Are you preparing your kids for their college workloads?

[3in9th]

My kids are about three-four weeks from being done with 8th grade (we homeschool) and next year is a big step. Sometime soon- 10th at the earliest, 12th at the latest- I'd like them to start taking college courses.

 

As my dh is college professor (and a difficult science subject to boot) he sees sooooo many students who are either clueless as to what is required to even pass his class, much less get a good grade or simply don't care/are lazy.

 

I'm wondering if we should start upping their weekly requirements (hours completed per week) so that it will eventually be on par to what's expected of them at college. For example, if they took 15 hours a semester and were expected to complete 2-3 hours per week per three-hour credit load outside of class, that's 15+30=45 to 15+45=60 hours per week. Going on the low end and expecting their Freshman year to be 45, should I break down their weekly HS hours like this:

 

9th 35 hours a week

10th 37.5 hours a week

11th 40 hours a week

12th 42.5 hours a week

 

Or is this too weird? I know I'm goofy, but I want them not to get a shock when they start college. I got a huge one and I never recovered (and my GPA suffered).

[Tsuga]

I think it should be mastery-based, with the understanding that for some people, you are going to need to really up the ante in terms of content to ensure they have to study.

 

After all, college workload isn't that much more than high school. Actually, in terms of visible output in some cases it is less. But you have to master more.

 

I think given the mastery approach it will be difficult to predict how long it will take each person.

 

I do however think that keeping them challenged is important.

[3in9th]

The three people I knew who went to William and Mary had top-notch secondary educations.

 

I did not. I graduated with Honors and one of the highest ACT scores in my grade without knowing how to study. I could spend ten minutes looking over something for a test and get an A on it. College was a sea change for me. I was unprepared for the workload, but mostly not knowing how to study.

[Penguin]

outnumbered, you are not alone. I graduated w/in the top 10 in my high school class and engineering school was HARD. My high school workload did not even begin to compare. It was an unpleasant shock.

[Guest2]

That seems like a lot of time for homeschooling to me , but i guess you are tlaking about 7-8 hours per day . I guess that is about what we did with oldest. Ninth grade needs a slow ramp up IMO. Unless you are close to 35 hours now.

 

Personally, I would focus more on the skills needed to be successful rather than the time required. Difficult classes will require that time, but if they don' t i wouldnt want to "punish " a student by then giving him more work, if you know what I mean.

 

Things I think are important:

 

How to take great & readable notes

How to organize work and workspaces

How to have a balanced life using time management..( Recreation, study, family, prayer,religious activities) Make and set prioitites.

How to study for tests ( including math)

how to study for tests and have a paper due on the same day

How to destress/ decompress ( playing music?, reading, playing games,finding out what works for him/herself)

How to cook in dorm room, find things in grocery store,drive, get a job, ect..( having to learn these at the same time as college classes may be more difficult and impair performance in school)

[3in9th]

Thanks, y'all.

 

I definitely think reading a great deal is one of the most important things they need to be able to do. We regularly read a World History Series book and they have to read it in a week and those are usually about 100 pages each. They don't read one every week, but about two times a month.

 

Silver Brook,

Does your son like TAMU? My son wants to go there and be in the Corps and dh and I were 2%s.

[JanetC]

I think given the mastery approach it will be difficult to predict how long it will take each person.

 

The big college workload skills are not about seat-hours, they're about organization and time management.

 

Have some rigid deadlines.  The paper is due Friday.  It doesn't matter if you have already spent X hours on school this week.  If it's not done, you need to prioritize this over fun stuff.  Use some outside classes where the teacher doesn't handhold as much as a mom is tempted to do.

[Julie of KY]

I think you need to challenge your students without overwhelming them. In the process of being challenged, they will learn to step up their study skills, output, time management, etc. "I" don't put a time limit on this. My high schooler can whip out high level math classes in short amounts of time. He shouldn't be made to do more work just because he's quick. On the other hand, he takes about 3x as long as average for his civics class. He's learning persistence and time management in a class that he enjoys, but is not quick at.

[Guest2]

Outnumbered,

 

Yay! My DS Loves A&M. He isn't in the Corps, but has found his tribe of people. He has some sort of club almost every night of the week. His classes are engaging and he is so happy.

[3in9th]

Outnumbered,

 

Yay! My DS Loves A&M. He isn't in the Corps, but has found his tribe of people. He has some sort of club almost every night of the week. His classes are engaging and he is so happy.

 

We loved it when we were there and it truly is one of the best places on Earth to live (except for the heat) and we've lived in a lot of different places. :thumbup1:

[PeterPan]

Dr. Carol Reynolds gives a convention talk about what professors wish homeschoolers would do, and upping the worldload to oblivion and fatigue is NOT one of them.  Upping the reality check, the deadlines, the not nice factor, as Janet described, IS.

 

If you up their workload too much, you'll eliminate their time to do anything creative, fun, independent, or competitive that makes them interesting and unique and intriguing to colleges.  So I guess go ahead and get all freaky and over-react and have your kid too tired to do National History Day, sports, science competitions, personal art projects, volunteer work, etc. etc., but I think you might not like the results.

