If you've been following the blog for the last few weeks, you'll know that this is the fifth installment in the [End of Semester Tips] series. The last tip is a simple yet important one:
Tip #5: FINISH STRONG
As we head in to the final hours of the semester, take a deep breath, buckle down, and FINISH STRONG.
We're all cheering you on!!!
What could this adorable sleeping kitten have to do with our Tip #4 installment of the [End of Semester Tips] series??
Tip #4: Guard your health
Often when we are faced with a deadline, the solution seems to be to stay up ALL NIGHT to work.
Research indicates that this is NOT the best plan!!!
Sleep (and getting enough of it) is crucial to physical health and to proper brain function. Check out the
National Sleep Foundation for more information about the importance of sleep.
When you settle in to study remember some important things:
*EAT and don't just eat anything. Eat good, nutritious food. Your body and your mind with thank you.
*DRINK plenty of water. Dehydration can seriously impact your ability to study.
*SLEEP when you are tired. And try to get at least 7-9 hours a night. You will be more productive if you have gotten enough sleep.
Now...let's check out some more adorable animals sleeping :)
Remember to Guard your health during this stressful time.
Tip #3 in our [End of Semester Tips} series....TRIAGE your courses!
What does Triage mean?
Triage: to assign degrees of urgency to
Every student has different goals, so the idea of "triaging" your courses may mean different things.
*Some students may be passing all of their classes, but are hoping to finish each and every assignment in a course.
*Some students may be on the edge of passing classes and need to decide which classes to focus on.
*Some students may be failing all of their classes and have decided it's time to focus on passing just one.
Whatever your situation may be, step back and assess where you stand. Then make an order of attack for the remaining days (and hours!) of the semester.
If you need help getting your triage in place, contact your Student Services Advisor and your individual class teachers for help!
For the second installment of our [End of the Semester Tip] series, a short but sweet tip!
Plan to do each assignment ONCE
What does that mean?
Take the time to LEARN the material, so you are completing an assignment with the intention of passing it.
Often when we rush through things, we end up having to redo them. And in the end that take more time.
So, take your time. LEARN. Plan on doing each assignment ONCE.
Eek! It's the end of the semester!
I will be posting a series of five [End of Semester Tips] to help you FINISH STRONG.
Tip #1: Set some GOALS
I chose the above image to help illustrate the important features of proper goal setting. It's one thing to say "I want to pass", it's quite another to set reasonable, attainable, and specific goals.
As you set out to wrap up your classes, use the "SMART" acronym to guide your goal setting.
S - Specific: Make a list of the specific classes you are planning to pass. Or, if you're already passing everything, make a specific list of which classes you want to revisit and maybe redo some work to increase your grade. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. If it is specific, then you can know when it has been achieved.
M - Measurable: Most of the end of semester goals will come with their own measure...your report card! But, if your goal isn't grade related, you may need to measure it in a different way. Some examples: "Complete all 5 discussions that I skipped throughout the semester" or "Redo my math assignment until I raise the score to 70% or higher". It's important that a goal has measurement so you know you have met it!
A - Attainable: Be careful to choose a goal that is realistic. Now is not the time to take a grade of 11% up to an A. Focus on the places where you can make a real change in the short amount of time we have left. So, make the goal specific, measurable, and possible to attain.
R - Relevant: Make sure that your goal is relevant to finishing the semester at school. Examples of relevant goals (that also meet the above criteria!): "Raise my Science grade from a 52% to a passing grade of 60% or higher by completing the remaining 7 assignments in the course." or "Redo the 'Required to Pass' assignment in History to achieve a passing score, so I can pass the course". These goals are relevant to the end of the semester. They are also specific and can be measured. And they are attainable! An example of a non-relevant goal? "Beating my sister at Trivia Crack" :)
T - Time Bound: Luckily this one is kind of taken care of for you...the end of the semester is our time limit. It is an important practice in goal setting to have a time limit set. We all know how procrastination works...so setting a time goal can help you achieve!
Check back over the next weeks for my series of [End of Semester Tips]! And as always, contact your BlueSky Student Services Advisor and your individual teachers for help!
Next week is....SPRING BREAK!!
Some might be enjoying a little traveling...or just binge watching your favorite shows on Netflix.
But for others, Spring Break is an excellent opportunity to get caught up or even AHEAD in your classes!
- Are you "Behind" pace in your classes?
- Does the number of assignments you need to complete each week keep getting higher?
- Are you worried that you aren't halfway through your courses and it's Midterm?
- Does your Academic Snapshot look like this?
Want to change that?
During Spring Break at BlueSky your classes will be OPEN and ready for you!
Some advantages of completing school work over the break:
- Every assignment you complete over Spring Break reduces the amount you are "Behind" in your classes.
