A.1: “C” Concentration

C

IMPROVE YOUR CONCENTRATION BY PREPARING THE TIME AND PLACE OF YOUR STUDYING. AVOID EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL DISTRACTIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

A proper study environment is important if you are to be successful with your coursework and learning tasks. This environment should ideally be one in which you are able to fully concentrate. Being able to fully concentrate means that you can give a task all your attention and you won't become distracted. It is a vital ingredient for getting maximum benefit out of a minimum number of study hours.

There are two basic kinds of distractions that will work against your attempts to concentrate: there are “external" ones and there are "internal" distractions. External distractions are all around us. They are outside of our doors and inside our rooms! They involve problems with sound, lighting, uncomfortable seating, and physically cluttered areas. Internal distractions are those things that clutter our minds and make it almost impossible to focus on what is important in our schoolwork and in our lives. More on internal distractions later. First let's consider how we can organize things to get rid of external distractions as much as possible.

DEALING WITH EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS

The main way to deal with external distractions is to set up a “Study Place” at a table or desk in an area that is quiet and free from as many distractions as possible. Some common distractions that you might encounter are: T.V., radio, family, and friends. Games and activities around your study place, along with computer distractions, may also conspire to take you away from your work. Dealing with smart phone and computer distractions may not be easy. Focus on proper use of your computer and other devices to help you when you're studying.

Each situation is a little different. Keep in mind that the better you concentrate the better you will do with your studies and the more time you will have left over for activities that you will no doubt find more enjoyable. Concentration lets you get your work done and gives you the chance for a balanced life!

At your study place you should have all your study materials handy. This should be the area where you keep all your project, school, and course materials, including books, papers and especially your daily planner. Your planner should list all the tasks that will make up your homework (more on this in the L part of CLEVER). If there has been a problem in the past with constantly forgetting textbooks, it may be possible to plan to get some additional text material. This may be possible if extra textbooks are available through the school, or if a local supplier can be identified to access texts for purchase. You may also see if it's possible for you to get online copies. Supplies available should include pencils, pens, ruler, scissors, a sharpener, a stapler, erasers, glue, paper, paper clips, highlighters, a calculator, a paper punch and blank file cards (which you’ll learn later can be handy to use for study aids).

Make sure everything has a place... your desk should never be left cluttered. Once one project is completed, or you are finished your session for the day, put all supplies and materials away. Always plan to save a few minutes to do this. A handy tip is to have files or pouches for each separate project or even small plastic bins. This allows items to be neatly organized and easy to find for your next study session.

Reference materials are life savers! You should have these on hand: a dictionary, a thesaurus, an up-to-date atlas, and other general research aids. It will be especially useful to have access to a smart phone, iPad, tablet, or computer so this and other information can be obtained online.

Careful, though, as you need to stay focused. Accessing online information may be a distraction. Keep your focus. If possible, know exactly what you’re looking for when you go online. Avoid getting pulled off your topic. Don’t be tempted by other information that looks appealing. Also, turn notifications off on your smart devices while you study… that way you are not distracted by a social media post during the time you need to be concentrating!

Displaying reference posters, maps and cards that contain information that you need to have for your classes can be helpful as well. For example, you could have various formulas and problem-solving steps for math courses, along with a "Periodic Table of the Elements" for science courses. You may also want to include the following: "learning diagrams" and study cards and/or charts that you've created for portions of the courses you're currently dealing with. It’s a good idea to have various charts you will use for monthly and weekly time management. There’s a fair bit to learn about their use. There will be more about these items in upcoming parts of CLEVER QUICK.

Ideally, the place you set up will be used only for studying. Scientists have shown that there is a conditioning effect which can take place when a certain area is used for only one activity. Your body tunes into studying faster when you study regularly in the same surroundings. Fidgeting, shuffling papers, and wasting time will become less. Your mind and body know what to expect. It is easier for you to “get into gear.” For this reason, it’s a good idea to avoid using your study area for napping and snacking.

Using the same time for study, when possible, is also a good idea. That's for the same "conditioning" reason. We’ll speak more on this in later parts of CLEVER QUICK.

A study place should have good even lighting. Glare will cause eye strain and make you tire quickly – and possibly even give you headaches! Dim lighting will also cause you to have eye strain. Ensure that you have good general lighting in the room you are studying in. A good lamp that will get rid of shadows on your work surface is also essential!

A comfortable chair is important for studying. Your chair should be comfortable enough to keep you relaxed while studying - but not so comfortable as to make you sleepy. Sofas and easy chairs should generally be avoided. The chair should support you in an upright position and support your back to make sure that you can continue your work at your desk without back strain. Ideally it should also have a height adjustment so that you are sitting at the best height for reading, typing on a computer or completing other study tasks. You may have seen other alternatives that folks in a home study environment have used. Some might work for you, but there are costs involved. Sitting on a large exercise ball, for example, has proved successful for those who tend to fidget. Others have set up a desk computer station that involves standing or perching in a kneeling type of chair.

Do you have a hard time staying focused? It may be a good idea for you to study in a place where others can observe you and keep you on track. This may be the kitchen or dining room in your home. While being in an area you can be observed can be good for all your studying, it may be most important when you're accessing information online. If there's no convenient place to study at home you may want to consider the library or a classroom at school, but you must be able to work around the extra distractions in these locations.

If you need to study in a place in the home that is used by others, one suggestion is to organize a study box which contains your books, pens, pencils, rulers, erasers, paper, a dictionary, a calculator, and other needs. This box should also be the place where you put all school related materials each day. This box is especially useful if you don’t have a desk and you study in different locations. Having all your items together will save a lot of valuable time. Hunting for something every few minutes makes concentration difficult!

Sometimes it’s hard to find a consistent study space! If you find yourself having to move around in your home, make a “Do Not Disturb" sign that you can put up wherever you're studying. This may also be valuable, even for use at a desk where you do all your studying. It will serve as a reminder to others as well as yourself, that a particular block of time is not to be wasted and has a special purpose.

Good habits keep you on track! Form the habit of starting work right away when you sit down at your desk. Attempt to keep your mind actively involved on the subject. Find something interesting in your work to keep you focused. Practice being curious and ask questions about what you are learning. If you can't find the answers, write down the questions to ask a teacher or adult later. Also, keep yourself in good shape for studying. Plenty of sleep, exercise, nutritious food, and fun activities are keys to being healthy and effective.

DEALING WITH INTERNAL DISTRACTIONS

You may experience some “Internal Distractions” such as anxiety, personal problems, tiredness, and daydreams, that interfere with attempts to study. By putting aside thoughts that don’t help you in your studying, success is achievable. Good planning can help you. If you have made very clear goals, you can more easily focus on them. Know exactly what you must accomplish when you sit down to study.

If you find bothersome thoughts getting in the way of your clear thinking, you should stop work and attempt to deal with them or make a plan to deal with them as soon as possible. Perhaps you have worries that are making you tense. Worrying about the future, family concerns, friends, or a course at school, will not help. Try talking to a family member, a teacher, or a counsellor when these worries are interfering with concentration. You can't do your best if you can't get your mind off your problems! If it is a course at school that is bothering you, most teachers will be very helpful, particularly if you approach them early in the year, before it's "too late." If you're having difficulty, help can be obtained from the teacher, another student, or if available in your school, a learning assistance teacher or tutor.

Keep a notepad to jot down the concerns and problems you may have, possible steps that you can take to solve them, and other unrelated thoughts and ideas that take your mind off your studying. This note taking frees your mind from worrying about forgetting something important and allows you to stay focused on your original task. If you have planned to deal with whatever the problem is, you can more easily put it aside and not worry about it. You’re being proactive. You’re planning to do something about your concerns. The sooner you decide to act, the less time you will waste! You may need to talk to someone. Accept help when it is offered to you! The same technique can be used if you have things on your mind or thoughts that occur to you when you're trying to get to sleep. Jotting them down makes sure that they won't be forgotten, and you can let them go from your mind. If you have brothers or sisters, you may want to hide your notepad!

