10 Mega Reasons Why Subtraction is Important in your Life

Math is like a family of four. Subtraction is just one of those family members. Subtraction is to take a number or an amount away from another amount or number. Picture a table with four legs. When one leg breaks that table will be of no use. This is what subtraction is to math. A strong leg that we cannot do without.

Career Choices

Some career choices require the knowledge of subtraction. To become a bank teller you definitely need the ability to subtract, or what about any career in sales. Without subtraction you are going nowhere fast. Everything in life is mathematically orientated.

Obesity

Obesity has become a major problem in this day and Era. Especially under young children and teenagers. One place where you will definitely use subtraction is when you lose weight.

Teamwork

What about a team. Sometimes you add players, but others times you take players off the field, always changing. That is subtraction.

Pregnancy

When a woman is expecting a baby she is not alone anymore but together they make two. As soon as she gives birth to the baby one is "subtracted" and once again she becomes one.

Balance

Can you imagine how boring life would be without color? Just think off nature and water, like for instance mountains, the sea or even a lake. Without color it would be extremely boring. Subtraction brings color to your life. It helps to bring a balance so that both weights are equal and not one overpowering the other.

Dentists and teeth

As we grow up we will get certain teeth at a certain age. When the new tooth starts to push through the gum, the old one falls out, making way for the new one. When we get older we need more specialized help, and we go to the dentist and he "subtracts" the extra tooth.

Clutter

Do you know what clutter is? It's all that tiny little things you collect. If you leave it over a period of time you will have so much junk that needs to be thrown out. Instead of collecting you need to subtract from your closets all the clutter you have collected over time and make way for new stuff. This is something that you need to do regularly in order to know what you possess.

Knowledge

Do you realize all the knowledge you have gained through time. A little bit here and a little bit there and you are a wealth of knowledge. You are like a library. Full of books, audios' and DVD's but instead of lending and borrowing, you need to give away some of what you have learned to others. By subtracting from your well of knowledge you can enrich someone else with it by teaching them what you know.

Brainstorming

Brainstorming can be a fountain of ideas springing forth. Have you ever done brainstorming? Well, it can be very creative when two or more people get together and put all there ideas on paper. Then they pick out the ones that are the best. The others are then stored away for further use. But at that moment you are subtracting the ideas that are not so good and only using the good ideas.

Cleaning the garden

When you have a garden you need to maintain it so that it can be kept neat and tidy. So in other words you have to clean it regularly and take out plants that have grown too quickly or have multiplied. When you take plants out you are subtracting.

Read, Learn & Flourish!

How to Reduce Anxiety and Nervousness on Math Tests

Math tests can be overwhelming and threatening at the same time. The emotional aspect that goes with it that makes you feel like a failure and at that very moment you have a poor self image. Your brain races and you can't think clearly. Sweaty palms, dry mouth, heart palpitations and to top it all up, your mind goes totally blank instantly.

Have you ever been there? Most probably you have! Every one of us experiences this at least once in our lifetime when taking a math test. The good news is that there is ways to combat this.
Taking time to study beforehand will eliminate most of these systems, because the fear makes you nervous, and when you know your subject all fear will be gone. When preparing for your test make sure that you take every problem into account, don't leave anything to chance.

Set up a practice exam beforehand if you struggle with anxiety and stress. Many bookstores or even the Internet have them readily available. Work through them so that you can identify any problem areas with enough time to spare if you need to master something.

Divide your exam paper in three parts. Do the easy ones first, those are the ones that you can do in your sleep. Then move on to the second part, the ones that are a bit more difficult, and when they are finished work on the ones you battle with. It is no good to sit for an hour with something you can't do and miss the marks that you are able to do.

Start to speak positive over yourself, things like, "I am able to do this". If your attitude is positive you will be able to do anything. So work on the attitude and built your self esteem up, don't break it down with words like, I'm a failure, I can't do this, it's just too difficult. This will surely sink your ship.

When you feel your attention wander bring yourself back in focus. Don't daydream during your test; you'll have plenty of time afterwards to worry about the marks.

Use some relaxation techniques to relax those tense muscles. Deep focused breathing and some positive talk at the same time will help you to stay calm and relaxed. Do simple exercises like contractions of muscles? Start at the feet and slowly work your way up your body. Contract each part and let it go. The tenseness will be gone quickly.

Not all anxiousness is bad. A little adrenaline pumping through your veins can actually be the whip you need to get you through the test. Become excited about the test. You have worked hard and now's the time to be rewarded. All that is standing in your way is to do the test and then you can move on to a new level of learning, which is actually very rewarding in itself.