- Each assignment will lower the amount of assignments you need to complete each week to stay on pace for the remainder of the school year.
- You will have a sense of PRIDE for accomplishing school work when it is not "required".
BlueSky Online Blog will be taking a week off for Spring Break, here are a few older posts that may inspire you while we're away!
Looking for some tips on starting off the new semester?
Well...you have come to the right place!
Below are FIVE ways to start the semester off right!
1. Speak with your Student Services Advisor
- Advisors will be busy contacting their students to help answer questions and field concerns.
- RETURN THEIR CALLS! Advisors have a wealth of knowledge and experience to help you get started in the right direction.
- Haven't heard from your Advisor yet? Call, email, or text them!
2. Get to know your teachers
- Many of your courses start with a "Getting to Know You" type of assignment. Make sure to spend some time on these! It's a great way for teachers to get to know their students.
- Reach out to your teachers and tell them something about yourself. Teachers want to know if you are excited about their course...or nervous!!
3. Understand class expectations
- Take some time to review the class expectations and course syllabus/outline.
- ASK your teacher questions if you aren't sure about something in their course.
- Are you in a Group Pace course? Make sure you know when the LIVE sessions are held!
4. Utilize the Academic Snapshot
- What is the Academic Snapshot? Why...it's an awesome tool that you see right when you login to my.blueskyschool.org.
- The snapshot shows how much work you should complete in each class each week to stay ON PACE. (Anyone who got behind pace first semester knows how important staying on pace can be!)
- HERE IS A TUTORIAL. Take some time to watch it!
5. Stay Connected!!
- One of the best things you can do as an online student is to STAY CONNECTED.
- Read your email each day.
- Respond to phone calls and text messages.
- Read the blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook.
- Be part of the school community!
- The more connected you are to school, the easier it will be to complete your work!
Eek! It's the end of the semester!
I will be posting a series of five [End of Semester Tips] to help you FINISH STRONG.
Tip #1: Set some GOALS
I chose the above image to help illustrate the important features of proper goal setting. It's one thing to say "I want to pass", it's quite another to set reasonable, attainable, and specific goals.
As you set out to wrap up your classes, use the "SMART" acronym to guide your goal setting.
S - Specific: Make a list of the specific classes you are planning to pass. Or, if you're already passing everything, make a specific list of which classes you want to revisit and maybe redo some work to increase your grade. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. If it is specific, then you can know when it has been achieved.
M - Measurable: Most of the end of semester goals will come with their own measure...your report card! But, if your goal isn't grade related, you may need to measure it in a different way. Some examples: "Complete all 5 discussions that I skipped throughout the semester" or "Redo my math assignment until I raise the score to 70% or higher". It's important that a goal has measurement so you know you have met it!
A - Attainable: Be careful to choose a goal that is realistic. Now is not the time to take a grade of 11% up to an A. Focus on the places where you can make a real change in the short amount of time we have left. So, make the goal specific, measurable, and possible to attain.
R - Relevant: Make sure that your goal is relevant to finishing the semester at school. Examples of relevant goals (that also meet the above criteria!): "Raise my Science grade from a 52% to a passing grade of 60% or higher by completing the remaining 7 assignments in the course." or "Redo the 'Required to Pass' assignment in History to achieve a passing score, so I can pass the course". These goals are relevant to the end of the semester. They are also specific and can be measured. And they are attainable! An example of a non-relevant goal? "Beating my sister at Trivia Crack" :)
T - Time Bound: Luckily this one is kind of taken care of for you...the end of the semester is our time limit. It is an important practice in goal setting to have a time limit set. We all know how procrastination works...so setting a time goal can help you achieve!
Check back over the next weeks for my series of [End of Semester Tips]! And as always, contact your BlueSky Student Services Advisor and your individual teachers for help!
5 Resolutions that every Online Student should make:
1. Create a productive workspace: So many online students try to work everywhere (couch, bed, floor) except a desk! Creating a set workspace can massively improve your productivity. If you are looking for some ideas, check out my
blog post about home work spaces.
2. Create a good schedule for your schoolwork: One of the best ways to stay focused and increase productivity in online schooling is to create a good schedule. There isn't a bell telling us when to move from one class the next, but we can create this environment for ourselves! Check out
my blog post for some schedule ideas!
3. Manage your stress level: Online school can be stressful! There isn't a teacher standing next to your desk to help manage the stress...but there are teachers, counselors, and advisors just a click away! Manage your stress level to increase greater learning. Check out my
blog post for some stress reduction ideas!
4. Pace yourself: It has been widely researched that the brain learns best when new information is brought in at a steady pace. Rather than trying to cram it all in too quickly, create a nice pace for yourself. Student Services Advisors will be contacting their students at the start of second semester to help create a nice pace in which to complete work. This pace is chosen to help your brain learn! Interested in learning more about pacing and the brain? Check out
my blog post for some pacing info.