If you are tense and stressed while you're studying, it will be difficult to concentrate. One way to overcome those feelings is to exercise. Exercise will help you concentrate. This can also help when you feel tired or boredom is setting in. Take a break, get up, and move around. You might want to schedule regular breaks by setting a timer. Take a break of 10 minutes every 30 to 40 minutes of study time. Get something to drink or go for a jog around the block. Alternatively, you might have a chore that you could do, such as taking out the garbage, loading or unloading the dishwasher, taking out or organizing the recycling. You could also take a few minutes to go through an exercise routine. This could involve some or all of the following: toe touches, push-ups, sit ups, squats, planks, some dumbbell work, cycling on your back, or leg lifts. A huge variety of examples of varying length are available on YouTube, if you’re not sure how to set yourself up! As you exercise many parts of your body, you will find it easier to have an all-over relaxed feeling.

Another suggestion is to tense and relax all the muscle groups in your body one part at a time. Start with your forehead and work down through your neck, shoulders, arms, torso, buttocks, legs, and feet. The idea is to develop the ability to completely relax as you discover the difference between the relaxed muscle and the tense muscle. This form of bringing on a relaxed state can be very useful. It can help you in many classroom or exam situations, as well as when you wish to calm and focus yourself on your studies.

When you're working and you hear a noise, force yourself to ignore it. Don't look up! You can train yourself to work through many distractions. This is sometimes called the “spider technique” because a spider appears to be able to ignore the distracting vibrations and shakes of its web which may be caused by leaves or the wind. The spider reacts only when the shaking indicates a trapped insect, which is food and therefore important to react to.

Another issue to consider is how to deal with music, videos, or television. Usually, it's better to not have these distractions present when studying. If you want to spend four hours doing a short assignment, go right ahead. Turn on your favourite show or video or test out the volume on your stereo speakers. Rattle some windows! Chances are that your divided focus will not really allow you to enjoy any of it. If you do, you likely won't end up with a good job done on your homework. A better idea is to finish your work quickly in a quiet place. Concentrate totally on your task. Then, when you're finished, put your energy into something enjoyable, like a favourite program or your favourite music. Consider it a reward for intensive studying.

In general, then, music is not a good idea when you study. There is an exception, however. If you have a lot on your mind, music can act as a blanket to help you forget distracting thoughts as you attempt to study. It allows you to focus more effectively. Music can also be used to create a type of white noise that may serve to drown out distracting noises which you might not have control over in your study environment. If you use music for this purpose, it's better to have something instrumental. If words are included, you may find yourself humming or singing along. You will have lost your concentration. Also, avoid the radio. Talking will distract you far more than music.

If you are very sure that you can study better with music on, try an experiment. Have music on while you study for a few days, then try some sessions without. Compare the time it took for you to do your homework. Go with whatever makes you more effective and efficient.

There's a whole area of research, by the way, that you might like to know about at this time. Using certain kinds of music to enhance learning is an area which has received a lot of study. Some interesting conclusions have been reached that show how music may help you with your learning. For example, it has been shown that certain types of classical music actually improve the brain’s ability to be open and learn new things. So, if you do want to try studying with music, try some of these ideas for “super learning”. Music by Mozart and many other classical composers have beats that reportedly correspond to the human heartbeat and lead to enhanced brain development, learning and ability to concentrate! For further information, try a Google search on the type of music that improves learning!

For each of the individual parts of CLEVER, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for CLEVER are also reprinted in the “R” section for your convenience. Permission is granted to make individual copies of checklists and surveys. In this way you may keep track of your responses and progress over time.

There are 16 items for C: CONCENTRATION. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I have a “Study Place” that is quiet and free from as many distractions as possible.
(2) ___ I keep my study materials handy at my study place.
(3) ___ At my study place, I post information to help my learning (charts, maps, posters).
(4) ___ I use my study place only for studying.
(5) ___ My study place has good even lighting.
(6) ___ I have a comfortable chair in my study place that helps me stay focused.
(7) ___ If I need to study in a place in the home that is used by others, I use a study box.

(8) ___ I keep myself in good shape for studying, by eating healthy food and getting enough sleep.
(9) ___ I start work right away when I sit down at my study area.
(10) ___ I’m able to set aside any thoughts that might distract me.
(11) ___ I exercise to help me concentrate.
(12) ___ I take breaks when I’m tired, so that I can better concentrate on my work.
(13) ___ I know how to get help when I have problems.
(14) ___ I keep a notepad to jot down unrelated thoughts and ideas while I’m trying to concentrate on my studies.
(15) ___ I can focus on studying, despite distractions.
(16) ___ I use music when I’m studying, only if it acts as a blanket to block out distracting thoughts and noises, or if it is a type that enhances my learning.

A.2: “L” Learning Tasks

L

ORGANIZE YOUR LEARNING TASKS WITH A DAILY AGENDA!

Time management is one of the areas that requires your particular focus. Get organized - know what you must do and when you need to do it. You can “get on track” with this by using a school planner, an agenda, a notepad, a homework book, or an assignment sheet. Record “homework assigned”, the “due dates”, the “time needed for completion” and the “days you will be able to work on each task”. Every day, before heading home from school, check your planner to ensure that you have everything you need for your designated daily tasks. Your daily tasks will also include the portions of larger tasks that you have divided up and assigned to certain days or weeks (more on this in the first ‘E’ section and section ‘V’ of CLEVER). Using electronic versions that work the same but are in a digital form are best for those comfortable with technology. These can be used on smartphones and other devices. Need acknowledgement? Cross off completed items or mark them as done. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and remind you that you're making progress. Try to remember deadlines and get your work done ahead of time. It will be easier for you this way and you won't end up doing a quick and sloppy job. Your agenda can also be used to record other activities that occupy your busy life. This will ensure that you keep balance in your life.

What you do during your homework session should be part of an overall plan. This is where you should keep track of all your short and long-term assignments. Most of your work will probably be of the short term variety. It's assigned, you get it done. The longer-term assignments are the ones that require careful planning. You'll be successful with these as well if you follow the suggested strategies.

What’s the first thing you should do with homework assignments? Put them in some kind of order! Many successful students like to do the most difficult and the most uninteresting subjects first. It is better to finish these ones up when you are the freshest. Next, complete your other assignments, in order of importance. Divide up your homework time to make sure you get everything done that you have to.

Make sure to give enough time to each subject and each related task. Students are often surprised by how long things take to get done. Estimate the time needed for each assignment and then note the actual time after you complete it. With practice your time estimates will become more accurate.

Set goals for how much you want to get done during each section of your study session. If you plan ahead, you won't waste time! Reward yourself by taking a short break when you attain each goal. Plan to do something you really enjoy. Keep it a brief break, however, so that you can accomplish all your goals.

Ask questions to yourself about what you're working on. Imagine what questions the teacher or instructor might ask. Do you know the answers? Try to find the main point of what you are reading. If you're unable to do this, go over the material again. As mentioned, set specific goals for your studying. For example: “Once I've done these 10 questions correctly, I'm going to take a 10 minute break.” Stay with an assignment until it is completed, even though it may be difficult. When you finish an assignment go over what you've learned. Explain it as if you were telling another person. Practice attempting to explain what you understand to a brother, sister, parent, or friend. This can be a very powerful strategy.

Have you noticed that not all notetaking is the same? When you do work in a notebook for a school course, make sure you are completing things in the format that your teacher requires. This will include how you organize your notebook, as well as how you organize and label each of the assignments. Place a completed heading on each assignment which includes your name, date, subject, teachers name, division or course block, and assignment title. Pay particular attention to the way science experiments and math problems are to be organized and labelled. Write all answers to essay type questions in complete sentences. Proofread and check all assignments before handing them in.

Spelling and grammar checkers can be a great resource when doing your assignments on the computer. Always consider carefully any changes proposed by your computer programs however, since grammar suggestions are not always the best, and predictive spelling can totally send your meaning in the wrong direction. Be careful. If available, you can have another person help by reading over your work. The fresh set of eyes may be able to point out parts that aren’t so great, so they can be improved before handing the assignment in to your teacher.