 

You could have been already working on deadlines and roughness.  I give my dd, a 10th grader, open-ended assignments like to make response journal entries for certain reading assignments, and I let her squirm.  I had to in high school and that's fine.  It gives her the chance to realize she's not so good about following through, making SURE she understands assignments, etc.  I want her to hit those walls.  She has to transition into realizing it's not *my* job but *her* job to make sure she understands her assignments.  But that's not the same as overloading her and leaving her no time to do intriguing things.  Schools are going to give scholarships because our students are unique, and they're not going to be unique if they spend all their time hunched over books.

[Grantmom]

I agree.  I think that this is actually one of the greatest things about homeschooling, that we get to really help our kids learn these skills while we walk alongside them.  Time management and study skills will get you much farther than getting used to spending X number of hours at a desk each week.  I wouldn't think about number of hours spent at all.  For us, it completely varies from week to week.  I agree about using the freshman year as a ramp up as a poster described above.

 

 

[regentrude]

I am a college instructor. The issue is not that the kids have not learned to put in enough time - they spend long school days at the high school and often have ridiculous amounts of homework.

The issue is that they do not know how to use the time effectively.

That's because many of them, especially the bright ones, never had to work hard in high school. They had to spend many hours in class and on homework, but they did not have to challenge themselves and they do not know how to study.

 

The best preparation for college is to challenge the high school student and make him think, teach him to read textbooks, take notes, solve problems. The student needs to acquire work ethic, organization techniques, and learning strategies - not practice putting in long hours.

 

Of course, the student should also approach college with the right mindset: being a full time student is a full time job. If the student realizes that this is what it takes, putting in the time won't be the problem.

[EmilyGF]

I am a college instructor. The issue is not that the kids have not learned to put in enough time - they spend long school days at the high school and often have ridiculous amounts of homework.

The issue is that they do not know how to use the time effectively.

That's because many of them, especially the bright ones, never had to work hard in high school. They had to spend many hours in class and on homework, but they did not have to challenge themselves and they do not know how to study.

 

The best preparation for college is to challenge the high school student and make him think, teach him to read textbooks, take notes, solve problems. The student needs to acquire work ethic, organization techniques, and learning strategies - not practice putting in long hours.

 

Of course, the student should also approach college with the right mindset: being a full time student is a full time job. If the student realizes that this is what it takes, putting in the time won't be the problem.

This. Totally. This.

 

I got mediocre grades my first three years of college and then stellar grades my final year. During my last year, I also TA'd an optics lab and took graduate level physics classes. I didn't stay up late my final year very often, I just worked consistently and made routines for myself that worked (get up early, start with a coffee before class, then do most of my work in the library by myself). 

 

Before, I'd treated it like high school: school, play, homework late. The last year, I treated it like a job. So public high school didn't prepare me very well for college despite the loads of work.

 

Emily

[EmilyGF]

Outnumbered, I wonder if you could describe the sort of college your hubby is at (state school, etc).

[regentrude]

As my dh is college professor (and a difficult science subject to boot) he sees sooooo many students who are either clueless as to what is required to even pass his class, much less get a good grade or simply don't care/are lazy.

 

 

The ones who don't care/are lazy - nothing you can do. But many simply do not know that college is not high schol, and that the strategies that got good grades in high school will be insufficient. I just attended a workshop on this today.

What students should know in preparatiion for college science courses:

 

Go to class. It is essential, and class attendance is strongly correlated with success.

Do the assigned reading before coming to class. that way, class will be a reaped exposure and you get more out of it.

How to read a science text. Preview briefly, read one paragraph at a time, summarize in own words (best by taking notes), move on to next paragraph., Work through every.single.example.

Take notes during lecture. Watching the prof work an example on the board as a spectator is useless.

Review notes after class.

How to effectively do homework. Work in groups, explain material to one another - that is THEmost powrfulo learning tool. only by explaining to anotehr persoin does one realize the own level of understanidng (or lack thereof).

How to use academic support, tutoring, help sessions.

 

Anything the hoemschooling parent can do to implement part of these strategies (obviously not all will be possible) into high school will help the student succeed in college.

[EmilyGF]

The ones who don't care/are lazy - nothing you can do. But many simply do not know that college is not high schol, and that the strategies that got good grades in high school will be insufficient. I just attended a workshop on this today.

What students should know in preparatiion for college science courses:

 

Go to class. It is essential, and class attendance is strongly correlated with success.

Do the assigned reading before coming to class. that way, class will be a reaped exposure and you get more out of it.

How to read a science text. Preview briefly, read one paragraph at a time, summarize in own words (best by taking notes), move on to next paragraph., Work through every.single.example.

Take notes during lecture. Watching the prof work an example on the board as a spectator is useless.

Review notes after class.

How to effectively do homework. Work in groups, explain material to one another - that is THEmost powrfulo learning tool. only by explaining to anotehr persoin does one realize the own level of understanidng (or lack thereof).

How to use academic support, tutoring, help sessions.

 

Anything the hoemschooling parent can do to implement part of these strategies (obviously not all will be possible) into high school will help the student succeed in college.

This was waaaay over-used at my undergrad. I think a better way is to work alone for a number of hours before working in a group... wish it hadn't taken me until senior year to figure that out.

 

Great list.

[regentrude]

This was waaaay over-used at my undergrad. I think a better way is to work alone for a number of hours before working in a group... wish it hadn't taken me until senior year to figure that out.

