Tips for success
The Pilot
When it comes to school success it is not about working harder but working smarter. The following are some study tips to help students preparing for upcoming exams.
Automatic homework schedule
Schedule study/review time into your daily routine so it becomes automatic. Remember: the rule of thumb for daily homework/review is 10 minutes per grade (for example, a Grade 5 student: 50 minutes per day, a Grade 12 student: 120 minutes per day). If you have no homework or studying to do, this time is then used for review of material and/or reading ahead. Regular review means greater retention of information (so less studying the night before the test!) and greater ability to contribute to class discussion. This daily routine is guaranteed to improve marks, reduce test anxiety, and empower you to do better than you thought possible throughout your education career!
Comfortable homework environment
Make sure you do your homework and studying in a comfortable space, but not too comfortable! Lying on your bed makes for a sleepy head, as does too much heat (increased heat actually slows down brain waves and makes it harder to think, taking you much longer to learn less!). We need a clutter-free workspace with minimal interruption to work our best. Never do your work in front of the TV (unless it's turned off) and only listen to music when you are doing a repetitive task that does not require you to analyze or memorize.
Organize your time
Make sure you always have an agenda for school and your own monthly calendar at home. Take a few minutes to write down all upcoming assignments, tests, quizzes and special events on your monthly calendar (perhaps a different color for each type). The monthly calendar allows you to see your month at a glance so you can plan ahead in case of conflicts (for example two assignments due at the same time, a big hockey game the night before a test, etc.).
Read effectively
Always skim a chapter first to focus on the key headings and chapter summaries or questions. Then read with a purpose to learn about these key sections and/or to find the answers to the chapter questions. Reading to discover information means you are concentrating on what you are reading and your brain will remember more. If you read too fast or too slow you will likely remember much less.
Organize your study notes into "chunks" of information
Your brain can remember more information when it is grouped into sections (five - nine "chunks" of information) rather than a sea of words. Use a highlighter to identify the key headings or topics. It is helpful to use one color highlighter for the main sections and then a different color for the key points within each section. Don't underline everything; remember your brain works best when you have organized your study material into five - nine "chunks" of information.
Don't give up too soon
Many students stop studying when the material becomes "familiar" to them. This may be sufficient for multiple choice type tests (you recognize the right answer when you see it), but is not sufficient for tests that require you to recall information, such as short and long answer questions. Before you finish studying take a blank page and see if you can recall all your key headings and then under each heading write down the secondary points you remember. This will show you if there are any sections you need to review again.
Take care of yourself
When you eat well, exercise regularly and get enough sleep (eight -10 hours for growing bodies) your brain works so much better! Sleep is especially important the night before a big test. Staying up late to cram information into your brain is a bad idea because your brain retains less information when you give it less sleep. Remember: one hour of sleep prior to 12 a.m. is equal in quality to two hours after 12 a.m. The earlier you go to bed - the more your brain remembers and the better it works the next day!
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Grooming Women for the Top: Tips From Executive Coaches
Some women may be missing out on the executive coaching that equally experienced men get at work. A recent study shows that at 20% of companies offering such coaching, women receive it less often than men, while women get more coaching than men at only 5% of firms that offer it.
"Even though the data indicate that most women get treated fairly when it comes to coaching, there's still a significant number of companies where women don't get equal access," says Deborah A. Felton, a director of consulting in New York for Novations Group Inc., a global consulting and training firm. Novations conducted the study, based on an online poll of 334 human resource professionals. Men and women receive executive coaching at the same rate at about 75% of companies that offer it, the study finds.
Senior management -- usually men -- typically chooses who receives coaching, often selecting up-and-comers to whom they relate best, according to Felton. "A 'mini me' thing happens," she says.
The lower rate suggests that the playing field may not be quite level for women seeking to advance in management. In a competitive work environment, coaching can help managers and professionals improve skills in areas such as communication and meeting business goals.
What are women managers missing out on? CareerJournal.com asked five executive coaches about what they help women clients with most. Here's what they said:
1. Getting heard.
Commanding attention at meetings among colleagues and higher-ups can be difficult for some women, says Kerri Halmi, an executive coach in Oakland, Calif.
A manager at a large West Coast aerospace company recently told her that in group meetings, "she couldn't get a word in edgewise," says Halmi. The other participants, often all men, regularly interrupted one another, which the manager considered impolite. "She wanted to get promoted and felt like this was keeping her back," Halmi says.
Halmi says she advised the manager to engage in the same behavior initially. Then "she could propose a ground rule of not interrupting," she explains. Halmi also suggested that the manager tell the meetings' facilitator about wanting to contribute more, to gain his support. Since then, the manager has been getting heard, she says.
Another way to boost your visibility when speaking is to stand up or sit upright, and use hand gestures, Halmi says. "Hold yourself up high and take up as much space as possible to appear bigger," she suggests.