When do you like to study? Students sometimes have trouble figuring out what the best times to study are. Using these guidelines can help you. Don’t leave any assignments to the last minute. Leave plenty of time to work on them. You can have lots of time for studying, as well as for all the enjoyable things in your life, if you plan. A regular time set aside each day will become an easy habit. Try and set your study time for when you are the most alert. This may be right after school, in the evening or in the morning. If you have trouble concentrating in the late afternoon or evening, try getting up a little earlier in the morning to study. It's been proven that students get much more done the earlier in the day that they study. You can get about 1 1/2 times more accomplished in early sessions. You are more alert and less sleepy then!

Have you ever been unprepared when you’ve headed to school for the day? It’s not a great situation to be in! Items for that day should never be left to that morning’s study time. You never know when something may take you away from your schedule. Always have a backup plan and some backup time to complete your work, just in case. Study for a minimum of about one hour each day. If you have trouble with schoolwork or if you're taking difficult subjects, you will likely have to spend much more time. To begin with, try two sessions of about 30 minutes each, with a break of 10 to 15 minutes in between. As mentioned, if you have studied well, reward yourself during the break by doing something you enjoy. Also, during your break, consider doing something active. Exercise will help your concentration. You may consider a walk around the block or a short jog. You may also wish to get a snack or drink if you're hungry or thirsty. But be prepared to refocus and complete your work after your break. This mindset will help you settle back into your studies more quickly.

For each of the individual parts of CLEVER, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for CLEVER are also reprinted in the “R” section for your convenience.

We have 8 items for L: LEARNING TASKS. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I use a school agenda or planner to record all my homework.
(2) ___ I complete short-term work as it is assigned.
(3) ___ I put my homework in priority order and complete it in order of importance.

(4) ___ I stay with an assignment until it is completed.

(5) ___ I place a completed heading on each assignment.

(6) ___ I proofread and check all assignments.

(7) ___ I set my study time for when I am the most alert.

(8) ___ I study for a minimum of one hour each day.

A.3: “E” End-in-mind Thinking

E

PRACTICE END-IN-MIND THINKING BY SETTING GOALS!

PART 1: “End-In-Mind Thinking.” KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING!

It has been said that if you don’t know where you are going, you won’t know when you get there, and it doesn’t really matter which bus, train, or other form of transportation you get on! It can be like that in your life and with the big assignments you must do for school! If you are going through the motions of school and activities to fill your time, but have no idea where they are leading you, and no idea how to set goals for your big projects, your success will have serious limitations!

Have you ever been lost, or thought you were?  It’s not a great feeling! When you travel in order to get to a specific place you need to know what your destination is going to be and then you need to plan a route to get there. It’s the same, whether you’re going by bus, by car, by train, or on foot. The same concept applies when approaching schoolwork, particularly large assignments and projects.

Stephen Covey called it ‘Beginning with The End in Mind’ in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It's all about deciding on what you want to have accomplished by a certain time. You then set goals and figure out ways to reach them. You can even decide on what you want to be doing for a job when you are an adult! Then, you can step back from that point in the future and decide what you can do along the way to get to that goal.

This “end in mind” approach will work particularly well with term reports and large projects. These are often tricky to handle. First you should begin with an overview of the whole course and the time frame that it will cover. This may involve a schedule stretching over a number of months or a year. It is best to have it in a form that you can see at a glance. It should be displayed prominently in your place of study. A large wall or desk calendar with roomy squares is ideal.

On this long-range calendar write in the projected completion dates for all assignments. Identify additional course activities as they arise, along with the smaller parts that you have broken the big assignments down into. Set appropriate completion dates. You will want to enter them immediately on your calendar! Other personal activities that you are involved with, regular and occasional, should also be added to this schedule. These would include events with clubs, organizations, friends, and family. A calendar of this type becomes your master plan for completing your course, meeting your other commitments, and enjoying life at the same time.

Lots happening? Break the bigger tasks into short, manageable, chunks that you can deal with on a day-to-day basis. There are several reasons for doing this assignment ‘chunking’. First, it will help you better identify the amount of your work. This helps you estimate the time needed for completion. Also, if you have tasks which require only one or two hours you will be better able to see your progress. The “completion” of each task gives a sense of accomplishment. It provides motivation for you to push on to further accomplishments. If you don’t “chunk” your larger assignments into smaller pieces, it is harder to see your progress and discouragement can set in.

Assume that you have a term report which is due in two weeks. This is a large task. It needs to be broken down into parts. You need to decide which sections must be completed to accomplish the task. Creating a chart will help with this. List the sections on the left. You then need to decide what smaller parts are to be completed to finish each section. List these towards the right side of the chart, lined up with the tasks on the left. Now plan the days that you will complete the smaller parts and add the dates along the right-hand edge. You may have to set aside time on quite a few days, covering several weeks, to complete this report. It's obvious that you can't leave it until the last few days if you want to do a really good job. Follow this approach with big assignments! Success will follow.

When you have decided what days to work on the big assignment, transfer the details to your school agenda or homework book for the various days that you plan to do the work. Always keep in mind how the small parts will add up and allow you to be successful with your big project. It sounds like a lot to do. But becoming familiar with a strategy like this gets easier the more you practice it.

Each week you should make up a to-do list of items that need completion. These could be readings, assignments, or test preparation. When the time comes, you'll be able to check these items off as they are completed.

Keeping a long-range calendar and a monthly calendar for all upcoming assignments, tests, and reports helps you stay organized. This personal monthly calendar will help you coordinate the planned activities in your month with the requirements of your courses. For example, do you have large assignments due later in a month, but also have some concerts or sporting events that you were planning to attend, or participate in? If so, you'll need to adjust the breakdown of your assignments and the dates you will have available to work on them. You may need to plan to get items done sooner than you otherwise would have organized and planned for. For example, if you play on a soccer team and you have a big soccer tournament coming up that has dates that conflict with a large assignment that is due, you may need to get the assignment done much earlier than it was due.

Hang your monthly calendar in your study area and ensure that you have written the dates for all short-term and long-term assignments, reports and project due dates, tests, and quizzes on this calendar. Along with your monthly calendar, you should post your weekly schedule (see section V of CLEVER) and your weekly “to-do” list. If you have course outlines and printed schedules, it is a good idea to post these as well.

Preparing ahead of time for tests is vital. You don’t want to rush yourself and be forced into a “cramming” session. Your monthly calendar can help you with this. Once you have entered the dates for your quizzes and tests, you want to identify some times that you can prepare in the days and weeks leading up to these tests. You would then prepare by going through the steps outlined in section C of QUICK.

Consider using electronic calendars and lists. ‘Google Calendar’ and ‘Google Tasks’ are two apps that satisfy the above requirements and work well together. There are lots of other apps and programs available for Smart Phones, Tablets, iPads, and computers. Some you must pay for, but many are free! If you use on-line tools like this, ensure that you have all your important dates recorded along with the tasks that are needed to be completed and the steps necessary. If you can, it is helpful to print off copies. Post these in your study area to cover the upcoming month or so. Update every week or two as new information is added.

PART 2: “End-In-Mind Thinking.” SETTING SMART GOALS!

It is important for you to set goals. Doing so will help you achieve success in your life, no matter what you plan to do. It is advised that you start with small and medium sized goals. These will get you started in the right direction and help you as you consider really big goals for the coming year, or for your life.

Setting goals that are SMART makes sure that you have taken into consideration the most important parts of goal setting. As mentioned, Stephen Covey recommends ‘Beginning with The End in Mind’. Setting goals will help you in your life, no matter what you plan to do. ‘SMART’ is an acronym. Each of the letters in the word S.M.A.R.T. stands for an important part of an effective strategy for setting goals! Remember to set goals that are ‘S’ for specific, meaning that you need to be exact in how you describe what you want to have happen. ‘M’ is for measurable. That is, your goal should be able to be measured in some way. ‘A’ is for achievable. Your goal should be something that is possible for you, and not so big that you couldn’t possibly reach it. ‘R’ is for relevant. That means your goal should be appropriate and important for your needs. ‘T’ is for having a ‘time’ component. Whenever you set a goal you need to indicate when you expect to get it done by.