 

 

Depends on HOW they work in a  group. Of course, if they all listen to the bright guy and write down what he says, that's not good. The weakest student should be the one with the chalk in his hands ;-)

Study group of all D students is also bad.

We run open learning centers for ten hours per week for each intro course. We have one faculty member and a few peer learning assistants there, so students can get assistance (mainly in the form of Socratic questioning) - but the main aspect is that they work in groups on the board and learn to teach one another.

 

Of course, for some people groups don't work, but I found these rare. I have not found a more effective method than -loosely guided - group work.

[3in9th]

Outnumbered, I wonder if you could describe the sort of college your hubby is at (state school, etc).

 

State school with strong science curriculum (except for Biology and Geosciences) and most of the flunkies are not subject majors and have easy courses in their major.

[kiana]

Depends on HOW they work in a  group. Of course, if they all listen to the bright guy and write down what he says, that's not good. The weakest student should be the one with the chalk in his hands ;-)

 

Yeah. Even if they are looking at what the bright guy did because they're stuck, they should be saying "wait, why did you flip the inequality there?" so the bright guy can say "because I divided by negative 2" instead of just mindless copying.

[3in9th]

We've already loosened the reins a little on the butt-in-chair stuff. We'll give them an assignment and expect it to get done. My husband does math and science with them and they'll have to complete an experiment or do all the math problems, check their answers, and then go over their missed problems first independently to see if they can figure out what went wrong and then together to see if they can help each other out. I'll give them a reading assignment and expect it to get done by the next day. In fact, we don't have too much of a set schedule. They get their daily assignments first thing and other than instruction time with one of us, they have to get it done whenever they choose. So I might have one kid who does spelling and reading first thing, but another who'll do math and science straight away.

 

It's just that they get a little anxious when they have an essay due on the same day as a test. But that's how it's going to be in college. So I want them to be ready for one of those weeks they'll inevitably have.

 

As far as the hours, my state requires a certain amount of hours a year. We count EVERYTHING. If my son works out with his dad at the Y, that goes on his homeschool calendar. If my daughter spends an hour drawing Manga, that goes on her calendar. We watch a documentary, that counts. So I'm not depriving them of creative time 'cause we count all that toward what they need for the school year. We even count cooking. ;-0

[lllll]

..

[swimmermom3]

Our dc were well prepared for college and are doing fine.  I just taught them to work hard at whatever they did, no matter what it was - school, chores, projects, etc. - and do the best they could.  We did WTM, adding to it here and there, and that seems to have prepared them well for the academics - especially the reading and writing.  I taught them to work around the house, so they know how to run a house which just means they weren't trying to figure out basic housekeeping skills while adjusting to college.  We had plenty of discussions as a family about everything under the sun which grounded them in their beliefs and taught them to express themselves well and gave them confidence.  I had them do individual work and group work (5 dc), so they knew how to function in groups.   And they also had plenty of time to pursue their personal interests in their free time for fun.  But the free time was reserved for after the work was done. 

 

It helped me to look at the whole child.  So I looked to educate them in at least these 4 areas:  mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical.  Most people overlook the emotional area.  But I had one dd, in particular, who especially needed help in that area.  I think it's important not to overlook it, especially for kids who will be leaving home to attend college.   

 

ksva, I just wanted to say that it is always good to hear from you and it's never often enough. I am glad to hear your children (adult, right?) are all doing well.

 

 

[creekland]

The two of mine who homeschooled through high school had no issues at all transferring to college and also doing well.

 

My guy who chose to go to ps for high school keeps me wondering.  IMO, he should be doing a little better in his classes, but he rarely had to do anything in high school for homework/study and I think he's carried this over to college.  He also procrastinates as he did in high school.

 

All are quite bright academically.

 

When we homeschooled, it was to mastery - totally without deadlines.  They figured out their own schedules.  It was never a problem for them.  Knowing how to figure out a schedule to get everything done was a plus that carried over.

[Lolly]

Depends on HOW they work in a  group. Of course, if they all listen to the bright guy and write down what he says, that's not good. The weakest student should be the one with the chalk in his hands ;-)

Study group of all D students is also bad.

We run open learning centers for ten hours per week for each intro course. We have one faculty member and a few peer learning assistants there, so students can get assistance (mainly in the form of Socratic questioning) - but the main aspect is that they work in groups on the board and learn to teach one another.

 

Of course, for some people groups don't work, but I found these rare. I have not found a more effective method than -loosely guided - group work.

 

I have found that kids trying to teach each other when none of them have a clue what they are doing doesn't work very well. I have also found that only students who have already had the material or are border line geniuses can teach college science classes to themselves. This crap, that is what it is, that colleges today are doing for science where the students are expected to "discover" the principles of science for themselves is ridiculous. Professors should actually answer students' questions. Not just try to direct them with a question. I see where it can work one on one. I do not see how it can work in a full classroom. No. Students who do not know the material can NOT teach one another. The students realize this. The faculty needs to open their ears and listen. This method is NOT working.