Life is full of tests. Some we fail and some we pass but with each one, we learn something new. As you study for your test remember that the skills you learn today will be the stepping stones of tomorrow.

What about audio or DVD's. Get a math tutor on audio or DVD and listen to the solutions to the problems. This way it will sink in deep into your long term memory. Personally this has been something that really worked and helped me.

Remember to get a good nights rest, eat well and make enough time to study beforehand. Common sense will get you through!

Read, Learn & Flourish!

5 Fun Ways to Learn Subtraction: Critical Thinking Activities

Although subtraction is a relatively easy math concept to learn, there are at least 5 fun ways to learn subtraction. These fun ways allow learning subtraction to be more enjoyable, instead of completing the traditional mind numbing repeating worksheets. Most students find that when the math problems are related to their lives, creative, and challenging they will find not only can they subtract - they have the ability to apply subtraction to many situations.

The first fun way is through the use of an online computer program that uses virtual manipulatives by Utah State University. Their website is http://nlvm.usu.edu and is designed to engage student critical thinking skills as they apply subtraction concepts. An interactive activity is called color chips in which you use different color chips to illustrate the subtraction of positive and negative integers. This activity requires the students use their problem solving skills to solve subtraction problems.

Another fun way to practice subtraction is to play baseball math. In this activity the teacher draws a baseball stadium on the chalk board from an overhead view. Students are divided up into teams. Each team takes their turn coming to bat, solving subtraction problems. The team not at bat waits for their turn to bat, since there is no field to protect. Students are asked to solve a variety of subtraction problems to get a base hit, once the team member gets a hit he/she places at symbol or marker on first base. As long as the team is at bat they get to continue placing runners on the bases and advancing around the bags and scoring runs. Just like in baseball, 3 incorrect answers equals three outs. Then the next team comes to bat. This is a good way to review subtraction facts.

Variations of math baseball include: football, soccer, hockey, basketball, softball, and other sports.

A third fun activity is playing subtraction Jeopardy. In this activity students are given the answers and they have to come up with a subtraction problem that results in the answer given. This is an excellent problem solving interactive activity requiring the use of critical thinking skills to develop these problem answers. It also makes a connection to real world math situations for everyday choices when applying subtraction math for shopping, sports, activities around the home, and choices in life.

A fourth fun way to learn subtraction is by using paint by numbers kits. Students get to paint each numbered part of a picture when they solve an associated subtraction math problem. This teaches students not only the how to solve subtraction problems; it also teaches them how to use critical thinking and problem solving skills as they use the paint by number set to learn subtraction. This type of fun activity teaches them how to problem solve as they hone their subtraction skills and make connections to situations in the real world.

A fifth way is to have a simulated store in the classroom that sells various products, the use of empty containers and plastic foods allow the store to be used more than once. This activity has only one way students can purchase items, the total must result in a certain number or fall within a certain number range to purchase the products.

This creates a problem solving situation in which students must have a sound understanding of subtraction as it relates to other math concepts. These include connections with addition, division, and multiplication. And additional challenge can be by having the answers incorporate sales tax.

The key aspect in all of these fun activities is students' minds are engaged as they learn to solve and make connections as they subtract numbers for applications in everyday life situations.

Read, Learn & Flourish!

Learning Measurements by using your Kitchen

If you want to learn or teach measurements, the best place to do so is in the kitchen. Almost everything that is done in the kitchen is based on measurements. If a child wants to perform the simplest task such as making some Kool-Aid, measuring is involved as they will have to measure one cup of sugar for 2 quarts of Kool-Aid. If a parent were to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies with their child just think of the possibilities there. Measurements in a simple batch of cookies include cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons and just imagine the possibilities if you were to double that recipe.

Learning measurements in the kitchen can begin at a very early age and as the child grows, so can the learning. There really is no better place to teach measurements although teachers do bring these lessons into the classroom somehow they are not as effective as they are in the kitchen with hands on experience. Plus all kids just love to cook in the kitchen. Even preschoolers can help you bake a cake or prepare a simple dinner. Here is when you would want to explain to the child what tools are used to measure wet and dry ingredients. Show them what a cup of liquid looks like and then a cup of flour or sugar. Show them and then test them on which is bigger, a teaspoon or a tablespoon. Let them practice with water until they get it right. Let them play with dry ingredients such as flour but if you aren't so daring then let them play with the measuring devices in the sand where the mess doesn't count.