Each goal should have these common elements. It’s a great benefit to be SMART with your goals! When thinking about setting long term goals, it can be fun to think about “New Year’s Resolutions”. At the beginning of a new calendar year, people often make plans to make positive changes in their lives. Don’t wait until January 1st, though. You can start goals any time of the year, even goals that you might think are those that people usually make on or close to New Year’s Day! If you understand how the SMART system helps people with “New Year’s Resolutions”, you’ll be well on your way to being able to use the system with all your goals, projects and things you want to accomplish in your life!

Five of the most common “New Year’s Resolution” type goal areas are these: (1) Exercise more; (2) Get organized; (3) Learn a new skill or hobby; (4) Spend more time with family and friends; and (5) Read more.

Let’s look at a sample goal. Say that you decide on this one:  I want to exercise more. When you first choose this goal, you might think it sounds pretty good! But then you realize it is far too vague. You need to add some details to make it work for you. The wording as it stands doesn’t consider the SMART goal steps.

Remember that the letters in SMART stand for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and with a Time component. The first letter in the acronym is “S”. Be SPECIFIC. Once you’ve chosen your resolution, write it down in specific terms and show it to a friend or a family member. Ask them how they would set about achieving this goal if it were theirs — and even more important, how they’d know they were making progress. Adjust as necessary. Picture what you want to have happen. Be specific. What is the exact thing you want to do? A SPECIFIC exercise goal is one like this:  I want to become a runner!

The next part of SMART is the “M”. Set MEASURABLE goals. If you can see that you are making progress it can be really motivating. How will you show improvement?  How will you measure success?  How much do you have to get done to consider your goal met? Put some wording into your goal, so you know you’re being successful. Continuing with our example, our exercise goal with a MEASUREABLE part included might look like this: I want to become a runner who runs 3X per week and participates in the Vancouver Sun Run! A person following this goal will know that they are making progress, if they start running three times a week and follow the Vancouver Sun Run training schedule. They’ll see that they’ve made progress and know that they are being successful with their goal!

The next letter in SMART is “A”. Create ACHIEVABLE goals. The goal needs to involve something you know you can do. Ask a good friend or a family member whether they think your goal is realistic, or whether instead it may stress you and defeat you. Make sure that it is something within your reach! Are you sure that you will be successful with this goal? Following along with our example, you may need to get an app for your phone to help you keep track of your weekly runs. One that you might choose is the free app, STRAVA. Now the goal might look like this: I want to become a runner who runs 3X per week, tracking my progress with the STRAVA app, and who enrolls and participates in the Vancouver Sun Run!

Next up in SMART, is the letter “R”. Choose goals that are RELEVANT. Your goal needs to involve something that is important for you! Try writing down the benefits if you were to achieve your goal. Perhaps you want to be fit, healthy and strong. Perhaps you want to improve as a basketball player!

Next up is the letter “T”. Realistic TIME limits. Set some dates when you think you can achieve your goal by. After estimating how long you’ll need, make sure to add some more time, just in case! As much as possible, make sure that you have a plan with enough extra time that you have a good chance of success. Don’t set yourself up for failure! List the smaller steps of the things that you will need to make happen for you to consider that you’ve achieved your goal. Add dates to these smaller steps. Put them on a monthly calendar. Include the details for specific days in your school agenda/planner.

Finally, after thinking about all the SMART steps, our sample goal may look like this: I want to become a runner who regularly runs 3X per week, by the end of January, tracking my progress with the STRAVA app, and who enrolls and participates in the Vancouver Sun Run in late April! If you had this as a goal you could put in the date for the Sun Run in April, on your monthly/yearly calendar. You could then use the Sun Run training schedule to decide what your runs would be each week, and on what days you would plan to do them. You can then transfer that information to your agenda/planner.

Now, how about setting up a SMART goal for yourself! You might want to pick one of the common “New Year’s Resolution” goal areas for yourself! How about: “Learn a new skill or hobby!” You already know that this is too vague! Using the SMART steps, you might end up with something like this: “I want to develop the hobby of STARGAZING, by doing internet or app research and learning the name, shape and location of at least 4 new constellations each month, that are seen from our area, starting in January.”

Does this use all the letters of SMART?  Let’s see!

S… specific?  Yes, by saying that that you want to learn about constellations, it is very specific!

M… measurable?  Yes, for success, you need to learn 4 constellations a month!

A… achievable?  Yes, you only need to have the interest to make this work! You don’t need to already know a lot or have some special athletic skills!

R… relevant?  Yes, if you have an interest in space, this is relevant! You might even be interested in a career that has to do with space… it would be a good guess to think that there will be lots of opportunities in the future! Also, if you know how to “read” the stars, it will help keep you from getting lost… you will be able to figure out direction from looking at the stars!

T… time component?  Yes, the goal says that you will have started learning in January and you will add more learning each month! It will be easy to see if you are being successful!

If you shared this goal with your family members and friends, they could quiz you each month. Could you show them what you have learned by pointing out the constellations on clear nights? Certainly! The bonus would be you being able to teach others and get them interested in the stars as well.

If you haven’t already this year, set some self-improvement goals for yourself. Perhaps start with one of the 5 common areas of “New Year’s Resolution” goals. Remember, they were: (1) Exercise more; (2) Get organized; (3) Learn a new skill or hobby; (4) Spend more time with family and friends; and (5) Read more. Which one interests YOU?  Write it down in your agenda/planner and then apply the SMART steps and get successful with your goal!

PART 3: “End-In-Mind Thinking.” SMART STEPS TO LIFE-TIME GOALS!

Once you understand the SMART goal steps, you can consider setting “Life-Time” goals. You might like to think about what you want to have accomplished in your life by a certain time. You can even decide on what you want to eventually be doing for a job, then step back from that point in the future and decide what you can do along the way to get you to that goal. This will involve a series of Long-Term SMART type goals. Think about the courses you will take in high school. Picture yourself graduating from high school and going to college or university. Use the SMART Goal steps to lead yourself forward toward your Life-Time Goal.

Think about some big Life-Time goals for your life! What would you choose for a Life-Time Goal, if you were to decide right now?  This Life-Time Goal could relate to your job or career, or to places you would like to live or activities you would like to be involved with. Perhaps you have not given the future much thought! It’s worth thinking about.  Thinking and dreaming about the future will help you as you choose a direction in your life. It is good to have some ideas of a possible destination. That will get you started on your journey. You are not locked in, however, to only that possible future. Setting some goals now doesn’t mean that you can’t rethink things later and make changes.

Let’s look at the example of a person named Summer who chose a Life-Time goal of becoming a Marine Biologist in the future. She felt she was already pointed that way with her love of swimming in the ocean and her desire to help planet Earth in some way. She talked to quite a few people. Her mother had suggestions of how she might do some volunteering with organizations related to that field. Her friends had some suggestions of other sports and hobbies she could pursue to help her develop the necessary skills. Her teachers also had ideas of what subjects she should concentrate on and plan to focus on in high school.

Summer started by setting up a SMART goal for something she could do right away. She also made plans to revisit her Life-Time goal at least once each year. She realized her thinking might change, and she might decide she would prefer going off in some other direction, to a different career!

You can make Life-Time goals any time, but they are based on how you are thinking at that point! That’s what sets your DIRECTION. It shows you how to move forward. Be open enough to consider other opportunities, though, as they come up. Obviously, there will be opportunities that come up that you couldn’t possibly have known about when you were younger! There is so much that we don’t know about the future and what kinds of job possibilities there will be. For example, did you know that many of our astronauts have studied in quite a variety of areas, including researching plants and animals? It wasn’t until later in their lives that they made the decision to try for an astronaut position. Keep your big, Life-Time destination in mind, but be flexible while you continue to make Long-Term goals that you can work on right now. Consider those things that will set you in the right direction and help you develop skills and knowledge that will allow you to move closer to where you want to be!