Women who speak quickly and in a high-pitched voice also may have difficulty getting their message across, says Nancy Atwood, senior vice president at Lore International Institute, an executive coaching firm based in Durango, Colo. You'll get more notice if you slow it down and swap your soprano for an alto. "It's a matter of executive presence," she says.
2. Looking and acting the part.
"Managers need to have a pressureproof demeanor," says Dee Soder, founder and managing partner of the CEO Perspective Group, an executive coaching and assessment firm in New York. "You want to be like a swan -- very calm on the surface, even though you're paddling like crazy underneath."
Fidgeting and other subtle behaviors, such as finger-tapping, can detract from a person's authority, Soder says. One way to curb such habits may be to give yourself a small reminder, such as putting your watch on the opposite wrist you're accustomed to wearing it on. The change can serve as a subtle hint to be still, she says.
Caroline McNally says she made several style changes when seeking a promotion to the executive suite as a senior vice president with a large credit-card company in 2000. "They viewed me as a high-performer, but maybe not a star capable of getting to that next level," she says. "I wanted to tweak my approach so that they viewed me in a different light."
Advised by an executive coach to blend more in with top managers, McNally says she began wearing dark-colored suits and less flashy jewelry. She ditched her strappy handbag for one resembling a briefcase. Instead of folding her hands in her lap at meetings, she put them on the table, she says. Less than a year later, McNally, now 51, says she was promoted to executive vice president. She has since joined Pay By Touch, a technology company in San Francisco, in a similar role, she says.
3. Focusing on the big picture.
Some women tend to concentrate so much on getting the job done that they may neglect big-picture thinking, a critical part of a leader's job, says Tricia Scudder, founder and president of the Executive Coaching Group in New York. "You want to be able to point to where you made a difference, so that if you weren't in that job, it wouldn't have happened," she says.
Recruit a friend or trusted colleague to help ensure that you make time to step back for perspective and a strategic vision for the organization, says Scudder. "Make a promise to them and say, 'I'll show you a draft of an idea by a certain deadline,' " she says. "Make a dinner date, so you have to show up with the goods."
Find time by handing off some tasks to others, says Maggie Craddock, an executive coach in New York. "Get savvy about where you can delegate," she says, and avoid overassisting others. Some women, she says, "lose track of where their jobs end and other people's begin.
The Pilot
When it comes to school success it is not about working harder but working smarter. The following are some study tips to help students preparing for upcoming exams.
Automatic homework schedule
Schedule study/review time into your daily routine so it becomes automatic. Remember: the rule of thumb for daily homework/review is 10 minutes per grade (for example, a Grade 5 student: 50 minutes per day, a Grade 12 student: 120 minutes per day). If you have no homework or studying to do, this time is then used for review of material and/or reading ahead. Regular review means greater retention of information (so less studying the night before the test!) and greater ability to contribute to class discussion. This daily routine is guaranteed to improve marks, reduce test anxiety, and empower you to do better than you thought possible throughout your education career!
Comfortable homework environment
Make sure you do your homework and studying in a comfortable space, but not too comfortable! Lying on your bed makes for a sleepy head, as does too much heat (increased heat actually slows down brain waves and makes it harder to think, taking you much longer to learn less!). We need a clutter-free workspace with minimal interruption to work our best. Never do your work in front of the TV (unless it's turned off) and only listen to music when you are doing a repetitive task that does not require you to analyze or memorize.
Organize your time
Make sure you always have an agenda for school and your own monthly calendar at home. Take a few minutes to write down all upcoming assignments, tests, quizzes and special events on your monthly calendar (perhaps a different color for each type). The monthly calendar allows you to see your month at a glance so you can plan ahead in case of conflicts (for example two assignments due at the same time, a big hockey game the night before a test, etc.).
Read effectively
Always skim a chapter first to focus on the key headings and chapter summaries or questions. Then read with a purpose to learn about these key sections and/or to find the answers to the chapter questions. Reading to discover information means you are concentrating on what you are reading and your brain will remember more. If you read too fast or too slow you will likely remember much less.
Organize your study notes into "chunks" of information
Your brain can remember more information when it is grouped into sections (five - nine "chunks" of information) rather than a sea of words. Use a highlighter to identify the key headings or topics. It is helpful to use one color highlighter for the main sections and then a different color for the key points within each section. Don't underline everything; remember your brain works best when you have organized your study material into five - nine "chunks" of information.
Don't give up too soon
Many students stop studying when the material becomes "familiar" to them. This may be sufficient for multiple choice type tests (you recognize the right answer when you see it), but is not sufficient for tests that require you to recall information, such as short and long answer questions. Before you finish studying take a blank page and see if you can recall all your key headings and then under each heading write down the secondary points you remember. This will show you if there are any sections you need to review again.