Weight is another measurement and this can be introduced early at the grocery store by weighing produce or buying deli meats. In the produce sections they have those scales and kids are fascinated by them. Let your child weigh some fruit and explain how many apples are in one pound, etc. This type of activity is preparing them for later work in the kitchen. Understanding all of the concepts involved with measurement can be difficult for a child first starting out. Most kids love the kitchen, which is a great place to begin the adventure of measurement. Once your child knows the difference between a cup and a tablespoon, start teaching them what you know about conversions and equivalents. Give lots of praise and encouragement along the way and when they're enjoying their first meal, remind them that they're the ones who made it and that measurement was the key.

Before you start to teach measurements to your child, discuss the process. Set some reasonable goals together and designate rewards for various levels of progress and understanding. This will create motivation for your child to learn measurements. Since you will be working in the kitchen, rewards can be easy to create. Set a weekly ritual of cooking something delicious together. Your child will learn their measurements and the whole family will get a nice meal in the bargain.

Here are a few of the easy math lessons that can be taught using your time in the kitchen. Once the child is a bit older then you can get to conversions in measuring. Even if you don't know all of the conversions between units of measurements, simply using the tools will help your children become familiar with the amounts that each measurement can hold. Show them the ones you do know: how two half cups equal 1 whole cup; four � cups equal 1 whole cup and so on. You may come across something that even you do not know in which case you should show the child how to be resourceful and find the answer.

Cooking can be a great way to explain to children how an algebraic equation works. Teach then the basic knowledge that cooking and baking requires following a specific formula which is just like algebra and if the formula is not followed precisely then you will come up with something different than you originally wanted.

Read, Learn & Flourish!

How To Improve Your Study Habits

30 Tips Guide for all Students
1. Start by keeping a priority assignment notebook or to-do journal.
2. Keep a notebook for all of your school subjects, bring it to class and update it often.
3. Attend your classes.
4. Listen attentively to your teacher, and participating classmates.
5. Ask questions in class if there is a need to clarify some points.
6. Listen well in class, and don’t allow problems to distract you.
7. Keep your attention focused on the subject.
8. Take class notes.
9. Have a note-taking system.
10. Have a private shorthand system for taking notes.
11. Study effectively. Have sufficient study materials to help you.
12. Read. Underline your textbooks.
13. Look up new words in the dictionary.
14. Read even tables, charts, and graphs.
15. Research in the library. Use the (card) catalogue.
16. Organize your notes before writing a paper.
17. When making papers, do a first draft.
18. Proofread for spelling and punctuation errors.
19. Submit all of your assignments.
20. Prepare well for tests and exams.
21. Keep a long term calendar of scheduled tests, reports, projects, and other school activities.
22. Also study on a regular basis.
23. Follow a daily schedule. Have a regular place to work and study.
24. Study with your friends.
25. Try to always learn in school. Always make use of your mind.
26. Also take care of your body. Eat healthy meals.
27. Get seven to eight hours of sleep each night.
28. Reward yourself with R & R, rest, relaxation, recreation.
29. Keep track of you progress.
30. Constantly improve your study habits. Make adjustments or improvements on any or all of the suggestions above.

You can improve your study skills, and eventually, improve your grades.

Read, Learn & Flourish!

Memorising

By C. Radhakrishnan

Dear students, I know very well one question that haunts you all the time ‘how can I memorise whatever I learned for the next exam’. Here are some ways that might help you memorise:
• Decide to remember.
• Take regular breaks.
• Review notes regularly: after an hour, after a day, after a week, after a month, and so on. (You need an excellent time schedule to make sure that this happens, but it is extremely effective.)
• Use multisensory memories, i.e. remember using as many representations as you can.
• Generate visual images that involve moving, interaction, and colour.
• Use the same background music to review as when you learned, and perhaps associate particular music with particular topics.
• Organise meaningfully using key words.
• Look briefly at a mind map, then put it away and try to recreate it. Repeat until you can reproduce it perfectly.
• Use flash cards with the key content on them.
• Use higher-order mind maps to connect individual mind maps together.
• Review at bedtime.
• Number points.
• Over learn, i.e. learn beyond the point at which you have complete recall.
• Compress the amount of material by chunking and using keywords.

Make you know and feel
There is no need to tell time and again, self-confidence is the key to success in any aspect of human life and it is very true even in memorisation. Demonstrating to yourself that you really do understand and remember can increase your confidence that your learning is really working. Teaching someone else, or writing mock or practice assignments and tests, can be useful here.

