Your Own Worst Frenemy?

I recently read an article about self-sabotage in the Harvard Business Review. I find the topic interesting, because I believe that there are some very capable students who don't perform as well as they could academically because they hold themselves back.

In the article by Jay M. Jackman and Myra H. Strober, I learned that two causes of procrastination and self-sabotage (among others) are brooding and fear of review.

Wow! Brooding? That was a new one on me. But this made perfect sense. Brooding is another word for obsessing about something that you deem to be unfair or hurtful. This is interesting, because students from middle school to high school are constantly bombarded with situations that seem hurtful and unfair. It's an age of emotional turmoil.

But when we spend time worrying about the way people are treating us, we're not spending enough time on things that are good for us. The solution, according to the authors, is to keep a journal! this helps us to manage our emotions in a healthy way.

As for fear of review--this is another way of saying we don't concentrate our efforts on a task as much as we should because we're afraid of being criticized. I do have to admit, it is terrible to put all of our efforts into something and then get negative feedback.

But here's the interesting thing about feedback: we sometimes tend to hear only the negative stuff and we manage to shut out the positive stuff! Are you guilty of this?

The key to overcoming this one is to practice getting feedback and to concentrate on hearing the good along with the "constructive" stuff that stings.

Related: Reactance and Motivation.

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Writing About People

When you write a biography or a news article, you face a few special challenges because you're writing about people and their behavior. It's easy to put too much judgment and opinion when you're writing about famous people, because they've probably done something notable (otherwise you wouldn't be writing about them!).

Even when you write about notorious criminals and villains, you should resist putting too much of your opinion in the essay (unless it's an opinion essay). It just sounds unprofessional.

To be save, avoid words that assign judgement, like the following:

• good
• bad
• evil
• perfect
• best
• worst

Notice how the short list above contains words that express views that can't be proven? When you write about people, no matter how saintly or wicked they seem to be from the deeds they've carried out, you should show your audience with facts and statistics. Don't tell them with words that express opinion.

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Earth Day Topics

Are you looking for an Earth Day essay topic? Find inspiration in this list of assignment ideas. Celebrate the planet and share your ideas, talents, and wisdom.

Earth Day Essay Topics:

• Interesting Plant Behavior
• Animals That Help People
• Natural Medicines
• Edible Weeds
• The Life of Rocks
• Environmentally Friendly Products
• What is an Eco-Footprint?
• Weather Patterns in History
• Trees That Disappeared
• Extinct Animals
• Re-Using Everyday Items
• If I Ran the Planet
• Earth-Saving Organizations
• How Long to Biodegrade?
• Composting Methods
• The History of Plastic
• The Impact of Fast Food Restaurants

  Earth Day Projects:

  • Make an Earth Day Commercial
  • Create a Quiz: Is It Biodegradable?
  • Make a Rain Forest Model
  • Make a Paper Mache Planet
  • Make an Energy Saving Pledge
  • Plant a Garden
  • Create a Life Cycle Poster

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Do You Have a Memory Trick?

I used to have trouble remembering phone numbers, before I learned a trick that helps me every time. I discovered that I can remember phone numbers if I say them to myself out loud. For some reason, I can remember the sound of my voice saying the numbers. That's auditory learning, and I can use it for recalling lots of things, like names or dates.

I told this to a young friend who was trying to memorize the spelling of a tricky word, but she said she had a different trick that worked better for her.

She seems to have better luck by typing things on a computer screen. She said that she just needs to type the word and look at it and she'll remember the right spelling forever. Interesting! She remembers through tactile and visual learning tips.

We all have little tricks to help us remember. Do you have one to share? Please tell us!

Your trick may help other students conquer a challenging task.

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Internet Resources

We all know the easiest way to research is through the Internet. But there's a down side to doing things the easy way, as usual. While the Internet is a great resource, it is also a public forum, where anyone can write a story, make a claim, or submit an assertion. If you're browsing the web and find an article that seems to provide relevant information for your research topic, you should take care to investigate the source to make sure it is valid and reliable.

More research tips:

• Using a Library
• Using a Primary Source

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Diligence

Definition:

Diligence can be defined as the persistent and determined effort to complete a task. People with diligence are persistent and unrelenting in a task.

