Category: Schoolwork & Studying

High School Course Selection: Plan, Balance, and Tell Your Story

Posted by: admin on April 12th, 2021

One of the most critical and yet often least-considered choices you make in high school is your annual selection of classes. Through 8th grade, your classes have mostly been decided for you, but with the freedom and independence of high school comes the pressure of starting to determine your own academic pathway. Some students float […]

Science: Studying Systems, Drawing Connections

Posted by: admin on March 24th, 2021

Now that you’re coming up on the close of the year in your science class, I’d encourage you to try to think about the big picture. Science is very much about the study of systems and how their different components interact — so why not try thinking about your science class in the same way? […]

“They Don’t Do That for You in High School”

Posted by: admin on March 9th, 2021

Eighth-grade teachers love to say, “Your high school teachers aren’t going to do that for you next year!” High school is an important transition, and teachers are trying to help you establish your academic independence. One of the key ways we’ve seen this refrain ring through is in the day-to-day management of your assignments. Chasing […]

Spaced Learning

Posted by: admin on January 7th, 2021

Have you ever looked at your notes from last year, last month, or last week and asked yourself, “What is this?!?” If you’ve wondered how you could have completely forgotten something you were sure you had learned, you’re not alone. While there are many reasons for that phenomenon, one explanation lies in the very nature […]

Science: Questions, Answers, and Lies

Posted by: admin on December 2nd, 2020

When we last checked in, you were all about naming things. That’s going to continue throughout your class, of course, as you learn new systems and structures, but you’re now finally asking questions and getting answers. Hopefully, they are questions for which you can clearly see how someone might care about their answers: How do […]

How to Take Control in High School (Even During a Pandemic)

Posted by: admin on October 11th, 2020

As we continue navigating our way through an evolving global pandemic, we welcome in the new school year. We hope that over the summer, you and your family had a chance to relax, refresh, and even change the scenery for a while. Perhaps you were able to take a step back from your Zoom calls […]

Science: What’s in a Name?

Posted by: admin on October 5th, 2020

Welcome to physics, chemistry, or biology class, young scientist. Here you sit, excited to unravel the mysteries of the universe — to learn how the interplay of unseen forces can impress themselves upon matter at a distance, how a confusion of billions upon billions of molecules conspires to produce properties you can see and touch, […]

Managing Your Remote Learning Time

Posted by: admin on October 4th, 2020

By Aaron Golumbfskie & Ryan Warren We’re now several weeks into the school year, and what we’ve been hearing from you is that this semester’s online learning is very different from last year’s. Last spring, schools and teachers were just trying to weather the storm and get to June. This is a new year, however, […]

Making the Best of Online Learning

Posted by: admin on September 3rd, 2020

There may be less transition time, less time being lectured about discipline issues, or less time waiting (for busses, teachers, and so on). There’s plenty to be said about working efficiently, and we’ll be following up with you every month about ways to be more tactical in your work.

The Rising Junior: Looking Ahead, Staying Grounded

Posted by: admin on June 22nd, 2020

Junior year is a bit different than high school past. Yes, it is true that this particular year is unlike any other year because we are living through a global pandemic. You saw your summer plans disappear or be reinvented online, and we are not quite sure how the fall back-to-school will unfold. What will […]