Reviewing and reflecting on the learning process
After every learning session, review the process you followed. What worked, what didn't, what would you do differently next time. Do the same thing at the end of each week, after each assignment, and after each test. Make notes of what you've learned about learning, and use them to improve your next learning session.

If you have any other successful tool to memorise please let me know.

What makes a good learner?

A good learner is........

an active listener
willing to voice their opinions
questioning
open-minded
positive
enthusiastic
determined
adaptable
shows initiative
prepared to learn from their mistakes.

How Can I Draw Up An Effective Revision Timetable?

Plan your revision carefully. The following top 10 tips should help:

1. Divide your time into subjects.

2. Consult your lesson notes and the syllabus for each course to make sure you cover all the necessary topics. Ask your teachers for advice if necessary.

3. Consult your exam timetable. You will have longer to revise for some exams than others so plan accordingly.

4. Be sure to include any revision sessions that you’d like to attend at school. Many departments are running revision classes during study leave and “booster” sessions immediately before the exams. Ask your teachers.

5. Reflect upon your strengths and weaknesses and allot time accordingly e.g. give more time to topics you find tricky.

6. Are you at your best in the mornings, afternoons or evenings? It may be best to put the most challenging topics at these times.

7. Vary your timetable. Don't plan to spend all morning on one subject. An hour per subject is fine.

8. Plan in “blanks” which can be used when things don’t go according to plan.

9. Do allow yourself mini-breaks between sessions and quality relaxation time.

10. Be prepared to update your timetable as your revision progresses. So don't spend hours colouring it in or making it look great on the computer!

Which Revision Strategies Will Work Best For Me?

1. The more you DO with the information you have to learn the more you will understand and remember it.
2. Focus on the methods listed under your preferred learning style.
3. However, remember that it is important to use a variety of approaches – VA and K.
4. Ask your teacher for help if necessary e.g. to recommend suitable websites, to explain something once more, for a missing worksheet.

Easy Tools for Memorising

By C. Radhakrishnan

Dear students, I know very well one question that haunts you all the time ‘how I can memorise whatever I learned?’ Here are some ways that might help you memorise:

• Decide to remember.

• Take regular breaks.

• Review notes regularly: after an hour, after a day, after a week, after a month and so on. (You need an excellent time schedule to make sure that this happens, but it is extremely effective.)

• Use multisensory memories, i.e. remember using as many representations as you can.

• Generate visual images that involve moving, interaction, and colour.

• Use the same background music to review as when you learned, and perhaps associate particular music with particular topics.

• Organise meaningfully using key words.

• Look briefly at a mind map, then put it away and try to recreate it. Repeat until you can reproduce it perfectly.

• Use flash cards with the key content on them.

• Use higher-order mind maps to connect individual mind maps together.

• Review at bedtime.

• Number points.

• Over learn, i.e. learn beyond the point at which you have complete recall.

• Compress the amount of material by chunking and using keywords.

Make you know and feel

There is no need to tell time and again, Self-confidence is the key to success in any aspects of human life and it is very true even in memorisation. Demonstrating to yourself that you really do understand and remember can increase your confidence that your learning is really working. Teaching someone else, or writing mock or practice assignments and tests, can be useful here.

Reviewing and reflecting on the learning process

After every learning session, review the process you followed. What worked, what didn't, what would you do differently next time. Do the same thing at the end of each week, after each assignment, and after each tests. Make notes of what you've learned about learning, and use them to improve your next learning session.

If you have any other successful tool to memorise please let me know.

Happy Learning!

The Top Ten Study Tips Of All Time

By Michael Tipper at www.michaeltipper.com.

There comes a time in every student's life when those things that you dread begin to loom on the horizon. Depending upon how confident you are about them, your horizon will either be measured in months, or maybe days. What am I talking about? Of course I mean examinations. You may be about to go into mid term mock examinations or you could be facing your final tests.

Whatever your situation and whenever you are going to be sat in an examination room it is never too early to start getting ready for those tests. Thorough preparation will provide you with a strong foundation and will give you the confidence and belief that you can do them and that you will get the grades you want.

But where do you start and which of the hundreds of study tips and study skill ideas do you use?

I am often asked for my top ten tips when it comes to exam success and over the years I have accumulated many ideas, some of which are more effective than others. However if I were to limit myself to just the top 10 that I felt were the most powerful based on all of the work I have done in this field, here are the first five that I think are the most powerful.
1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams.