Summer came up with the following Long-Term goal areas that she could work on right away and that would help her as she worked towards a career in Marine Biology. Her next task was to begin by choosing one goal to get started with. That would become her first SMART goal!

Goal areas for now: swimming; scuba-diving; environmental clean-ups (beaches/water ways); volunteering at an animal shelter; perhaps adopting a pet in need of a home, considering one that is “difficult to place”; do well in all school subjects, especially those to do with science; and picking topics when able that relate to the environment, and especially the ocean.

Goal areas for the future: volunteer at aquarium or marine mammal rescue center; possible part-time job in an aquarium or rescue center; continue to do well in all school subjects, especially those to do with science; take more science courses, and especially biology, in high school; and investigate universities that have marine biology programs and apply for those that seem the most interesting.

Life-Time Goal (as of this year!): A career in the field of Marine Biology.

Summer’s decision for SMART Long-Term goal: Join an environmental club that helps by cleaning up local bodies of water, by the end of January. Volunteer to clean-up an area with the club, 2X a month, starting in February. Keep a journal and record the amounts and types of trash collected.

SMART?  Yes! She laid out the exact steps (Specific), planned to keep a journal with stats on trash picked up (Measurable), there was a club at her school that did clean-ups (Achievable), it gave her practical ways to help marine life (Relevant) and she could join the club right away and sign up for the February clean-ups (Time component).

Now, perhaps it’s time to think of some SMART Long-Term goals that you can set up for yourself! If you haven’t already, you might like to give some thought to what you would like to do with your life. What kind of job or career might interest YOU? Pick a dream job that you would love to have later in life. You don’t have to be in a hurry with this. If you are not quite ready to think farther into the future, don’t let that worry you. When you are ready, you can write down your possible Life-Time goal in your agenda/planner, then choose one long-term goal that will set you in the right direction, applying the SMART steps, just like Summer did!

Setting GOALS is very important. Also, along with your goals, continue to have a GROWTH MINDSET. According to the author Carol Dweck, individuals who have this kind of a mindset believe that their talents can be developed through hard work, good strategies and input from others! Have an expectation that you will be successful and you will rarely be disappointed! Set goals in your life and continue to reflect on your progress! Remember that doing well with Short-Term and Long-Term goals will help you as you consider BIG Life-Time goals for the coming years, or for your life.

You are reminded to set goals that are: ‘S’ for specific (you need to be exact in how you describe what you want to have happen); ‘M’ for measurable (your goal should be able to be measured in some way); ‘A’ for achievable (your goal should be something that is possible for you, and not so big that you couldn’t possibly reach it); ‘R’ for relevant (that means your goal should be appropriate and important for your needs); and ‘T’ for having a ‘time’ component (whenever you set a goal you need to indicate when you expect to get it done by). As explained, each goal should have these common elements.

 For each of the individual parts of CLEVER, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for CLEVER are also reprinted in the “R” section for your convenience.

There are 15 items for E: END-IN-MIND THINKING. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I set goals and then make plans to get them accomplished.
(2) ___ I post up a large wall calendar which stretches over a number of months.
(3) ___ I break large tasks into short, manageable, chunks.
(4) ___ I record large tasks and their smaller chunks on my large wall calendar as well as on my school agenda or planner.

(5) ___ Each week, I make up a “to-do” list and post this at my study place.
(6) ___ I keep a monthly calendar with all upcoming assignments, tests and reports to help me stay organized.
(7) ___ I enter the dates for quizzes and tests on my large wall calendar as soon as I know them, then I identify and record some times that I can use to prepare for each one.
(8) ___ I set goals using the “SMART” steps.

(9) ___ I set Specific goals, using exact wording.

(10) ___ My work toward my goals is able to be Measured in some way.

(11) ___ I set goals that are Achievable for me.

(12) ___ My goals are Relevant (they’re important and necessary) for me.

(13) ___ My goals are set with a realistic Time component.

(14) ___ I have at least one “SMART” life-time goal.

(15) ___ I think about the job or career I would like to have when I am grown and finished school.

A.4: “V” Variety and Balance

V

USE A WEEKLY SCHEDULE TO ENSURE SUCCESS WHILE KEEPING VARIETY AND BALANCE IN YOUR LIFE.

It is important for you to get the things done that need doing for your successful career as a student. However, you must also take care of other areas of your life. Family is important, and so are friends. Activities that increase your skill level and allow you to participate more fully in enjoyable sports such as swimming or soccer are important. Skills in the playing of various instruments will open many doors in the future that may otherwise be closed to you. They may lead to job opportunities or perhaps just enjoyable leisure time pursuits. It is necessary to have balance in your life to really consider yourself successful. Using a weekly schedule will keep this balance in the face of many demands on your time.

If you are a mature student, or if you are involved in some forms of independent study, time management is of truly major importance. You may have a job, a very active social life, and many family connections. Being disorganized and putting things off instead of completing your work regularly could be a particular problem if you are a student in an independent study program. When you’re in this situation you do not have as many reminders of the passage of time and the approach of deadlines as students attending regular classes at a regular school. You must rely on yourself. Set up a schedule to make sure your work gets completed. Also make time for what you enjoy in life, including family and friends.

Management of time cannot be done based on “a few days here” and “a few days there.” Develop a consistent pattern to maintain control of your time over the length of your school courses. Also, available time cannot be viewed only with your courses in mind. Make a plan which considers all the things in your life which take time. This leads to the question... what does take up your time during the week?

You might want to take a guess at the number of hours needed for each activity you’re involved in during the week, but it's probably more accurate to do a tally for a week or two. You will have estimated the time needed for your weekly activities if you completed page 2 of Survey FL3. If you followed up to complete the “Weekly Activity Tally Sheet” on page 3, and totaled the actual hours you spent on page 4 of Survey FL3, you will have a good understanding of your time use. Most people come to the realization that they waste a lot of time each week that could be put to better use. Many students have indicated that once they set up a schedule, they have more time for recreational activities. That is not surprising since many hours which had been wasted will now be reclaimed. Highly motivated students have also reported that they have indeed cut down the number of hours they study in a week, using the CLEVER QUICK tips, while still doing as well or better with their coursework.

A weekly schedule assists you in juggling activities and events. This ensures that there is enough time for everything. To work properly, the weekly schedule should account for your major activities on every day of the week. Keeping track of all the activities that occupy your time in a week will make it easier to stick with the selected times set aside for studying.

You can organize your weekly schedule on a chart which has time slots, and a column for each day of the week. While there are a variety of different structures that will work, Appendix D has a sample of a weekly schedule chart. Video A11also has some examples for you to consider. Students and adults of all ages use schedules like this to be successful.

Whatever format you choose, best practice combines the use of a computer along with a mobile device for ease of adjustment and regular use. We continue to recommend the use of “Google Calendar” and “Google Tasks”, or something similar. There are many apps and programs available for Smart Phones, Tablets, iPads, and computers that can help you organize a variety of events and activities.

“Google Calendar” works well to create an overall weekly schedule. It takes a little effort to organize, but once all your daily and weekly tasks are set up as “events” for specific times, then a schedule can be printed for a standard week, or for a specific week. Printing a schedule for a specific set of dates will also have all your appointments and special events for those dates. A bonus for setting up your schedule this way, is that you can set notifications and reminders for any of the events. Now you won’t forget them! By the way, you can also customize individual timed entries by listing your specific tasks for a certain date in the “description” part of the calendar entry.

If “Google Calendar” is something that is new to you, you may wish to speak to an adult or a friend who can help you work through the details. Keep in mind that a paper schedule is still a very useful visual reminder as you work on your tasks. For that reason, print copies of your schedule for posting in areas where you study. It’s also important to update your printed schedule when you make adjustments on-line. If you find that you are making the same kinds of adjustments to your schedule each week, it probably means that the base schedule should be changed. This is an easy step when you have your schedule on a computer.