5. Finish Strong: Right now at BlueSky Online we are nearing the end of the first semester. Now is the best time to step it up and work at your best. If you are wondering where you should focus, contact your Student Services Advisor and your Teachers. Keep up the amazing work that you have been completing and FINISH STRONG!
One of the keys to success at BlueSky Online is
using Google Apps!!
Every BlueSky Online student is given a Google account to use for school.
The account can be used to access your BlueSky email as well as Google Docs and a calendar!
Here are some videos about using your Gmail and Google Docs accounts.
Most classes at BlueSky will ask you to submit work via Google Docs, so take some time to make yourself familiar with how they work.
If you have any questions about using Gmail or Google Docs, don't hesitate to ask your Student Services Advisor or your teachers for help!
Eek! It's the end of the semester!
I will be posting a series of five [End of Semester Tips] to help you FINISH STRONG.
Tip #1: Set some GOALS
I chose the above image to help illustrate the important features of proper goal setting. It's one thing to say "I want to pass", it's quite another to set reasonable, attainable, and specific goals.
As you set out to wrap up your classes, use the "SMART" acronym to guide your goal setting.
S - Specific: Make a list of the specific classes you are planning to pass. Or, if you're already passing everything, make a specific list of which classes you want to revisit and maybe redo some work to increase your grade. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. If it is specific, then you can know when it has been achieved.
M - Measurable: Most of the end of semester goals will come with their own measure...your report card! But, if your goal isn't grade related, you may need to measure it in a different way. Some examples: "Complete all 5 discussions that I skipped throughout the semester" or "Redo my math assignment until I raise the score to 70% or higher". It's important that a goal has measurement so you know you have met it!
A - Attainable: Be careful to choose a goal that is realistic. Now is not the time to take a grade of 11% up to an A. Focus on the places where you can make a real change in the short amount of time we have left. So, make the goal specific, measurable, and possible to attain.
R - Relevant: Make sure that your goal is relevant to finishing the semester at school. Examples of relevant goals (that also meet the above criteria!): "Raise my Science grade from a 52% to a passing grade of 60% or higher by completing the remaining 7 assignments in the course." or "Redo the 'Required to Pass' assignment in History to achieve a passing score, so I can pass the course". These goals are relevant to the end of the semester. They are also specific and can be measured. And they are attainable! An example of a non-relevant goal? "Beating my sister at Trivia Crack" :)
T - Time Bound: Luckily this one is kind of taken care of for you...the end of the semester is our time limit. It is an important practice in goal setting to have a time limit set. We all know how procrastination works...so setting a time goal can help you achieve!
Check back over the next weeks for my series of [End of Semester Tips]! And as always, contact your BlueSky Student Services Advisor and your individual teachers for help!
Eek! It's the end of the semester!
I will be posting a series of five [End of Semester Tips] to help you FINISH STRONG.
Tip #1: Set some GOALS
I chose the above image to help illustrate the important features of proper goal setting. It's one thing to say "I want to pass", it's quite another to set reasonable, attainable, and specific goals.
As you set out to wrap up your classes, use the "SMART" acronym to guide your goal setting.
S - Specific: Make a list of the specific classes you are planning to pass. Or, if you're already passing everything, make a specific list of which classes you want to revisit and maybe redo some work to increase your grade. Whatever your goal is, make it specific. If it is specific, then you can know when it has been achieved.
M - Measurable: Most of the end of semester goals will come with their own measure...your report card! But, if your goal isn't grade related, you may need to measure it in a different way. Some examples: "Complete all 5 discussions that I skipped throughout the semester" or "Redo my math assignment until I raise the score to 70% or higher". It's important that a goal has measurement so you know you have met it!
A - Attainable: Be careful to choose a goal that is realistic. Now is not the time to take a grade of 11% up to an A. Focus on the places where you can make a real change in the short amount of time we have left. So, make the goal specific, measurable, and possible to attain.
R - Relevant: Make sure that your goal is relevant to finishing the semester at school. Examples of relevant goals (that also meet the above criteria!): "Raise my Science grade from a 52% to a passing grade of 60% or higher by completing the remaining 7 assignments in the course." or "Redo the 'Required to Pass' assignment in History to achieve a passing score, so I can pass the course". These goals are relevant to the end of the semester. They are also specific and can be measured. And they are attainable! An example of a non-relevant goal? "Beating my sister at Trivia Crack" :)
T - Time Bound: Luckily this one is kind of taken care of for you...the end of the semester is our time limit. It is an important practice in goal setting to have a time limit set. We all know how procrastination works...so setting a time goal can help you achieve!
Check back over the next weeks for my series of [End of Semester Tips]! And as always, contact your BlueSky Student Services Advisor and your individual teachers for help!
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