This really is the most important of the study tips I shall share with you here because your success will be deeply rooted in your motivation to learn. Many kids at school do not want to be there and can't be bothered to try which is often why they fail. It does not mean that they are unable to learn, it just means that they have not applied themselves to the work at hand. I know that this is often true because I have met literally hundreds of people who "failed" at school by conventional standards yet later in life made the decision to go back to studying a subject because they wanted to do it. And because of their motivation to succeed they did.

So what does that mean to you? Well understand that you are driven by emotional needs and not necessarily logical ones. If we were driven by logic, the world would be a much better place. So you have to find a deep emotional reason for achieving success as a student. And if you can dig deep and find that reason then nothing will stop you because you will find a way. I really can't stress how important this is.

2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital.

Balance is very important to have a successful and rewarding life and the same is true when you are a student. OK you could spend every waking hour reading every book you could find and learning everything you could and yes you would pass your exams provided you had not burnt out. But it would not be fun, you would have no friends and you would definitely be out of balance.

Taking appropriate breaks and giving yourself little rewards when you have finished an essay or learned something new for your exams is vital for your success. This is because it keeps you in balance and gives you a degree of variety that keeps you fresh and alert. Yes having a night out with your friends is good for you - but only if it is as a reward for doing good work and is as part of your overall plan.

3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps for your notes.

My friend and mentor Tony Buzan developed the most powerful thinking tool ever (and I am not exaggerating here) when he invented the Mind Map. Imagine being able to get the key facts from an entire book on a single page in a way that was not only easy to remember but would stay in your memory for as long as you wanted it.

Imagine having a thinking tool that allowed you to prepare essays and assignments in a fraction of the time than you do at the moment AND have them much better. Imagine being able to give a powerful hour long presentation from a single page of colourful notes that you put together in about 10 minutes.

Well all these are possible with the Mind Map. It is an amazing tool that combines the power of association, the fact that we have a very strong visual processing mechanism and that it combines right and left brain processing.

I have seen what Mind Maps can do for students of all ages and all abilities and if I had my way it would be a compulsory tool taught to kids from a very young age.

4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge.

This is another very simple but extremely powerful tip for you. The experience of most students is that the learning that takes place in the classroom is really an information gathering exercise. When it comes to revising for their exams at the end of the year they go to their notes and often can't remember ever seeing that information before. They know they must have because the notes are in their handwriting but they can't remember anything! So the preparation for exams becomes a re-learning exercise.

This study tip is so simple and powerful yet most will not bother. If at the end of every day, every week and every month you quickly scanned what you have learned, made a few key word notes and then reviewed those ultra-condensed notes regularly, you would be amazed at how much you could remember. This only need take 10 minutes at the end of the day, half an hour at the end of the week and maybe an hour or two at the end of the month.

Each time you review what you have learned, even in condensed key word format, it is more deeply ingrained in your memory.

5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject.

Now there is not enough space here to explain why this tip is important because it is a fundamental part of learning how to read faster and absorb more information. Just trust me on this one and before you start reading, skim through your book (no more than 10 minutes) to get a feel for the contents.

As you read in greater depth later on, some of what you have got from the quick scan will help put into context that information and allow you to make the necessary links in your mind and memory.

Doing this will often stop you from getting stuck at any point because you will have a flavour of what is to come later in the book and this added preview can help the understanding of earlier information.

So rather than hang about, let's get onto the next five to complete my Top Ten Study Tips Of All Time. And when I say use these and you won't fail, I don't do so lightly because together these ten tips work like magic (if you will make them work).

6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home.

At some point, once you have understood your subject, you will need to be able to memorise it. Many people think that just understanding it is enough to learn it but unfortunately that is not the case and so some memorization is necessary.

The most powerful way of doing this is to create a "filing system" in your mind. One way to do this is to create a little journey in your imagination (it can be a real place or you can make it up). See for example the chair, the bed, the TV, the door and the window in your bedroom. If you wanted to remember a sequence of items you would link an outrageous (and therefore memorable) picture to each location.

To recall the information, simply revisit the journey in your own mind and "see" the information in the silly pictures you have created.

7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain.

There is a saying - "a healthy body, a healthy mind" - and nowhere is this truer than when it comes to learning. Two things happen when you physically warm up before studying. First of all you get rid of any physical tension that will create stress in the body and mind (not good for learning) and secondly you will get a rush of oxygen to the brain which will help you think more clearly (definitely good for learning). I was reading something written by a former World Memory Champion recently, and he noticed that his memory improved dramatically the more exercise he did and the fitter he became.