 

(At the moment, I am tutoring college chem for a student in one of these POOGLE, I believe itis called, based classes.) After covering the class material before class with me, my student is able to go to class and teach it to her small group. She has students coming to her in the cafeteria at this point to ask for a study session with her (people she doesn't know). Unfortunately, she really doesn't have the time to help all these kids. She tries her best to keep her friends afloat, but even that is difficult Yes, there are study sessions with students who have taken the class before. They are hugely packed because no one understands the material.These study sessions are not enough. From what I am hearing, the students leading them don't know the material well enough to be teaching it either. In class, the teachers do not have the time to Socriatically direct all of the groups' questions. The method is good in theory and works well one on one. It just doesn't work in a classroom. The teachers need to start teaching again.

[Lolly]

My kids haven't really found it to be a problem. I do recommend that they take a lower freshman first semester hours to ease in a little. I also recommend that they not take the absolute top level classes that they qualify to take for every class. It truly is okay to have an easy class each semester. (For example, my dc who was required to take two semesters credit of a foreign language decided to start at the beginning level even though she placed higher. Result, easy A to pad her transcript if needed.)

[Laura Corin]

Calvin didn't work that hard in his last two years at school (well, there were times when he did, but not in general).  He seems to be coping with the really quite heavy workload at university.  

 

I wouldn't worry - just make sure they know that expectations will be different.

 

L

[Lanny]

I told my DD that every year the workload is harder and that's the idea. When they begin university courses, the pace is twice as fast, and if they have not mastered Time Management and Self Discipline, before beginning university, it is a problem.

[regentrude]

I have found that kids trying to teach each other when none of them have a clue what they are doing doesn't work very well. I have also found that only students who have already had the material or are border line geniuses can teach college science classes to themselves. This crap, that is what it is, that colleges today are doing for science where the students are expected to "discover" the principles of science for themselves is ridiculous. Professors should actually answer students' questions. Not just try to direct them with a question. I see where it can work one on one. I do not see how it can work in a full classroom. No. Students who do not know the material can NOT teach one another. The students realize this. The faculty needs to open their ears and listen. This method is NOT working.

 

What I was referring to is not the same thing you describe as "crap" and "ridiculous" and "teaching themselves". We do not substitute it for teaching by instructors - they have four hours of class weekly which are taught by faculty (plus a lab taught by TAs). We use the technique after the students have already attended a lecture by the professor, seen her work example problems, have read the assigned reading and are now working on their homework problems.

They need to wrestle with the homework problems themselves in order to learn. Decades ago when we went to college, none of this existed and students worked on their homework alone or with their study group (study groups existed back then, too, and were extremely helpful). Offering the students a space where they can come and do this and staffing it with faculty who are volunteering their time is giving them more help, not less. (They don't have to come. They can work at home if they prefer).

They will also have a recitation where these problems are discussed.

 

The method I described works very well. I am in my 14th year of teaching and running learning centers, and everybody involved sees the benefit for the students. Nobody can learn physics by watching an instructor work example problems.  The only way is to solve problems yourself. And this is something the professor can not do for the student, but which the student must do himself.

 

ETA: Some of you might find it interesting to watch Eric Mazur's Confessions of a converted lecturer

 

 

I am not aware of any college that expects students to "teach themselves" physics by discovering principles. This can not work, since discovering principles would require extensive experimentation.

[Lolly]

What I was referring to is not the same thing you describe as "crap" and "ridiculous" and "teaching themselves". We do not substitute it for teaching by instructors - they have four hours of class weekly which are taught by faculty (plus a lab taught by TAs). We use the technique after the students have already attended a lecture by the professor, seen her work example problems, have read the assigned reading and are now working on their homework problems.

They need to wrestle with the homework problems themselves in order to learn. Decades ago when we went to college, none of this existed and students worked on their homework alone or with their study group (study groups existed back then, too, and were extremely helpful). Offering the students a space where they can come and do this and staffing it with faculty who are volunteering their time is giving them more help, not less. (They don't have to come. They can work at home if they prefer).

They will also have a recitation where these problems are discussed.

 

The method I described works very well. I am in my 14th year of teaching and running learning centers, and everybody involved sees the benefit for the students. Nobody can learn physics by watching an instructor work example problems.  The only way is to solve problems yourself. And this is something the professor can not do for the student, but which the student must do himself.

 

I am not aware of any college that expects students to "teach themselves" physics by discovering principles. This can not work, since discovering principles would require extensive experimentation.

 

Actually, decades ago when I went to college, the method you described is exactly how science was taught. The study groups may not have been "official", but it is what the students did on their own. Of course, there were no professors (or rarely/it did happen on occasion) there.

 

What you were describing is how classes are being taught now that I am experiencing (second hand). Not just an after lecture activity for homework help. Skip any teaching, just follow leading questions in order to learn. No, students cannot learn by just watching an instructor work problems. When my student went to her professor with a question, totally lost and unable to start it, she was informed that "Piano teachers do not teach by having you listen and just watch them play." While this is true, what the teacher seemed to not realize is that piano teachers also do not just hand a beginning student a level 4 book and tell them to play the material either. There is definitely demonstration of technique. And, if a student is having a difficult time with a piece, the teacher will usually play that section allowing the student to watch and listen. A good science teacher should be following the same methods. (Dst was so knocked back by teacher's response that she lost her ability to speak. She came up with the rest of the analogy later and wished she had then. Though, I doubt she would have had the ability to talk back to a professor like that! And, this is department policy/not just this one instructor.) I misunderstood your post because what you posted was exactly how I am seeing colleges "teach". I did not realize that this was in addition to actual instruction/lecture where I assume principles are taught and example problems are worked.