Essential factors in a weekly schedule are flexibility and discipline. If a time that you've set down doesn't seem reasonable, don't be afraid to change it. If you use study time for recreation, ensure that you replace it. Study instead during an alternative time! You can borrow from your study time, but you should never steal from it. There are many times when unexpected events will take you away from your plans. You will need to be flexible and occasionally shelve your studies, but you must also have the discipline to make up for that lost time by borrowing from another time slot. If those who live around you realize you have a schedule, and if they’re supportive, they can encourage you when you need motivation to get to work and cooperate by keeping their distractions to a minimum. That’s another good reason to print and post a copy of your schedule. Once you've established a routine set of study hours each week, you'll be well on your way to success!

Try to maintain the same regular hours for study each week. This will help you to become “conditioned”. This means that your body and mind will be “tuned-in” for studying at these times and you will find it much easier to focus on your tasks. It is also best if you make a written schedule of everything you do in a typical week. Then block in hours for study. Include part time jobs, sports activities, church activities, family events, as well as courses and group activities with family and friends.

As we mentioned before, when you look at times for studying, don't neglect the morning hours. Studies have shown that most students are far more productive in the early morning hours than they are later in the day. It's worth a try since many students were shown to be one and a half times as effective in the amount of work they were able to accomplish. Once again, if you do try this, make sure that you're not leaving critical time sensitive material to the morning of the day it is due. Better that morning hours be used for pieces of longer-term work just in case something happens that takes you away from your morning studies, or you slept through your alarm. If you are a heavy sleeper, by the way, it's a good idea to set two alarms if you have important commitments in the morning.

There is an exception to the morning study recommendation. It occurs when you have keywords and concepts that need to be memorized for test preparation. In these situations, it’s important to increase the number of repetitions of the material you need to memorize. Once you've defined the pieces you need to commit to memory, the best strategy is to study them in small blocks of time throughout a day. It's the number of times you revisit the information that is most important, not the length of time you spend each time with the information. Have materials with you so that time slots of a few minutes here and a few minutes there can be put to good use.

The time directly prior to falling asleep in the evening has also been shown to be one of the most effective for really locking in key learning. It seems that your subconscious will process the material as you drift off to sleep and you will be better able to recall the points the next morning. Studies around language learning have verified this effect.

Expect and plan to do daily homework. Your main priority is assigned homework, but you should also be doing on-going review of your coursework. Put time aside for every subject. Read over the notes you made and read any handouts you received in each of your classes. Review will help you learn and remember the material. Take an active role in your learning by reviewing regularly. If you have any questions, they can be asked during the next class.

Looking ahead at what's coming up in a course is often helpful as well. If you've looked ahead at the next chapter, you will already be a little familiar with it when it's presented in class. This helps you learn the material faster. If you’re planning on doing this, check with your teacher to make sure you know which chapters and topics your class will be studying in the weeks ahead.

Extra practice in related basic skills of math, reading and writing can also be attempted if needed. As well, you may wish to do some reading in library books related to your coursework, or just read for pleasure. These types of activities will help you develop as a student and give you a broad range of knowledge. They are worthwhile putting time aside for. You should never be able to say, “I don't have any homework.”

By setting up these schedules and anticipating how the events, responsibilities and activities of your week will mesh, you are well on your way to a successful life. In the words of Stephen Covey, you're “being proactive.” What you're doing is making sure that there's time in your life for the important things. You are not letting details which are numerous and “in your face”, but perhaps not of great long-term importance, dictate what you do daily. Covey would say that you're putting “first things first”. This point is well delivered in the story of filling the bucket in Chapter 11 of FutureLoop Fulfilling Potential: Life in Fast Forward. Blace had set a puzzle for Grace and Caleb, using buckets, sand, gravel, rocks, and water. If you’ve read the story, you will recall that Grace figured out that the essential items (the MUSTS), needed to be put into your schedule first. This is followed by the things you SHOULD do. Finally, your WANTS are added. The water reminds us to be flexible enough to have time for friends and family, no matter how busy things get. This is a variation of a well-known story of a philosophy professor who related a scenario entitled “Rocks in a Jar.”

For each of the individual parts of CLEVER, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for CLEVER are also reprinted in the “R” section for your convenience.

There are 12 items for V: VARIETY AND BALANCE. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I use a weekly schedule to allow me to keep a balance between school and other activities.

(2) ___ My weekly schedule takes into account all of the important things in my life.

(3) ___ My weekly schedule includes all the major activities I have every day of the week.

(4) ___ I make sure that I schedule time for family and friends.

(5) ___ I make sure that I schedule time for recreational activities.
(6) ___ I am flexible when I use my weekly schedule, changing the timing of activities as necessary.
(7) ___ I usually keep the same regular hours for study each week.

(8) ___ I use some morning hours for studying.
(9) ___ I use small blocks of time throughout the day when I’m studying for a test.
(10) ___ I study important material that needs to be memorized, just before bedtime.
(11) ___ Every day, I include time for some type of homework.
(12) ___ I never say, “I don’t have any homework.”

A.5: “E” Educational Setting

E

ALWAYS CONSIDER THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF YOUR EDUCATIONAL SETTING AND BE A SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN INDEPENDENT LEARNING SITUATIONS!

Make a good impression as a student, in the classroom or in independent learning situations, and success can be yours. The first thing to concentrate on is getting all the information you need to do well. Depending to varying degrees on the setting, this will likely involve improving your listening habits and listening skills. Here are some tips to help you.

A lot of information is presented orally. If you don’t concentrate on getting the full message, then chances are you will miss something. Concentrating on teacher talk can be hard work. Anticipate what the teacher is going to say. Then listen to try and pick out the most important ideas. Taking brief notes will help you focus on these ideas. What is the point that is being made? Listen actively and show you are interested by responding in some way: a nod, a frown, a smile, etc. Asking questions can also force you to pay close attention. Plan to ask the teacher a question about what he/she is saying.

In some classes, especially in higher grades, it will be important for you to take detailed notes, in classroom or independent learning situations, whenever you are listening to or watching a presentation of some kind. These could be a presentation or lecture by a teacher, a special speaker, a video, a podcast, or an on-line lecture. Students often have a great deal of trouble trying to recall what has been said, when they approach these events without a plan on how they were going to collect information. There is a note taking procedure called the “Cornell Method” which has been proven useful for students. It may be worth practicing now and getting used to. It will assist you right away as well as greatly benefit you as you move into higher grades. Basically, it involves a unique arrangement of the note taking page. A vertical line is drawn approximately five centimeters (about two inches) from the left side of the page and another line is drawn five centimeters from the bottom of the page. All notes from the class are written to the right of the vertical line. Then, after note taking is complete, you determine the key words or main ideas and rewrite these in the left-hand margin. Next, you briefly summarize the contents of the page of notes in the bottom five centimeters. The “Cornell Method” gives you an extremely useable form of notes. Review is easy because it doesn’t require you to do any mechanical re-writing. To study, all you need to do is cover up the main body of notes and use the key words and main ideas in the left-hand margin to act as cues. Try and recall all the accompanying details. Stop and check after each main point to verify accuracy and then restudy as necessary.

It is extremely important to LISTEN CAREFULLY when assignments are being described. A little extra concentration in class can save you hours of needless work. Get it right the first time. Ensure that you have a precise description of what you need to do. If there’s any confusion, ask the teacher. Don’t be satisfied until you’re absolutely sure of what’s expected of you.

Be prepared, present and ready to learn at the start of your class session. Have all necessary materials: pen, pencil, notebook, textbook, school agenda, etc. The student who arrives late and/or without the proper supplies is sure to waste time and miss something in class. Students who arrive late can be unsettled for much of the class as they struggle to figure things out and keep up. They can usually count on missing something important! Classroom life for students will be much more enjoyable and relaxing when they develop the habit of being on time and prepared.