8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions.

If you are training in a sport or practising a musical instrument, you will practise the plays or rehearse the pieces for the big day. It would not make sense to spend months doing push ups and then turn up on the big day and expect to play soccer really well. It would also be unwise to only practice scales on your instrument and then when the big performance comes up expect a perfect recital.

So the same is true of exams. Fortunately these days you can get hold of past exam papers from previous years. Do these, under the same exam conditions, over and over again so that when the big day comes you will have exam experience under your belt.

Doing this will give you more confidence, much better exam technique and an insight into how the examiners for your subject think. Remember practice makes perfect.

9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions.

This is common sense but you would be amazed at how many people do not do this. Take your time, plan what you are going to write and then write it.

10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"

This might sound silly but if you do it with a positive expectation that your very powerful subconscious will give you the answer, then you will be amazed at what comes to mind. The combination of the breathing, relaxation and expectation is the key. Of course you have had to have done the preparation beforehand because this won't work with information that you have not previously learned or covered in class.

So there you have my top 10 tips spread over these two articles. Each of the tips is very powerful and just doing one of them will make a big difference to your success ... but if you do all 10 ... Wow!

Each are very powerful and just doing one of them will make a big difference to your success...but if you do all 10...Wow

To sum up:
1. Find your own deep and compelling reason to successfully learn your subject and pass your exams.

2. Plan your time to include study, revision and social commitments - a balance of having fun, taking breaks and studying is vital.

3. Use multi-coloured Mind Maps® for your notes.

4. Review your notes regularly to reinforce your new-found knowledge.

5. Swiftly skim through your text books and course material before you read them in depth to give you an overview of your subject.
6. Learn how to remember lists of things by linking each item to a location on a journey or route you are familiar with around your town. You could even use your own home.

7. Before you do any revision, warm up by doing some gentle exercise to relieve any tension in your body and to get a rush of healthy oxygen flowing to your brain.

8. Do past papers under thorough exam conditions as often as possible to familiarise yourself with the format and the pressures of working under exam conditions.

9. In an exam, make sure you read the question completely and fully understand what the examiner wants before you allocate your time and begin answering the questions.

10. If you are faced with a mental block breathe deeply, relax and ask yourself "If I did know the answer to this question, what would it be?"

Good luck and please do let me know how these work for you.

Contact the Author:

www.michaeltipper.com
himself@michaeltipper.com
Mob: +44(0)777 553 2612
Tel: +44(0)207 873 2013
Fax: +44(0)207 526 2047
Skype: michaeltipper
http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltipper

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The ABC’s of the Science Textbook

The Science Textbook: Do you find yourself overwhelmed when reading your science text? Is your textbook intimidating? Try these ABC’s of reading Science to help you.

Before Reading: Before Reading don’t just begin reading the first paragraph. Think about what you already know about the subject. Make predictions Make a plan for finding out information

“A” Set a Purpose: “A” Set a Purpose Turn the title or main heading into a question. Look to see if the first page includes a list of objectives or goals. Set your purpose based on subheadings or key terms listed on the first page.

“B” Preview: “B” Preview after you have determined your purpose previews the chapter. Get an idea of what you will be reading before you begin. Look at the following “Preview Checklist” for help as you glance over the pages.

Preview Checklist :Preview Checklist The title The first and last paragraph of the chapter The headings Any words set in bold type or repeated Any boxed material Any photos, charts, or pictures and their captions The list of objectives and any review questions

“C” Plan :“C” Plan Stop and think about what you learned in your preview. Make a list that includes what you learned from boldface words, headings, photos, captions, and first and last paragraphs.

You might also try Outlining!! : You might also try Outlining!! Title of Outline I. Main Topic A. Sublevel 1. Topic a. What you learned b. B. II.

During Reading: During Reading You have your purpose you have a strategy now you need to go back and read this section of the chapter


“D” Read with a Purpose: “D” Read with a Purpose Now that you have previewed the headings, you can create an effective headline. Start your outline with the headings Go back and fill in the sublevels now you give it a try! Just make a quick sketch, don’t spend a lot of time. Biology Textbook


Your outline could look like this: Your outline could look like this: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Biology I. Biology A. Biology: The Science of Our Lives 1. “The Study of Life”, 2. B. Science and the Scientific Method 1. Objective, logical, and repeatable attempt to understand the principles and forces operating in the natural universe 2. II. Evolution A. Development of the Theory of Evolution 1. 2. B. Modern View of the Age of the Earth 1. 2. (Be sure to leave space in your outline for additions)


“E” Connect: “E” Connect Try to find connections between your life and what you are reading. This will help you remember.