 

[G5052]

My kids haven't really found it to be a problem. I do recommend that they take a lower freshman first semester hours to ease in a little. I also recommend that they not take the absolute top level classes that they qualify to take for every class. It truly is okay to have an easy class each semester. (For example, my dc who was required to take two semesters credit of a foreign language decided to start at the beginning level even though she placed higher. Result, easy A to pad her transcript if needed.)

 

Yes, the transition is very important, sometimes more so for homeschooled kids who haven't had outside classes. A friend of ours signed up their recent homeschool graduate for 18 hours the first semester. He had never taken an outside or online class, and they also had him find a part-time job.  And he had a rough time, although thankfully they caught it and had him drop two classes (no refund though). They admitted that the advisor argued with them for quite awhile about taking such a heavy load, so it wasn't the college's fault either.

 

As far as the workload, I just up it every year with a mix of dual enrollment, AP, and honors classes. 

 

And if there are conflicts over getting your teen to do the work, you have to address that one way or another. Letting them work well below their ability because you don't want to fight with them can cause a lot of problems later.  I realize that there are a lot of tough situations out there with kids, but you have to try to find a way.

[G5052]

My kids are about three-four weeks from being done with 8th grade (we homeschool) and next year is a big step. Sometime soon- 10th at the earliest, 12th at the latest- I'd like them to start taking college courses.

 

As my dh is college professor (and a difficult science subject to boot) he sees sooooo many students who are either clueless as to what is required to even pass his class, much less get a good grade or simply don't care/are lazy.

 

I'm wondering if we should start upping their weekly requirements (hours completed per week) so that it will eventually be on par to what's expected of them at college. For example, if they took 15 hours a semester and were expected to complete 2-3 hours per week per three-hour credit load outside of class, that's 15+30=45 to 15+45=60 hours per week. Going on the low end and expecting their Freshman year to be 45, should I break down their weekly HS hours like this:

 

9th 35 hours a week

10th 37.5 hours a week

11th 40 hours a week

12th 42.5 hours a week

 

Or is this too weird? I know I'm goofy, but I want them not to get a shock when they start college. I got a huge one and I never recovered (and my GPA suffered).

 

I definitely wouldn't set a formal hour requirement.  IMHO it is really going to vary anyway, both from week-to-week and year-to-year.

 

Having been a STEM major myself, there were times early on that 20 hours of homework a week did it for all my classes, and then other times that it was more like 50 hours.  My last year of my undergraduate studies I had a capstone class that was a minimum of 25 hours a week all semester just by itself.  Near the end it was significantly more than that, but I got an "A" out of it and still consider that one of the best classes I ever took in terms of preparing me for professional life.

[8filltheheart]

My kids have had zero adjustments to college. Their homeschool does not replicate a traditional classroom environment at all. Their days are not dictated by a preconceived time allotment. I expect them to work according to their ability and turn in top quality work. I expect self-regulation.

 

But honestly, most importantly my kids own their futures and know they need to prioritize accordingly. My kids don't skip class, they don't party over finishing homework, etc. And is is NOT bc we have told them that is what they need to do. I don't regulate my adult children's lives. They do it bc they know this is the path to their future career and it is all internal motivation.

 

Their whole lives are spent learning how to learn, how to study, the skills for appropriate output, and how to regulate themselves. When they are adults, they simply do.

[kiana]

I definitely wouldn't set a formal hour requirement.  IMHO it is really going to vary anyway, both from week-to-week and year-to-year.

 

Having been a STEM major myself, there were times early on that 20 hours of homework a week did it for all my classes, and then other times that it was more like 50 hours.  My last year of my undergraduate studies I had a capstone class that was a minimum of 25 hours a week all semester just by itself.  Near the end it was significantly more than that, but I got an "A" out of it and still consider that one of the best classes I ever took in terms of preparing me for professional life.

 

Yes.

 

I think a more important skill to learn about college and the working world is that you need to put in as much time as it takes. I don't say "ok, I studied my 6-9 hours for this 3-credit class, that's enough. I'm turning in the homework now even though it's only half done."

[hepatica]

The ones who don't care/are lazy - nothing you can do. But many simply do not know that college is not high schol, and that the strategies that got good grades in high school will be insufficient. I just attended a workshop on this today.

What students should know in preparatiion for college science courses:

 

Go to class. It is essential, and class attendance is strongly correlated with success.

Do the assigned reading before coming to class. that way, class will be a reaped exposure and you get more out of it.

How to read a science text. Preview briefly, read one paragraph at a time, summarize in own words (best by taking notes), move on to next paragraph., Work through every.single.example.

Take notes during lecture. Watching the prof work an example on the board as a spectator is useless.

Review notes after class.

How to effectively do homework. Work in groups, explain material to one another - that is THEmost powrfulo learning tool. only by explaining to anotehr persoin does one realize the own level of understanidng (or lack thereof).

How to use academic support, tutoring, help sessions.