Diligence is a necessary quality in school success, as students with diligence don't give up when they encounter a hurdle; instead, diligent students find a way to overcome obstacles that appear to stand in the way.

Why Is Diligence Important for Me?

Diligence is one of the key ingredients for success in school, but it's also important for success in life. It's important to understand the need to complete small tasks, because people who don't follow through and complete small tasks are those who don't finish big things that take persistence over a long time - like high school and college!

Related Topics:

• Do you hold yourself back?
• Do you procrastinate?

Pronunciation: DILL - uh - jens

Also Known As:

• persistence
• determination
• stick-to-itiveness (informal)

Examples:

Rochelle won the spelling bee because she studied her word lists with diligence.

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How to Paraphrase

Have you ever read a page of a textbook, and only to realize within a few minutes that you couldn't remember what you just read? Most of us have done this at some time, but if you find that you often have difficulty describing what you've read, you may need to work on your reading comprehension skills.

One of the skills you need for reading comprehension and for research is the ability to paraphrase.

Paraphrasing is the act of using your own words to describe something you've read. You can practice paraphrasing by reading a few paragraphs from any book, and then summarizing a section at a time in your own words.

You may find it difficult to paraphrase at first. If so, you should start by crafting an outline of the major points. You can then fill in the supporting information "between the lines" of the outline.

Why Should You Paraphrase?

You must be able to paraphrase effectively when writing a research paper, to avoid plagiarism.

When you conduct research for a term paper, you collect information from several different sources, and synthesize the information into a single essay.

You can use quotation marks and a citation to quote certain passages word for word--but you have to quote others sparingly. It is much better to synthesize the information into a passage that contains your own words. You paraphrase when you restate the ideas you pick up from a source.

It is a good idea to read a source with a note card and a pen handy. Read over your source in small segments and take notes as you read. This way you can take care to avoid repeating the information word for word.

As you write your own essay, use the notes you've written to synthesize the source material. But remember that you still need to cite the source--even though you have paraphrased!

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Make an Interactive Map

Microsoft's PowerPoint 2010 has a lot of exiting potential for students. One thing I love is the ability to turn a blank map into an interactive map with a few clicks. This is perfect for auditory learners or those students who just need to interact with material a lot to enhance the learning process.

I've gone over the steps for turning an outline map into an active learning tool in my tips for preparing for a map quiz. Just create a slide and go through a few steps and you have a great new learning tool!