After Reading: After Reading As soon as you finish the chapter, sit back and try to recall what you have learned. Use the headings in your Outline to help you.


“F” Pause and Reflect :“F” Pause and Reflect Do you understand what you have read? I’ll bet your answer is “no”. This is to be expected! Before you continue, answer these questions: Did I accomplish the reading purpose I set in the beginning? Do I know what the main topics in the chapter are? Do I understand how the material is organized? Would I feel comfortable taking a test on this material now?


“G” Reread :“G” Reread To remember everything you have read may be as simple as reviewing your outline. For some, it may be beneficial to reread the chapter. If you need more assistance, ask the teacher to clarify questions you may have. Make study cards, this may help you remember key parts of the chapter


“H” Other: “H” Other You may find creating a practice test will help you remember what you have read.


References: References Burke, Jim. Readers Handbook: a student guide for reading and learning. Wilmington: Houghton Mifflin, p. 88-99. http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookintro.html

Effective listening skills

Most of us hear but don’t listen and instead we spend time thinking about what we are going to say next. Poor listening skills can create misunderstandings, make us miss deadlines and focus our attention on the wrong issues and points.

Simple steps to improving your listening skills:

Awareness:

Recognising it as an area of improvement sets you on the path to becoming a better listener.

Convey Interest:

Set aside whatever you’re doing and give the speaker your 100% attention. This offers encouragement to the speaker and he/she doesn’t feel compelled to speak faster or abbreviate their message. Convey interest nonverbally by nodding, maintaining direct eye contact and leaning forward.

Speaker’s Non-Verbal Cues:

Watch out for the speaker’s gestures, facial expressions, tone and volume of voice, as being alert to these cues increases your ability to comprehend the full message.

No ‘Overtaking’:

‘Overtaking’ on the verbal highway or finishing off the speaker’s sentences makes him/her feel rushed and under pressure. Wait till the speaker has finished before interjecting with your comments. If you interrupt by mistake, apologise.

Summarise:

If you aren’t sure of the message, ask the speaker to repeat it. Then, you summarise it, evaluating your own understanding while doing so.

Ask Questions:

This shows genuine interest and offers encouragement to the speaker. Questions like “Do you mean to say...” or “Is this what you have in mind...?” paraphrase the speaker’s remarks.

Fight Impatience:

As we think several times faster than we speak, we become impatient and lose concentration. Instead, use your mind to analyse the speaker’s message and extract the essence.

Pause:

A pause is an effective communication tool — it shows you are thinking before speaking and also creates a certain degree of suspense.

As Ernest Hemingway famously remarked “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.”

About the Author: Shital Kakkar Mehra is the founder of Soft Skills International.

Math Study Skills

To succeed in math it is important to have effective study strategies. Here are some excellent tips for you to try.

1. If math is difficult for you, audit the course first. You will get most from the course if you take notes, do your homework, ask the teacher questions, study for it and take all the tests. You will have no pressure of being graded.

2. Before registering for math, research which teacher would be best for you. Ask other students which teachers they liked and why. Visit prospective teachers during their office hours; ask about their teaching methods and if you could sit in one session of their course. Be sure to select a teacher who:

* Explains concepts clearly
* Welcomes questions
* Willingly helps students outside of class
* Gives fair tests
* Provides helpful handouts to complement your class notes.

3. Attend all classes and take full class notes. Research has shown that successful students never cut class and usually take down at least 64% of what is discussed in class. Failing students write half as much and often miss class. Remember, missing even one class can put you behind in the course by at least two classes. Do you know why?

4. Consider attending more than one section of the course. By hearing a difficult concept explained a second time you may understand it much better.

5. Make it a practice to read over the topic or chapter before going to your math class. This will give you a much better understanding of what is being discussed in class and as a result you will learn more from lecture.

6. Organize your notes into one large spiral or loose-leaf notebook devoted only to math. Use the first half for class notes and the second half for homework. Take a complete set of class notes and add any helpful clarifications to your notes that you hear in class. Mentally follow all explanations and try to understand the concepts and principles. Then write down the main points, steps in explanations, definitions, examples, solutions or proofs.