 

Anything the hoemschooling parent can do to implement part of these strategies (obviously not all will be possible) into high school will help the student succeed in college.

 

Former college professor here to! This is a great list! There's also a lot of science to back this up. Check out Benedict Carey's new book How We Learn.  Successful college students usually learn how to learn at some point along the way. It's not the hours alone, it's how effectively you approach the material. So increasing study time is in the category of necessary but not sufficient.

 

Just one example....I remember my statistics exam as an undergraduate. Didn't study a bit by myself, but stayed up all night trying to teach the entire semester to my deadbeat boyfriend who had hardly attended class. I ended up with the highest grade on the exam for the entire college (there was one group statistics exam for all the Stats classes). Teaching that material to someone else was way more effective than studying alone.

[regentrude]

 When my student went to her professor with a question, totally lost and unable to start it, she was informed that "Piano teachers do not teach by having you listen and just watch them play." While this is true, what the teacher seemed to not realize is that piano teachers also do not just hand a beginning student a level 4 book and tell them to play the material either. There is definitely demonstration of technique. And, if a student is having a difficult time with a piece, the teacher will usually play that section allowing the student to watch and listen. A good science teacher should be following the same methods.

 

 

Wow. That's ridiculous.There is a lot of room between working the problem for the student and refusing help. Of course a professor should answer student's questions or at least point them in the right direction.

 

This said, I can, however, envision a handful of scenarios where a professor would (and should) refuse to answer a question - and maybe that's another important thing pertaining to college preparedness, so I will elaborate a bit:

The student should know how and what to ask a professor.

 

Do not ask a question that is answered in the one page handout you were supposed to read but did not. If students do that, I will just refer them to the handout, and tell them to can come ask me again after they read what I had written up for them and there is still something unclear. (And please, do not ask a question that is clearly answered in the syllabus. It will create the impression that you are too lazy to bother.)

Do not ask "I do not understand anything" without having read the assigned reading and attended the lecture. I will first ask if they read the assigned reading and watched the lecture, and if they have not done so, I send them to do it, because it is unreasonable to expect me to repeat the content of the reading and lecture for the student.

Have specific questions. "I do not understand anything" is not helpful. The student should put the effort in to pinpoint what it is he does not understand. Last semester, I had a student who sent me up to ten emails with questions every weekend when he was studying:" I do not understand how they get from the 2nd line to the 3rd line in example 6.12. Where does the minus sign come from in example 7.1? Here is a picture of my diagram, can you tell me if I set this up correctly? " It was lovely! This was a student who was really struggling, and sometimes we went back and forth several times until he understood a concept - but his questions were specific because he was actually working through the material,  not just skimming the book and expecting me to summarize what he should have read.

I have students come up to me after lecture with their notes and ask me to clarify again a certain step in a derivation. Wonderful - very happy to do that! But if students come and tell me they did not understand "the lecture", I will ask them to clarify what exactly it is they did not understand, to show me their notes and pinpoint the spot, and whether they read the assigned chapter before class. In most cases, they have read neither the chapter nor bothered writing down anything in class (I provide handouts with all images for them to print out, and they really just need to work along when I work out examples or jot down extra things I say) - and at that point, I have to send them to do their reading and watch the lecture video.

 

Sorry this got so long, but I think these are important things to know for college students, so they have realistic expectations what professors are willing and able to do.

[MBM]

Teach your children to start studying their assignments as early as possible: Proper prior planning prevents poor performance.

 

Studying effectively involves self analysis -- what works, what doesn't -- and trying out different methods. This is a matter of trial and error but eventually a student should be able to find something that works. You could read the book that Hepatica mentioned and then share what you've learned with your children. You can also find articles online about studying methods. For example, studying vocab for 10-15" right before bedtime results in more retention than not studying before bedtime. IIRC, it's around 40% more retention. Another idea: having to recall information helps a student to learn, so short quizzes can be helpful (no need for grades). By the time your kids reach college, ideally they will have a variety of tools for learning.

 

Also, it is very important that students get enough sleep so that what they learned that day can get filed away properly in their brain while they're sleeping and so that the next day they'll be alert enough to study. A student who is not getting enough sleep will not be a good learner. If school work is so heavy that they are not getting their sleep, then it's time to re-evaluate.

[klmama]

I think a more important skill to learn about college and the working world is that you need to put in as much time as it takes.

 

This.  Just because your roommate learned the topic and finished the assignment in three hours doesn't mean that's all you should do.  If it takes 10 hours for you to understand, then 10 hours is what you put in.  It's not done until it's done.

[Bootsie]

Wow. That's ridiculous.There is a lot of room between working the problem for the student and refusing help. Of course a professor should answer student's questions or at least point them in the right direction.

 

This said, I can, however, envision a handful of scenarios where a professor would (and should) refuse to answer a question - and maybe that's another important thing pertaining to college preparedness, so I will elaborate a bit:

The student should know how and what to ask a professor.

 

Do not ask a question that is answered in the one page handout you were supposed to read but did not. If students do that, I will just refer them to the handout, and tell them to can come ask me again after they read what I had written up for them and there is still something unclear. (And please, do not ask a question that is clearly answered in the syllabus. It will create the impression that you are too lazy to bother.)

 

 

And don't ask a question that was answered in class while you were busy playing with your cell phone!