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25 Summer Activities

Worried about brain drain setting in? Do something interesting this summer! You can have fun and exercise your brain at the same time. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Create a nature walk bingo. Think of several items that you might find on a nature walk in your area. Possible items include animal tracks, oak trees, thorns, wild flowers, and mushrooms. Make up several "bingo" cards for you and a few friends. You get the idea.
2. Make a box kite. Have you ever heard of a box kite? They don't look like they can fly, but looks are deceiving. This is a fun project!
3. Direct a play. Find a short play script on the Internet (or write one) and get together with friends to create a show for your family members.
4. Create a comic strip. Do you read the funny papers? Why not create your own comic characters and bring them to life? You might even find a career with this project.
5. Stay up all night. Invite some friends to stay up all night-outside. See if you can spot some interesting wildlife, like a bat, moths, an owl, or even a fox. The wildlife potential will depend on your location.
6. Write a story. Are you a budding writer? If so, you probably have a great story in mind but you never seem to have the time to put in on paper. Now is the time!
7. Design a piece of clothing. This can be a simple item made from scratch or a DIY shirt decorating project.
8. Find a foreign language email pal. If you have studied a foreign language in school, why not practice this summer with a friend from another country? Be sure to get parental involvement, just to be safe. Our Guide to German explains how to get started.
9. Make a podcast. Is there a superstar inside of you, just waiting to break out? This is a good way to acknowledge your inner celebrity.
10. Interview someone. Visit your grandparents or a retirement community to interview someone about his/her life. You'll discover some great stories!
11. Research a college. Go to Peterson's and find a college of your dreams. Who knows-sometimes dreams do come true.
12. Build a rocket. Okay-you definitely need parental guidance for this one. But it's really cool!
13. Read at least one classic book. There is a reason that classic books have staying power. They're really interesting, and they are good for college prep, too.
14. Record a song. You don't have to buy expensive equipment. Just get a karaoke tape and make a recording. If it sounds good, go up from there.
15. Volunteer. Volunteer to walk your neighbor's dog, read to neighborhood kids, plant some trees-there are lots of opportunities out there. You'll gain valuable experience for your life and your college application!
16. Create a blog. Anybody can blog these days. It's fun and educational. Just get permission from your parents first.
17. Review your finals. No, seriously. It's a great idea to hold on to your finals and then review them at the end of the summer. It gives you a great head start to the next grade level.
18. Keep a travel journal. If you travel with parents this summer, avoid back seat boredom with a travel journal. Keep track of all the things you see and hear on the trip. Journals are good for your brain and they're great for honing your writing skills.
19. Learn photography. Find a cheap camera and learn basic photography by taking pictures of everyday objects.
20. Start a business. This can by anything from a lemonade stand to a small publishing company. Learn business basics and start making some money!
21. Create an obstacle course. Collect old clothes to put on and take off, old tractor tires to crawl through, hoola hoops to twirl--get createive! Put together a course and challenge your friends and neighbors.
22. Design a coloring book. The great thing about coloring book design is that it doesn't require great talent. Experiment a little with outlines of buildings, animals, and people, and you'll soon be putting together your own coloring book for younger siblings and friends. It's a great way to get creative.
23. Paint a masterpiece. Have you ever looked at abstract art and thought: "I could do that!" Why not give it a try? Buy a canvas and some paint, or use any paint left over from home projects. Put your canvas in the grass and start creating! You can use anything--including old buttons, glue, spray paint, cloth from old clothing, gum wrappers...get the idea? You'll be amazed what you can come up with--on a very minimal budget.
24. Make ice cream. With a few basic ingredients and a zip-lock baggie, you can make your own ice cream at home. Why not create a new flavor?
25. Make soap. You really can make your own soap at home, but the quality can range from a basic, smelly, ball of primitive stuff to really great-smelling luxury stuff. Just have a little fun or start a new and lucrative hobby!

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Weird Units of Measurement

Acre: A unit of measurement equal to 43,560 square feet. It is used primarily to measure land or sea floor area. Originally this indicated as much as a yoke of oxen could plow in one day.

Bale: A bundle used for packaging hay, cotton, or similar material. For cotton, a bale is about 500 pounds. The origin was probably Dutch, and early use refers to a round bundle wrapped in canvas.

Bolt: A measurement of fabric equal to 50 or 60 yards. This was used in Middle English (1150-1349) to indicate a rolled bundle of cloth.

Carat: Measurement used for the weight of a diamond. One carat is equal to one fifth of a gram. The word comes from the carob bean, whose consistent weight was used in times past to measure gemstones.

Cubit: An ancient unit of measurement equal to about 18 inches. The cubit is supposedly derived from the distance between a Pharaoh's elbow to the farthest fingertip of his extended hand.

Gross: Twelve dozen items or pieces. This measurement derives from the number of matches or boxes produced in 19th Century US factories.

Fathom: A measurement that equals six feet, originally meaning the length between a man's outstretched arms. It is an old Saxon word.

Hogshead: A liquid measurement equal to 63 gallons or a large cask or barrel that holds 63 to 140 gallons. The name origin is Late Middle English (1350-1469) but the reason is unknown. It possibly refers to the shape of the barrel, which resembles a hog.

Horse power: The word which originated in the early nineteenth century refers to the power needed to lift 550 pounds one foot off the ground in one second. This is now the common unit for measuring an engine's power.

Karat: The measure of the purity of gold with 24-karat being pure gold. The word origin is the same as carat.

Knot: A unit of speed most often used for measuring the speed of ships. One knot equals approximately 1.15 miles per hour. The origin is based on the practice of observing a knotted log line, or line tied to a floating piece of wood, to measure speed.

League: Approximately 3 nautical miles. Origin is Late Middle English (1350-1469).

Magnum: Used typically for wine, a magnum is a large bottle equaling 1.5 liters. This is the size of two normal bottles. The word origin is Latin, from magnus (large).

Ream: Five hundred sheets of paper. Origin is Arabic, from rizma, a word meaning bundle.

Stone: A unit of measurement used in the United Kingdom, equaling 14 pounds. In Late Middle English (1350-1469) this also referred to a lump of metal used as a standard measure device.