7. Dates each day's class notes. Write the topic or chapter heading on top of the page. Leave a 2" margin on the left side for comments. Use only one side of a page, leaving the back for additional examples, notes and clarifications.

8. Label both your notes and your textbook using categories such as: (a) definition of... , (b) theorem..., (c) example or discussion of examples, (d) description of a procedure for solving a problem type, (e) a proof of a theorem or a derivation of a formula, (f) a list of procedure steps, and (g) formulas or equations.

9. It is important to stay current. Do not allow yourself to fall behind or the entire course will become an effort and a struggle for you.

10. Review immediately after class and again eight hours later. Fill in all the missing words or incomplete explanations. Recite important concepts in your own words. Research shows that most of the information is lost within the first 20 to 60 minutes after learning. However, if you review immediately after class and again within the same day, and then do weekly and monthly reviews, the information you have learned will remain in long term memory.

11. Ask questions. Always remember you have the right to ask questions before, during and after class. Never avoid asking a question out of fear of looking stupid. Do not allow a question to go unanswered. Get help fast.

12. Create questions for yourself when you study and then answer them. Be persistent.

13. When you feel "lost" ask your teacher to explain the first step that you did not understand; then question any later steps that you still do not follow. When you cannot see the overall picture of what the teacher is doing, ask questions. See your instructor during office hours and visit the math learning center for help. Notice when you are beginning to get into trouble and seek assistance immediately.

4. To get the most benefit from a help session:

* Use question marks to identify confusing material in your notes or textbook.
* Write down specific questions you will ask.
* Later review what you have learned by "saying" and "doing."

Ask your instructor or tutor if you could explain to them what you have just learned and if you could demonstrate your knowledge by doing a new problem.

15. Always remember the "say and do" principle. Research shows that we remember only 10% of what we read, 20% of what we see, but a full 90% of what we say and do. So, whenever possible say and do.

16. Work out lots of sample problems. Practice, practice, practice. Do assigned problems and lots more. Make up your own problems. Get sample problems from other books. Work with a classmate and explain aloud what you are learning and how to solve problems. Remember the more you "say and do" the more you will be able to recall what you're learning. You must always be actively involved in the learning process.

17. The best time to do your homework is the same day it is assigned. This will help reinforce what you have just learned. Estimate the right answers before you work the problems out. Substitute your answers back into the problem. Redo the problem in a different way to see if your answer still matches.

18. Read and study all your textbook explanations of each type of problem. Whenever possible use additional textbooks and study guides as resources. Each book will discuss your topic differently and offer different examples. This is an excellent way to clarify difficult concepts and to give you more practice problems.

19. Work with a review or course outline book that applies to your math course. They provide many worked-out examples and summary collections of problems and answers which are useful for preparing for tests. Always work out a problem first before reading how the author solved it. Examples of course outline books include: Schaum's, AMSCO, Barron's, Barnes and Nobles.

20. Identify the different types of problems you are learning. Note the elements of each. By identifying the different types of problems, you are more likely to be able to isolate difficult areas in which you need more practice or help.

21. Describe in your own words the similarities and differences between the different types of problems you are learning. Do this aloud with someone else. By understanding the structure of each type of problem you will be able to select the appropriate method or formula for solving it.

22. Know and understand your math terminology. This is one of the keys to success in any field. Use 3" by 5" review cards to study math's own unique vocabulary. Put the term on one side and the definition on the other. Carry these cards with you everywhere and review them at odd moments throughout the day. You will not even feel like you are studying.

23. Never attempt to memorize a formula (or rule, proof, or procedure) until you have attempted to understand it first. This understanding will help you recreate a formula (or procedure, etc.) if your recall falters in any way. Make sure you can illustrate the definitions, theorems and the use of the symbols. You may want to use 3" by 5" cards to help you memorize some formulas for convenience and quick recall.

24. Write up summary sheets of math terminology and formulas and review them often.

25. Successful math students study math two hours per day at least 5 days a week. In addition, they work out 10 new problems and five review problems during each study session.

26. If math is your most difficult subject, make sure to study it before all other subjects. Do not leave it until the end. You must study math when you re most alert and fresh. It will go better for you and you will recall more. Research also shows that you will retain more information if you take 5 to 10 minute study breaks every 20 to 40 minutes.

27. Act as if you have control of your level of success in math. Act as if you are really enjoying it. Eventually, your habit of pretending and resulting success will make your feelings match your behavior.