Take care of yourself
When you eat well, exercise regularly and get enough sleep (eight -10 hours for growing bodies) your brain works so much better! Sleep is especially important the night before a big test. Staying up late to cram information into your brain is a bad idea because your brain retains less information when you give it less sleep. Remember: one hour of sleep prior to 12 a.m. is equal in quality to two hours after 12 a.m. The earlier you go to bed - the more your brain remembers and the better it works the next day!
**************************************************************************************
Grooming Women for the Top: Tips From Executive Coaches
Some women may be missing out on the executive coaching that equally experienced men get at work. A recent study shows that at 20% of companies offering such coaching, women receive it less often than men, while women get more coaching than men at only 5% of firms that offer it.
"Even though the data indicate that most women get treated fairly when it comes to coaching, there's still a significant number of companies where women don't get equal access," says Deborah A. Felton, a director of consulting in New York for Novations Group Inc., a global consulting and training firm. Novations conducted the study, based on an online poll of 334 human resource professionals. Men and women receive executive coaching at the same rate at about 75% of companies that offer it, the study finds.
Senior management -- usually men -- typically chooses who receives coaching, often selecting up-and-comers to whom they relate best, according to Felton. "A 'mini me' thing happens," she says.
The lower rate suggests that the playing field may not be quite level for women seeking to advance in management. In a competitive work environment, coaching can help managers and professionals improve skills in areas such as communication and meeting business goals.
What are women managers missing out on? CareerJournal.com asked five executive coaches about what they help women clients with most. Here's what they said:
1. Getting heard.
Commanding attention at meetings among colleagues and higher-ups can be difficult for some women, says Kerri Halmi, an executive coach in Oakland, Calif.
A manager at a large West Coast aerospace company recently told her that in group meetings, "she couldn't get a word in edgewise," says Halmi. The other participants, often all men, regularly interrupted one another, which the manager considered impolite. "She wanted to get promoted and felt like this was keeping her back," Halmi says.
Halmi says she advised the manager to engage in the same behavior initially. Then "she could propose a ground rule of not interrupting," she explains. Halmi also suggested that the manager tell the meetings' facilitator about wanting to contribute more, to gain his support. Since then, the manager has been getting heard, she says.
Another way to boost your visibility when speaking is to stand up or sit upright, and use hand gestures, Halmi says. "Hold yourself up high and take up as much space as possible to appear bigger," she suggests.
Women who speak quickly and in a high-pitched voice also may have difficulty getting their message across, says Nancy Atwood, senior vice president at Lore International Institute, an executive coaching firm based in Durango, Colo. You'll get more notice if you slow it down and swap your soprano for an alto. "It's a matter of executive presence," she says.
2. Looking and acting the part.
"Managers need to have a pressureproof demeanor," says Dee Soder, founder and managing partner of the CEO Perspective Group, an executive coaching and assessment firm in New York. "You want to be like a swan -- very calm on the surface, even though you're paddling like crazy underneath."
Fidgeting and other subtle behaviors, such as finger-tapping, can detract from a person's authority, Soder says. One way to curb such habits may be to give yourself a small reminder, such as putting your watch on the opposite wrist you're accustomed to wearing it on. The change can serve as a subtle hint to be still, she says.
Caroline McNally says she made several style changes when seeking a promotion to the executive suite as a senior vice president with a large credit-card company in 2000. "They viewed me as a high-performer, but maybe not a star capable of getting to that next level," she says. "I wanted to tweak my approach so that they viewed me in a different light."
Advised by an executive coach to blend more in with top managers, McNally says she began wearing dark-colored suits and less flashy jewelry. She ditched her strappy handbag for one resembling a briefcase. Instead of folding her hands in her lap at meetings, she put them on the table, she says. Less than a year later, McNally, now 51, says she was promoted to executive vice president. She has since joined Pay By Touch, a technology company in San Francisco, in a similar role, she says.
3. Focusing on the big picture.
Some women tend to concentrate so much on getting the job done that they may neglect big-picture thinking, a critical part of a leader's job, says Tricia Scudder, founder and president of the Executive Coaching Group in New York. "You want to be able to point to where you made a difference, so that if you weren't in that job, it wouldn't have happened," she says.
Recruit a friend or trusted colleague to help ensure that you make time to step back for perspective and a strategic vision for the organization, says Scudder. "Make a promise to them and say, 'I'll show you a draft of an idea by a certain deadline,' " she says. "Make a dinner date, so you have to show up with the goods."
Find time by handing off some tasks to others, says Maggie Craddock, an executive coach in New York. "Get savvy about where you can delegate," she says, and avoid overassisting others. Some women, she says, "lose track of where their jobs end and other people's begin.