Township: A division of territory in the United States equal to 6 square miles, containing 36 sections or 36 square miles. The word origin is Old English (before 1149), but the current meaning of the word is North American and came into use in the late seventeenth century.

Origins from Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Fifth Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

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Working with Images and Illustrations

Great research papers often contain images and illustrations. But creating and editing these illustrations can be a big challenge if you don't have the right editing tools.

Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 is the perfect tool for editing your images. Now you don't need an expensive photo editor to white out the background of an important image! This step-by-step shows you how to change the size and placement of an illustration, how to delete a background, and how to create effects to make your research paper stand out.

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Are You Getting Enough Exercise?

There is a solid link between overall health and classroom performance. When you feel great, you are more alert, awake, and aware. Physical activity is important for good health, but some studies suggest that high school students tend to avoid in-school physical education, even when it is a school requirement.

There can be many good reasons why students avoid physical education classes (like jobs and family responsibilities), but it's important for those students to find ways to get active outside of school. Your health and your grades depend upon it!

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Group Writing Project

If you choose to add group members to the project now (which will enable them to access the writing project) select the link for "Collaborate," which is located on the top right of your screen.

This will take you to a page called "Collaborate on This Document." There you will see a box for inputting email addresses.

If you want group members to have the ability to edit and type, select As Collaborators.

If you want to add the addresses for people who can view only and cannot edit select As Viewers.

It's that easy! Each of the team members will receive an email with a link to the paper. They simply follow the link to go straight to the group paper.

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Types of Test Questions

Teachers don't really like to hear the question "What will be on the test?"

I'm sure you know why: teachers think all of the information they've presented is test-worthy. A better question you might ask is "What will be the format of the test?"

Teachers might be more open to this question, because they know that different types of questions pose different kinds of challenges. You don't study for an essay question test the same way you'd study for an open book test, for example.

Feel free to do some detective work before you tackle those upcoming midterms. See if you can find out which type of test formats you'll be facing, so you can study in the most effective way. You might want to brush up on the following:

• Oral Exams
• Fill In the Blank
• Multiple Choice
• Blue Book Tests

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Leading a Group Project

Assess time needed for every task.

Some tasks will take a few minutes, while others will take several days. For example, choosing a person to draw the cartoon will take a few minutes, while buying the tools will take a few hours. Some tasks, like the process of researching the history of political cartoons, will take several days. Label each task with its projected time allowance.

On the display board, draw the first stage of a diagram for the project path to demonstrate this first meeting. Use circles to indicate starting and finishing points.

The first stage is the brainstorming meeting, where you are creating a needs analysis.

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Interview Tips

There are many reasons why you could find yourself sitting in an interview chair during your high school years. In most situations, these interviews will take place when an adult is making a very important decision about your future.

• Judge's Interview: Science fairs, debates and other competitions normally involve an interview with a judge or panel of judges.
• Teacher/Professor Interview: If you apply for a special program like independent study, work study, or college credit program in high school, you may find that an interview is part of the application process.
• College Interview: There are many types of college interviews, and it's safe to say that you'll want to spend some time preparing for one of these important events.
• Counselor Interview: You may need to visit your high school counselor to talk about future plans, to determine which diploma type is right for you, or to talk about choosing a major.
• Scholarships: Many companies, organizations, and clubs offer scholarships. Part of the selections process is a personal interview.
• Job Interview: Many students take on part-time jobs to help with high school expenses, to pay for dorm room trimmings, or to earn pocket money. Even part-time jobs require an interview.

Find out how to ace an interview with tips to help you keep your cool before and during the important event.

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Visual Organization Tools

Visual organization tools are simply charts and drawings that you can use as you study any topic. As you sketch out and review your information in these visual tools, you will reinforce the information and perhaps recall it more readily during an exam.

1. T-charts

A T-chart will help you compare and contrast. The process of creating this visual aid helps to sort and divide things like strengths and weaknesses and other contrasting traits. This is a good tool for analyzing books and characters.

2. Fishbone

A fishbone chart is a good tool for brainstorming causes and effects for a certain problems. Place the problem you are discussing on the right side of a paper in a box (the head). Draw a line to the left and create branches (bones) to indicate possible causes.

