies, statistics, and other relevant information. Write in past tense and in third person. Save time to proof-read your answer.

Following a Test:

_____ Be concerned with more than your grade while we are going over the test. The most important thing is to figure out how you can improve.

_____ Remember that if you earn a grade below “B-“ on an essay, you have the right to conference with me and schedule a time for a re-write.

_____ If your test is really a disappointment or if you do not understand where you need to improve, set an appointment with me to discuss it. Again, do not be afraid to seek help.

_____ Don’t expect miracles. If you have been doing “C” level work, it is unlikely that you will jump up immediately to an “A” with more effort. Improvement is usually in small steps at first. Have confidence in your ability, but realize that gaining a meaningful education is hard work. It will not always come easily.