[MysteryJen]

Also, it is important to remember how much kids mature during high school. It is the rare 9th grader who could jump into a college load. But many, many 11th and 12th graders can. So, here is what I plan.

9th grade: get used to syllabi, deadlines, upping the amount of required reading, notes on the reading, and planning time for audio/video lectures.

10th grade: continue all of the above, require more writing and the occasional project, and some sort of job (or serious sport)

11th grade: continue all of above, require yet more reading and writing, but back off the weekly sort of assignments. If maturity and funds (we pay full price at the cc) are available, a class at cc.

12th grade: continue all above, except run more like a college class, cumulative tests, long term projects/papers

 

This worked well for ds1, who said the biggest adjustment was the stretches of time during the day. Time management is the most critical skill, I think, and the willingness and ability to seek out and utilize extra help are a close second.

[MBM]

This.  Just because your roommate learned the topic and finished the assignment in three hours doesn't mean that's all you should do.  If it takes 10 hours for you to understand, then 10 hours is what you put in.  It's not done until it's done.

 

If a student needs to spend a lot more time on most of the assignments than the rest of his classmates, it's important to make sure something is not amiss, especially if it's happening in multiple classes.

 

A student could be having any number of problems, but a common problem that Carol Dweck talks about in her book Mindset is a student believing that reading and memorizing is the only way to learn. According to Dweck, this is how students with a fixed mindset study. On the other hand, a student with a growth mindset will self assess and try to find a variety of ways that make the learning stick. There are many ways to learn. These students also take an interest in the material and are not just trying to pass a test. Interestingly, when the material gets tough, these students keep going and rise to the challenge, usually doing well. When they don't do well, they study what they missed until they understand the material.

 

To the OP, Carol Dweck's book is also good to read.

[swimmermom3]

Depends on HOW they work in a  group. Of course, if they all listen to the bright guy and write down what he says, that's not good. The weakest student should be the one with the chalk in his hands ;-)

Study group of all D students is also bad.

We run open learning centers for ten hours per week for each intro course. We have one faculty member and a few peer learning assistants there, so students can get assistance (mainly in the form of Socratic questioning) - but the main aspect is that they work in groups on the board and learn to teach one another.

 

Of course, for some people groups don't work, but I found these rare. I have not found a more effective method than -loosely guided - group work.

 

In my mind I distinguish between "group work" and "study groups."  In graduate school for an MBA in the '90's, group work was all the rage. Yes, we all know we will have to work with people in the business world, but I found it to be a nightmare way to learn, especially when you had a slacker group. Group work members were nearly always assigned.

 

On the other hand, the best thing that ever happened to me academically in my post-secondary education was my "accidental" study group in grad school. I no longer remember how we all got together, I think it was a matter of someone knowing someone who knew someone. There were four American students, two German students, and one each of Chinese, Indian, and French. We ranged in age from fresh out of undergrad programs to mid-forties preparing to start a second career.

 

We took over a student lounge in the business school twice a week and then often splintered into subgroups for particular classes. Papers were proofed and math skills were sharpened. Class recommendations were given.

 

I had been a bit of a party girl during college and towards the end, I met my dh. My undergrad work was  spotty and I lacked some study skills.  The group helped me acquire and polish those.  In fact, I think the whole thing worked so well because 1) we chose to be together, 2) each of us brought unique skill sets to the table, and 3) we genuinely liked and respected each other.  Potlucks at each others' homes were a common happening.

 

We didn't just learn academics from each other.   "Susi," our Chinese student, explained to us that it was an honor to sleep with one's professor and what it was like to lose friends and TA students at Tianamen Square. Our German guys talked about compulsory service and one of them shared his experiences as an ambulance driver. A mid-level manager talked about managing business travel, a young family, and graduate school.

 

This is one type of experience I would encourage my youngest to seek out. From the public school, he tends to think of group work of any kind as a negative. This whole conversation reminds me that the next time "G," our neighbor and childhood friend of my older son, is home from college to ask him if he can tell Sailor Dude about the study groups he used his last two years of high school. He hosted both a physics group and a calculus group and found them to be very helpful.  Ds's AP Bio teacher encourages the kids to have study groups.

 

[3in9th]

Wow! This has turned into a great discussion. I really appreciate all the input and suggestions. I think we might start with an online course or two next year so they're used to some demands from teachers who aren't mom and dad.

 

My kids are really good about self-regulating right now. They almost always take a play break (yes, they still play ;-0) after math and science, but then they hit the other subjects and get done so they can have their free time in the afternoon.

I would like to maybe push for them to be more active on the weekends. I do recall having to complete some projects/read some books over the weekend when I was in college.

[Gratia271]

 

We didn't just learn academics from each other.   "Susi," our Chinese student, explained to us that it was an honor to sleep with one's professor and what it was like to lose friends and TA students at Tianamen Square. Our German guys talked about compulsory service and one of them shared his experiences as an ambulance driver. A mid-level manager talked about managing business travel, a young family, and graduate school.

 

This is one type of experience I would encourage my youngest to seek out. From the public school, he tends to think of group work of any kind as a negative. This whole conversation reminds me that the next time "G," our neighbor and childhood friend of my older son, is home from college to ask him if he can tell Sailor Dude about the study groups he used his last two years of high school. He hosted both a physics group and a calculus group and found them to be very helpful.  Ds's AP Bio teacher encourages the kids to have study groups.