3. Web or Spider Chart

A web chart (or spider map) is useful for organizing your notes before an exam or before drafting an essay. It is also useful for organizing your oral presentation. Place a central idea or item in the center and use the “legs” to list attributes and other items. You can use a web to create a visual depiction of main topics and subtopics. The web diagram proves to be a great visual aid for studying literature and preparing debates, speeches, and argument essays. A web chart is also valuable for discerning the organization and structure of any complex problem or group.

4. Timeline

A timeline is useful for studying historic events and any process that happens over time. This is an especially good too when studying for exams. If you sketch a timeline and study it a few times, you will easily remember events in sequence.

5. Cycle Chart

Use a cycle chart to demonstrate a chain of events, show steps in a scientific process, or to clarify the order of certain repeating events. The act of drawing out the process will reinforce the information in your brain.

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Saying NO

Learning to say no to people is one of the best things you can do for yourself, yet many people find it extremely difficult. Why? Because they want to be liked. The ironic thing is, people will like you better and respect you more if you say no when it's appropriate!

Why Say No

1. People will respect you. People who say yes to everything in an attempt to be liked are quickly recognized as pushovers. When you say no to someone you are letting them know that you have boundaries. You are showing that you respect yourself--and that is how you gain respect from others.

2. People will actually see you as more dependable. When you say yes only when you have the time and true ability to do a great job, then you'll gain a reputation for being dependable. If you say yes to everything, you're bound to do a bad job at everything.

3. When you're selective with your tasks, you'll sharpen your natural strengths. If you concentrate on the things you're good at, you'll be able to improve on your natural talents. For example, if you're a great writer but you're not so great as an artist, you may volunteer to write speeches but you shouldn't sign up to make the posters for your club. Concentrate on your strength and build your skills (and your experience) for college.

4. Your life will be less stressful. You may be tempted to say yes to people in order to please them. In the long run, you're only hurting yourself and others when you do this. You stress yourself out by overloading yourself, and you experience increased stress when you realize you're bound to let them down.

When to Say No

First let's point out the obvious: do your homework.

You should never say no to a teacher, friend, or family member who is merely asking you to live up to your responsibilities. It's not okay to say no to a class assignment, just because you don't feel like doing it for some reason. This is not an exercise in cockiness.

It is OK to say no when somebody is asking you to step outside your true responsibilities and outside your comfort zone to take on a task that is dangerous or one that will overload you and affect your academic work and your reputation.

For example:

• If a teacher suggests that you become the president of a club that he or she is advising, but your schedule is already over-packed.
• If a popular athlete asks you to help with his/her homework and you don't have time.
• If anybody asks you to do their homework for them.
• If anybody asks you to give them information that was on a test (if they have a later class with the same teacher).

It can be very difficult to say no to somebody whom you really respect, but you'll find that you actually gain respect from them when you show enough courage to say no.

How to Say No

We say yes to people because it's easy. Learning to say no is like learning anything: it seems really scary at first, but it's so rewarding when you get the hang of it!

The trick to saying no is doing it firmly without sounding rude. You must avoid being wishy-washy. Here are some lines you can practice:

• If a teacher asks you to take on more responsibility than you need: Thank you for thinking of me, but I will have to say no. I'm just over-scheduled at this time.
• If a teacher asks you to do something you don't feel comfortable with: This sounds like it would be a great opportunity for somebody, but it's not right for me.
• If somebody wants you to cheat: Sorry, I don't share my homework. That would get us both in trouble.
• If somebody tries to push work off on you: I just don't have the time to do a good job at that right now.
• If somebody tries to overload you with a task: I can't do that because I have an assignment due tomorrow.
• If somebody tries to unload a problem on you: I understand your situation, but I don't have an answer for you.

When You Have to Say Yes

There will be times when you want to say no but you can’t. If you're working on a group project, you have to take on some of the work, but you don't want to volunteer for everything. When you have to say yes, you can do it with firm conditions.

A conditional "yes" may be necessary if you know you should do something but you also know you don't have all the time or resources. An example of a conditional yes is: "Yes, I'll make the posters for the club, but I won't pay for all the supplies."

Saying no is all about gaining respect. Gain respect for yourself by saying no when it's necessary. Gain the respect of others by saying no in a polite way.

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