Also, make an attempt with all your work! Even if you’re not sure what to do, it is better to try and DO SOMETHING. The teacher will be able to help you if you try. If you don’t, he/she may just assume that you don’t care. If this is the case, you may be starting a quick slide to a failing grade.

Your teachers have expectations for how well you organize your NOTEBOOKS. Sometimes teachers will give you directions about how you should set them up. Pay attention to any such directions and tips. Notebook set-up can start with a title page. This helps to identify exactly what is included. Your notebook will also likely include separate sections. Many teachers will want you to keep sections for daily notes, handouts, journal writing, general writing tips, vocabulary/spelling, formulas, experiments, current events, etc. This depends, of course, on the subject. If you have various sections in your notebook, it helps to use some form of dividers.

If teachers don’t give specific guidelines, then keep all your material in dated order. This task will be made much easier if you put a date on all notebook pages, handouts, and assignments on the day you first receive or work on them. That will already be the case if you followed the tips about setting up your notebook pages that we shared earlier. This is worth repeating, since it keeps you organized each day and helps with the overall organization of your book.

You also want to make sure that all papers are fastened in. Use the shake test (only after you have checked and connected all papers in the correct locations): grasp the binding of your notebook, turn it so the pages are hanging down and SHAKE! Oh oh, did you forget to check for loose pages first? At least you won’t run out of things to do for the next two hours! Better it happened in this test situation rather than while running to school in the pouring rain. Imagine having loose pages fly from your upside down book as you leap over the largest mud puddle you’ve ever seen!

If you find that your class has discussions, there are several things that you can do to help yourself be successful. Think before you speak! Better yet, prepare, then think and speak. If there is material to read, make sure you read it BEFORE your class discussion. During the discussion, if you feel you have something to contribute, think it through in your mind first before you speak out. This rehearsal will make it more likely that your message will come out clearly. Ensure also, that you are well prepared for all other types of class activities such as experiments, field studies or special events/speakers.

Now a word about independent study environments. In your career as a student there may be times that health emergencies or other situations force you into learning remotely from home. An independent study environment has its own challenges, as well as opportunities. In general, all the tips for the classroom setting will also serve you well in the independent study situation. In addition, there are other challenges, especially if you are connecting with instructors and other students via Zoom meetings and other video conferencing formats. Stay focused and ensure you have set aside enough time. Also, make sure others in the household are aware of your scheduled video meetings and don’t interrupt. You should also give some thought to what other participants and the instructor see around you when you are involved in a Zoom meeting. If your actual background is busy with household activities, is cluttered or is otherwise distracting in some way, it will be better to use one of the standard filters provided by the program. Alternatively, you can put up a screen or a sheet to block anything you don’t want on display.

Notetaking can be easier if some forethought is put into the procedure. Ensure you have lots of paper and pens available before your conferencing starts. Also ensure that your desk or table area next to your computer keypad is clear enough for you to make notes and maintain involvement in the video conference.

Take care with directions and settings, so you don’t accidently put a filter in that you can’t change quickly. While humorous headgear, a distorted face, an animal figure, or other assorted filter placed on the picture of your face may be perfectly okay when connecting with family and friends, they will not be appropriate when conducting a video conference in a formal situation. If you are not sure how assorted filters work, it is best to practice putting them on and taking them off in a non-class situation. That way, if you run into any problems, you have time to check instructions or do a google search to correct the issue. You want your thoughts and ideas to be taken seriously. Make sure you display a level of maturity that matches the circumstances.

You also might want to put something over your computer camera when you have finished a meeting just in case it is still recording when you are not intending for people to see what is going on in your room. It is also an unfortunate reality that webcams can be ‘hacked’ through the unintentional downloading and installing of ‘malware.’ For this reason, it is a recommended good practice to always slip something over a computer camera when it is not in use. This can be as simple as a non-gummy sticker or a small post-it note folded over the middle top of your computer screen. Most computer webcams are located along the top edge of the screen, in the middle. Whenever technology is involved, you must be aware of possible hacking and take steps to protect your personal information and your privacy. It’s worthwhile doing a google search on what else you can do to stay safe when going on-line.

Also, if you will be presenting information at any point in your video conferences, learn how to split your screen and show video, picture, or text material for ease of presentations. This is something that can be practiced in a session with a friend, using Zoom or other video format, and not at the time of a formal meeting.

One other point. Control your emotional reactions in class. Make every attempt to control a quick temper if you have one. If a fellow student, or teacher, upsets you in some way, DO NOT react aggressively. It is better to pause, breathe deeply and count to ten. Then picture yourself as a success in the class. By making a note to deal with a problem after class, you won’t get in trouble. It’s hard to listen and participate in class when you’re feeling upset. Practice putting off your anger until later. Your teacher and/or counsellor may be able to suggest ways to deal with the problem. This is important whether your educational setting is a classroom or an independent location with video connection.

For each of the individual parts of CLEVER, there will be checklists provided. They can be skimmed immediately to determine how complete your understanding is of the concepts and strategies proposed. They can also be revisited periodically to determine progress made in your understanding and use of all strategies. All the checklists for CLEVER are also reprinted in the “R” section for your convenience.

There are 16 items for E: EDUCATIONAL SETTING. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I listen well in class.
(2) ___ In class, I take brief notes to help me focus on the most important ideas.
(3) ___ When taking longer notes, I use a system that makes it easy to see what points are the most important.
(4) ___ I listen particularly carefully when assignments are being described.

(5) ___ I ask the teacher questions about assignments, if I’m not completely sure of what is to be done.
(6) ___ I arrive at class on time.
(7) ___ I arrive at class with all necessary materials.

(8) ___ I attempt my work, even if I’m not absolutely sure how to do it.
(9) ___ I keep my notebooks organized.
(10) ___ If the class is going to have a discussion, I prepare by reviewing all necessary materials before the class.

(11) ___ When participating in video conferencing, I set aside enough time and share my schedule with others in the household to minimize distractions.

(12) ___ I have reviewed video conferencing settings and only use filters when appropriate.

(13) ___ I cover the computer camera when it is not in use.

(14) ___ On computer devices I am using, I have taken steps to ensure that my personal information and privacy is protected.

(15) ___ I have learned how to use a computer to present information during a video conference.
(16) ___ I control my emotional reactions in class.

A.6: “R” Review and Reward

R

REVIEW WITH C.L.E.V.E.R. CHECKLISTS AND REWARD YOURSELF!

“Review and reward” are two important parts represented by the “R” in CLEVER. Review involves looking back over your successes with all the tips and strategies you have encountered so far in CLEVER QUICK. Checklists will be used. A copy of the checklists can be printed from this appendix. It is also possible to just follow along with an electronic version of the checklists and make notes of any topics you need to revisit. Before we start on the review part, let’s talk about benefits that you are receiving!

CLEVER REWARDS

It is important for you to be rewarded for all your hard work studying! Mainly, there will be many positive outcomes that will come your way through improved marks on assignments, tests, and coursework. You will feel good about the positive feedback you receive from teachers, parents, and others. You will have better balance in your life. You will have more time to pursue areas of interest. There will be less stress and anxiety in your day-to-day school existence. An increased variety of programs and opportunities will become available to you. You will have widening choices for what you wish to do as a job or have as a career in life. Generally, these benefits should be more than enough motivation to keep you working at these skills. Think of these as rewards for working on the strategies that help you with your personal learning management.

Beyond those outcomes, some of which will be distant from your current situation, it may be motivating to build in short term rewards. They are not essential, but they can be helpful and fun to maintain commitment on a day-to-day basis. Some thoughts about rewards: they should not generally involve much expense; they should not be offered or received unless an agreed amount of effort or result is achieved; and EFFORTS toward improved habits should be the focus.