 

 

Some of my fondest memories are from law school study group.  Somehow we found each other, and it was such a fabulous group of quirky people. :)  I hope my kids get to experience this too.

 

 

[regentrude]

Some of my fondest memories are from law school study group.  Somehow we found each other, and it was such a fabulous group of quirky people. :)  I hope my kids get to experience this too.

 

Study group literally changed my life.

I was floundering during my first semester and really struggling - never had to work in high school, even though the German school was quite rigorous. Did not know what to do once I hit college and translated not immediately understanding into "too stupid for physics". I interpreted the first D on a test as "I am too dumb."

Finding the study group turned me from almost-drop-out in my 1st semester to straight A student in my 2nd semester and thereafter.

 

And the best bonus: that's how I met my husband.

[flyingiguana]

My two that are in college didn't have very heavy workloads in our hs high school.  I work.  I don't have time to push them really hard.  I had a set of things I wanted them to know/be able to before they got to college.  That was it.

 

And I spent a lot of time with each of them in their first semester of college pointing out all they needed to get done.  And helping them think about prioritizing and figuring out how much they really needed to study for a test.  My first daughter hit the ground running, but I suspect that's because she started out college with only 2 classes (dual enrollment).  My 2nd got a bit shocked by the work load, had a bit of difficulty for the first set of tests, and then recovered her balance and ended up with straight As the first semester anyway.

 

But there are a lot of ps kids who are burned out from the heavy work load in high school who end up not doing all that well in college because they just want to live without pressure for a bit.

 

fwiw, I never really worked in high school.  But I didn't find the college workload to not be nearly as much as I was warned it would be.  I had no problem.  I just did the work I was assigned and didn't obsess about how it was so new to have more work.  That was just college.  I expected something to change so I wasn't surprised.

[swimmermom3]

Some of my fondest memories are from law school study group.  Somehow we found each other, and it was such a fabulous group of quirky people. :)  I hope my kids get to experience this too.

 

When academic groups are a mutual exchange of ideas, skills, advice, and support, they are an amazing tool.

 

Although I must admit I never thought of them in terms  of acquiring a spouse, regentrude. ;)

 

This is a whole different creature than the "discovery" groups that Lolly is referring to. Those were a popular method of teaching middle school math when my older kids were in that bracket. "New" math methodology, texts with no examples, and most of the "teaching" done in "discovery" groups is not an ideal way to teach middle school math. Even with 8 years of homeschooling experience which certainly has involved following rabbit trails, "discovery," "teaching," and "groups," used in the same sentence cause instant heartburn for me. That was a nightmare experience that cost us several thousands of dollars in tutoring to fix. The blind leading the blind is not "discovery."

[regentrude]

When academic groups are a mutual exchange of ideas, skills, advice, and support, they are an amazing tool.

Although I must admit I never thought of them in terms  of acquiring a spouse, regentrude. ;)

 

I can highly recommend the method. If you think about it, a study group is the perfect environment to learn about the other person's qualities:

Is he kind and patient when explaining the concept for the third time and does not let you know that he is exasperated that you still don't get it?

Do you get along being in close proximity for several hours every day?

Can he stand you when you're stressed or crying? Can you stand him when you're stressed or crying?

Is he smart enough for you? (Emphatic yes was my answer... I picked the genius of the class) Are you smart enough for him?

Does he have a sense of humor and a sense of perspective?

 

I lived at home while at university, but I spent more time with my study group than with my family. You get to know people really really well. We went climbing on weekends and vacationed together every year for six years. The first trip DH and I did not take with our study friend was our honeymooon. We eloped, and my mom says she should have known something was up as soon as we told her we were going on a trip without our friend, LOL.

 

 

[kiana]

The blind leading the blind is not "discovery."

 

Especially since frequently in an elementary school math setting, it is the blind leading the blind mentored by the blind. 

[G5052]

I can highly recommend the method. If you think about it, a study group is the perfect environment to learn about the other person's qualities:

Is he kind and patient when explaining the concept for the third time and does not let you know that he is exasperated that you still don't get it?

Do you get along being in close proximity for several hours every day?

Can he stand you when you're stressed or crying? Can you stand him when you're stressed or crying?

Is he smart enough for you? (Emphatic yes was my answer... I picked the genius of the class) Are you smart enough for him?

Does he have a sense of humor and a sense of perspective?

 

I lived at home while at university, but I spent more time with my study group than with my family. You get to know people really really well. We went climbing on weekends and vacationed together every year for six years. The first trip DH and I did not take with our study friend was our honeymooon. We eloped, and my mom says she should have known something was up as soon as we told her we were going on a trip without our friend, LOL.

 

Yes, about two years ago a friend from my math study group was in town and came to have dinner at our house and visit.  He was a really good friend in college, and we've stayed in touch here and there these 30 years.  This guy has never married.

 

During the conversation after dinner my friend told DH that he had "snagged" the best woman he had ever known.  DH agreed, and we had a good laugh about it.  Frankly I had never looked at my friend that way, but apparently my friend was exceedingly fond of me in college and afterwards but never made a move!

 

So you never know...