S-6 Study Skills Workshop
Now Try This
1.Refer to your syllabus. Highlight your instructor’s office hours and location. Next, pay a
visit to your instructor during office hours this week and introduce yourself. (Success
Tip:Program your instructor’s office phone number and email address into your cell
phone or email contact list.)
2.Locate your campus tutoring center or math lab. Write down the office hours, phone
number, and location on your syllabus. Drop by or give them a call and find out how to
go about making an appointment with a tutor.
3.Find two to three classmates who are available to meet at a time that fits your schedule.
Plan to meet 2 days before your next homework assignment is due and follow the
guidelines given above. After your group has met, evaluate how well it worked. Is there
anything that the group can do to make it better next time you meet?
4.Download the Support System Worksheetat http://www.cengage.com/math/tussy. Complete
the information and keep it at the front of your notebook following your syllabus.Have you ever had the experience where you
understand everything that your instructor is saying in
class, only to go home and try a homework problem
and be completely stumped? This is a common
complaint among math students. The key to being a
successful math student is to take care of these
problems before you go on to tackle new material.
That is why you should know what resources are
available outside of class.
Make Good Use of Your Instructor’s Office Hours. The
purpose of your instructor’s office hours is to be available to help students with questions.
Usually these hours are listed in your syllabus and no appointment is needed. When you
visit your instructor, have a list of questions and try to pinpoint exactly where in the process
you are getting stuck. This will help your instructor answer your questions efficiently.
Use Your Campus Tutoring Services. Many colleges offer tutorial services for free.
Sometimes tutorial assistance is available in a lab setting where you are able to drop in at
your convenience. In some cases, you need to make an appointment to see a tutor in
advance. Make sure to seek help as soon as you recognize the need, and come to see your
tutor with a list of identified problems.
Form a Study Group. Study groups are groups of classmates who meet outside of
class to discuss homework problems or study for tests. Get the most out of your study
group by following these guidelines:- Keep the group small—a maximum of four committed students. Set a regularly
scheduled meeting day, time, and place. - Find a place to meet where you can talk and spread out your work.
- Members should attempt all homework problems before meeting.
- All members should contribute to the discussion.
- When you meet, practice verbalizing and explaining problems and concepts to
each other. The best way to really learn a topic is by teaching it to someone else.
5 Build a Support System
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