Fall 2012 General Programming Schedule

The following events are all First-Year Cup eligible.

Questions?  Contact Matt McCluskey; mmccluskey@stlawu.edu; x5678; Whitman Annex 16

Academic Skills Workshops: (All Programs in Room 336 Student Center)

“Organizing Your Time”     Tuesday September 11^th, 12 PM AND 4 PM

• The second full week of the semester is a perfect time to take a look at the tasks students will face over the next three months.   We’ll break down schedules, set aside blocks for time-consuming tasks and projects, discuss ways to avoid distractions, procrastination, and all-nighters, and find time for all of your responsibilities.  We’ll also discuss ways to break up research papers into manageable chunks, which can be spread out over a period of 3-6 weeks allowing students to carve out time for revision.  This workshop will conclude with a discussion of recent research on effective college study habits.

“Note and Test-Taking Strategies”       Tuesday September 25^th, 12 PM and 4 PM

• This program will focus on helping students design an effective study plan for tests.   We will talk about how to review materials from previous classes, when and how to use a study group, how to organize notes, how to manage time while you study, and how to retain vocabulary.  We will also cover how to tackle different types of exams, how to deal with exam-related stress, and how to prepare for exam essays and multiple choice questions.  The workshop will conclude with a discussion of the Cornell Method and other approaches to effective note-taking that can be used in the study process.

“It Starts With Effective Reading”    Tuesday October 9^th, 12 PM and 4 PM                       

• Reading effectively is often the most important skill that students need to learn in order to perform better in class.   In this workshop we’ll discuss finding a good environment for reading, retaining information, using points from readings to contribute to class discussions, and reading for research purposes.  We’ll also talk about how to approach reading assignments in different subject areas and how to identify authors’ unique biases, experiences, perspectives, and/or research methods.  The goal of this workshop is to help students design a ‘reading system’ appropriate for each of their classes.

“Preparing for Finals”       Tuesday December 11^th, 12 PM and 4 PM

• This workshop is scheduled intentionally about a week before the beginning of final exams as we will use this time to talk about how to use the final segment of the semester to students’ maximum benefit.   We’ll talk about the unique challenges and opportunities that come at this point in the semester, how to study for cumulative exams, and how to find balance at this stressful time of year.  The program will revisit ideas from the September 25^th workshop on general test-taking strategies.

Special Note: The Coordinator of Academic Support is also available to meet to discuss these topics or other academic issues one-on-one, in small groups, and in classroom or other organizational settings throughout the semester.  Just shoot him an email (mmccluskey@stlawu.edu) and he’ll get right back to you.