If you have not done so already, it may be a good idea to ask your parents or caregivers if they would like to be involved in some way in the provision of incentives or bonuses for the efforts you are putting in to learning new strategies. For any one of a variety of reasons, your parents or caregivers may be supportive and offer to assist in providing some of these incentives, or they may decline to be involved. It may be that your parents or caregiver feel that the success that comes with improved efforts and the use of effective strategies is enough of a reward. In any case, accept whatever situation you find yourself in, and be positive!

If you find that you are on your own with bonuses, you could set up a schedule that rewards yourself with increased time spent on activities you enjoy and that are under your total control. These could involve games or other activities, either alone or with family members or friends. Also, if your personal budget will allow, you could purchase some small inexpensive items that you would be motivated to work towards. In both of those cases, it would be beneficial to gain the support of a supervising individual who could be the person to confirm whether you have put the necessary effort into positive change that warrants a reward.

If you have a parent or caregiver that would be pleased to participate in a rewards program, some of the following could be suggested: (1) A parent or caregiver may consider committing to take the student to a community or regional event or activity, upon the demonstration of a certain level of improvement; (2) Some small items could be purchased that could be made available as earned; or (3) There could be a fun activity that the parent could participate in with you, perhaps involving other family members as well, upon making some level of improvement.

Now, onto the “CLEVER REVIEW CHECKLISTS”!

“CLEVER” REVIEW CHECKLISTS

A review of the following checklists will give you some idea of how you have progressed in using the strategies in CLEVER. Note any thoughts that occur to you as you consider how you are improving with each of the points made. Video A13 will guide you with this review. See this appendix of FutureLoop Fulfilling Potential: Life in Fast Forward if you would like to print out a copy of the checklists to respond to, either in conjunction with the video, or on your own. Alternatively, you may take a notepad and keep track of which parts you may need to revisit, by referring to the electronic versions of the checklist. Note comments and thoughts related to each of the identified strategies, using the large letter along with the number of the point from the checklist, for easy reference later.

To start off, consider the 16 items for C: CONCENTRATION. Make notes as you respond to the checklist items in the following way: “Y” for Yes, fully in place; “S” for Somewhat on track, with some room still for improvement; and “N” for No, not yet. This is something that still needs to be accomplished. If you are not responding on a paper checklist, you will only need to make notes for the items you would respond to with an “S” or “N”.

(1) ___ I have a “Study Place” that is quiet and free from as many distractions as possible.
(2) ___ I keep my study materials handy at my study place.
(3) ___ At my study place, I post information to help my learning (charts, maps, posters).
(4) ___ I use my study place only for studying.
(5) ___ My study place has good even lighting.
(6) ___ I have a comfortable chair in my study place that helps me stay focused.
(7) ___ If I need to study in a place in the home that is used by others, I use a study box.

(8) ___ I keep myself in good shape for studying, by eating healthy food and getting enough sleep.
(9) ___ I start work right away when I sit down at my study area.
(10) ___ I’m able to set aside any thoughts that might distract me.
(11) ___ I exercise to help me concentrate.
(12) ___ I take breaks when I’m tired, so that I can better concentrate on my work.
(13) ___ I know how to get help when I have problems.
(14) ___ I keep a notepad to jot down unrelated thoughts and ideas while I’m trying to concentrate on my studies.
(15) ___ I can focus on studying, despite distractions.
(16) ___ I use music when I’m studying, only if it acts as a blanket to block out distracting thoughts and noises, or if it is a type that enhances my learning.

Now we have 8 items for L: LEARNING TASKS. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I use a school agenda or planner to record all my homework.
(2) ___ I complete short-term work as it is assigned.
(3) ___ I put my homework in priority order and complete it in order of importance.

(4) ___ I stay with an assignment until it is completed.

(5) ___ I place a completed heading on each assignment.

(6) ___ I proofread and check all assignments.

(7) ___ I set my study time for when I am the most alert.

(8) ___ I study for a minimum of one hour each day.

Now these 15 items for E: END-IN-MIND THINKING. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I set goals and then make plans to get them accomplished.
(2) ___ I post up a large wall calendar which stretches over a number of months.
(3) ___ I break large tasks into short, manageable, chunks.
(4) ___ I record large tasks and their smaller chunks on my large wall calendar as well as on my school agenda or planner.

(5) ___ Each week, I make up a “to-do” list and post this at my study place.
(6) ___ I keep a monthly calendar with all upcoming assignments, tests and reports to help me stay organized.
(7) ___ I enter the dates for quizzes and tests on my large wall calendar as soon as I know them, then I identify and record some times that I can use to prepare for each one.
(8) ___ I set goals using the “SMART” steps.

(9) ___ I set Specific goals, using exact wording.

(10) ___ My work toward my goals is able to be Measured in some way.

(11) ___ I set goals that are Achievable for me.

(12) ___ My goals are Relevant (they’re important and necessary) for me.

(13) ___ My goals are set with a realistic Time component.

(14) ___ I have at least one “SMART” life-time goal.

(15) ___ I think about the job or career I would like to have when I am grown and finished school.

Now we have 12 items for V: VARIETY AND BALANCE. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I use a weekly schedule to allow me to keep a balance between school and other activities.

(2) ___ My weekly schedule takes into account all of the important things in my life.

(3) ___ My weekly schedule includes all the major activities I have every day of the week.

(4) ___ I make sure that I schedule time for family and friends.

(5) ___ I make sure that I schedule time for recreational activities.
(6) ___ I am flexible when I use my weekly schedule, changing the timing of activities as necessary.
(7) ___ I usually keep the same regular hours for study each week.

(8) ___ I use some morning hours for studying.
(9) ___ I use small blocks of time throughout the day when I’m studying for a test.
(10) ___ I study important material that needs to be memorized, just before bedtime.
(11) ___ Every day, I include time for some type of homework.
(12) ___ I never say, “I don’t have any homework.”

Now 16 items for E: EDUCATIONAL SETTING. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I listen well in class.
(2) ___ In class, I take brief notes to help me focus on the most important ideas.
(3) ___ When taking longer notes, I use a system that makes it easy to see what points are the most important.
(4) ___ I listen particularly carefully when assignments are being described.

(5) ___ I ask the teacher questions about assignments, if I’m not completely sure of what is to be done.
(6) ___ I arrive at class on time.
(7) ___ I arrive at class with all necessary materials.

(8) ___ I attempt my work, even if I’m not absolutely sure how to do it.
(9) ___ I keep my notebooks organized.
(10) ___ If the class is going to have a discussion, I prepare by reviewing all necessary materials before the class.

(11) ___ When participating in video conferencing, I set aside enough time and share my schedule with others in the household to minimize distractions.

(12) ___ I have reviewed video conferencing settings and only use filters when appropriate.

(13) ___ I cover the computer camera when it is not in use.

(14) ___ On computer devices I am using, I have taken steps to ensure that my personal information and privacy is protected.

(15) ___ I have learned how to use a computer to present information during a video conference.
(16) ___ I control my emotional reactions in class.

Finally, there are 6 items for R: REVIEW AND REWARD. Respond with the same notations as listed above.

(1) ___ I have a plan to improve my performance on assignments, tests and coursework.
(2) ___ I have thought about how my better study habits will give me more choices of what job or career I want to have in life.
(3) ___ I have short term rewards that include an amount of time doing an activity I enjoy.
(4) ___ I have considered some inexpensive items that could be incentive rewards for practicing effective study strategies.
(5) ___ I have discussed the idea of rewards with my parents, whether they are small inexpensive items, or time allowed for an enjoyable activity, either by myself, or with my family.

(6) ___ I plan to regularly review the steps related to strategies that I am learning, to ensure that I am using them.

If you were able to respond on printed checklists, look back over the lists and put a star next to each point marked with an “S” and two stars next to each point marked with an “N”. If you took notes while reviewing an electronic version of the checklist, look over your notes now and put a star next to any items you considered to be an “S” and two stars next to any that you noted as “N”. Consider revisiting videos as necessary or look at the text materials for the appropriate sections in the appendix of FutureLoop Fulfilling Potential: Life in Fast Forward.