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Preparing for Classroom Learning

What good is a candle
without a match?
Spanish Proverb

Compared to classrooms in some countries, United States' classrooms tend to be

informal.
There are, however, some very important basic rules:

Before class:

Do your homework!
Read critically, form your own opinions
Review your notes
from the previous lecture and reading for the day
Communicate immediately with professors about any study
problems
Focus on the task at hand before class:
take a moment of silence to gather your thoughts and
mentally prepare yourself to the topic
Write any objectives that come to mind at the head of your
notepaper:
preparing for an up-coming test,
understanding a particular concept,
gaining a good foundation on a topic
understanding or reviewing the readings

In Class:

Arrive on time for class. Professors do not take lateness

lightly
Position yourself in the classroom to focus on the
subject matter;

Consider the best location for:

listening
asking questions
seeing visual materials
discussing--not only with the teacher but also your
classmates
Avoid distractions that may interfere with your
concentration
(daydreaming, looking around the room, talking to a friend,
passing notes, dozing)
Evaluate as you listen:
Decide what is important and should be placed in
your notes and what can be left out;
Listen long enough to be sure you understand what
was said before writing.
Ask clarifying questions (but wait for "breaks" in
the instructor's stream).
Review your class objective(s) throughout the class
period
Did your objective(s) mesh with the instructor's
introductory remarks?
Has the class digressed from stated objectives, yours
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or the instructor's?
Write a "to do" list including
assignments;
reviewing difficult concepts;
joining study groups;
making appointments with a study pal, tutor, or the
instructor.
One resource often overlooked is a classmate who
seems to have a good grasp of the material. If it
seem appropriate, seek the individual out for help.

14 Suggestions on Influencing Teachers

I delight in learning
so that I can teach
Seneca 4 BC - 65 AD

How you communicate with your professor affects how well you do in a course.
In general, professors are likely to be impressed with students who show a
genuine interest in their course material and ask good questions. The best way
to get on your professor's good side is to be an "interested" student.

The following are some strategies to demonstrate your interest and

curiosity:

Don't criticize, condemn, or complain to the teacher about his or her

performance:
rather: focus on, and discuss, the material and your understanding of it.

Let the teacher know what you appreciate about the course

Smile

Know and use the teacher's name

Listen to what the teacher has to say about himself or herself

Talk in terms of what the teacher is interested in

Let the teacher know that you think he or she is important

Avoid arguing

If you are wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically

Ask questions rather than give orders

Try honestly to see the teacher's point of view

Let the teacher know that you sincerely want to do well in the course

Always have the course textbook in your hand whenever you see the
instructor

Hand in all assignments on time throughout the semester

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Taking Notes in Lectures

I must Create a
System, or be enslaved
by another Man's
Wm. Blake
1757 - 1827 English

A good strategy of note taking in class will pay off in terms of effectiveness and time
savings.

The keys to good note taking are the five "R's" from the Cornell Notetaking System
(Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH):

Record * Reduce * Recite * Reflect * Review

You can develop your own system based on a few elementary strategies:

Get a good loose leaf notebook.

This will enable you to add, delete, and re-sequence pages
and materials.

Develop an organizational system; include

1.headings, the date, even the number of the

class (e.g. 3/34)

2.any guest speakers' names, including your

fellow students' contributions

3.a system of "sections" to organize your notes

Leave plenty of white space for additions

Think in terms of three main

sections:

1.A central space for

identifying the main points
capturing the main ideas
not quoting the lecturer (if you
want to quote someone, bring a
tape recorder if it is permitted)

2.a marginal space for

editing or annotating what
you have written,
linking information from the
text or other sources,
adding definitions

3.a "condensing" or summary

section
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Paying attention in the classroom

The first thing
obvious to children
is what is sensible
William Penn
1693 American

If you attend lectures and have difficulty paying attention to what is

being said:

Before lectures, look over the notes of the previous lecture and read the
course material pertaining to the lecture.
If you have questions about material from the previous class or text, ask
the instructor before class about them
Resist distractions by sitting in front of the room and by focusing on the
instructor through listening and note taking
Show outward interest during lectures (attentive expression and posture)
to self-motivate internal interest
Take good notes! See Note taking
When appropriate: ask a question, ask for more clarity, or engage an
instructor and the class in dialogue
Schedule time to go over lecture material immediately after class;
Remember: Forgetting is greatest within 24 hours without review
Schedule a weekly review for each course

Making your voice heard:

Classroom discussions &
participation
Speech is reason's
brother
M F Tupper
1837 English

How to contribute to the discussion of ideas (in the American Classroom)

At the appropriate time in classroom discussions, don't be afraid to

voice your opinion, even if you differ from your professor or
classmates. Your opinion can and should be based on the text,
other readings, class discussions, library sources, experts in the
topic, as well as your own experience.

In class, listen carefully to what a professor or other

students are saying

Mark or make notes of the points you wish to answer or

discuss or question
Remember: a question is as valuable as an opinion in the
course of discussion.
It shows that you are trying to understand others, as well as
be understood!

Introduce your contribution with a quick summary of the

discussion or point...
"As I understand it...."
Restating the discussion/author's main idea also shows
that you are trying to understand,
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and shows where you are in understanding

It is very likely that if you have questions or information,
others will share them

Be certain it is clear to the class and professor when you

are summarizing and when you are giving your opinion

Try to keep your comments to the point and don't hesitate

to refer to your notes
Logic is not a speed test...

In making an argument, begin with examples from the

author or teacher (imitation can be a form of flattery), but
generally use your own examples to show your agreement
with their point of view. This demonstrates independent
thinking which should be valued in an academic setting

After you have spoken, it is appropriate to ask for feedback

if

others understand what you have said

if others agree/disagree with you

Demonstrate openness and dialogue: you should
score points with your professor!

Assumptions:

A sense of competition underlies the informality of American

classrooms

Voicing a well-informed opinion is important to your overall

academic evaluation

First listen and try to understand others' opinions

Respect theirs, and insist on being respected for yours

Evaluations are made by professors throughout the semester;

Final grades are not simply determined by your score on the final
exam.

Focus your contribution on your analysis of the topic, your

reaction, your opinion, and finally your openness to understand
others.

If discussion is based upon readings:

Study course lectures, articles, texts

Find the author's thesis and restate it in your

own words

Decide what your opinion or reaction is to the

author's thesis
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Organizing & Presenting

Classroom Projects
An orator is a good
man skilled in
speaking.
Cato
234 -149 B.C. Roman

Basic elements of presentations:

Basic goals of your presentation

Develop your presentation's topic to a few main ideas

Audience characteristics and knowledge base

Cover mutual ground as a starting point
Compare and adapt the presentation's goals with the
interests of the audience
Thesis statement
State where you are going and what you will prove
Argument
Convince them with facts and logic
Review and summary when complete;
Summarize what you've told them
Check for comprehension
Questions and discussion

Practice by rehearsing the presentation,

recording it, or reciting it to a few friends

Techniques of delivery:

Put your audience at ease with a relevant anecdote or joke,

or get their attention with a dramatic gesture or event...
Use personal pronouns in your delivery;
Make eye contact with the audience;
Present your report with a conversational voice though vary
it for emphasis;
Use transitions to signal the audience you're moving to a
new idea;
Direct questions to your audience to get them more
involved;
Conclude by summing up your main ideas, points, or
arguments;
Leave time for questions, and invite feedback on
the content (un-addressed, related ideas)
the conclusions
your manner of presentation
Leave your contact information (business card) for further
questions

Using visual aids or media:

Call early and make sure hardware is compatible with your

software;
and software versions of your documents are compatible
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with versions of their software

Have several versions of computerized files (on your hard
drive, disk, web site, and overhead and/or paper(!) just in
case
Come early and make sure everything works and that any
media (audio, visual, computer) can be seen, heard,
understood by all
Keep all visual materials simple in large text for visibility
Have supportive materials for each idea
Do not distribute handouts, even outlines, before your
speech (or the audience will focus on the reading material
instead of listening to you)