Back to School Tips for Adult Learners
1. Value your Experience
Think of the significant lessons you've learned since you were last in school. No doubt you've learned a great deal about human relationships through a broad range of interactions. You may have learned about health and medicine through the birth of a child or the illness or injury of someone dear to you.
Perhaps you've acquired technical skills through employment or home maintenance, repair and improvement. A love of travel could have exposed you to other languages and cultures. Certainly you've learned the value of academic credentials, something your younger classmates may not yet realize. Clearly, you don't have to be in a classroom to learn.
Not only are your life and work experiences valid, they can sometimes give you an advantage over your less experienced classmates. Making connections between classroom studies and life experiences can enliven and enrich not only your own learning, but that of your teachers and classmates, too.
2. Get off on the right foot
Talk to your loved ones about your return to school, and the new commitments and responsibilities you will have. Work towards achieving understanding and support of the changes ahead.
Getting off on the right foot also means managing your time effectively and establishing good study habits. One of the first steps to establishing good study habits is understanding your learning style. Do you learn by seeing? hearing? doing? Try some learning style self-assessment questionnaires to help you decide. Once equipped with an understanding of your learning style, brainstorm how to make the most of it. For example, if you are an audio learner, make sure to choose a seat where you will be able to hear clearly. Consider taping lectures and your own study notes for review purposes.
Practice good study habits from the outset. Invest in tabbed binders to keep your notes organized by subject. Maintain a calendar of homework, assignment and test descriptions and dates. Break big tasks (e.g., writing a term paper) down into smaller, more manageable targets (e.g., locate library and Internet resources; read and take notes; plan essay outline; write; proof-read; edit). Review materials regularly and consult a tutor or your teacher immediately when you encounter items you don't understand.
4. Get Comfortable with Technology
Campuses have gotten increasingly wired in the past several years. Electronic student cards can be used for everything from making photocopies to signing books out of the library to buying lunch. Library reserves are catalogued and searched on computer databases.
Cell phones ring through the halls, and too often, unfortunately, in the classrooms. Teachers may send and receive assignments by e-mail. You may be taking some or all of your courses online.
Surrounded by younger, computer-savvy classmates, how can you narrow the "generation lap"? Look for free or low-cost computer orientation courses offered by your school. Most libraries help users learn to search their databases and Internet resources. Schools may also offer workshops in basic keyboarding and computer skills.
A great deal of information and support can also be found online.
5. Develop a Support Network
Sometimes it helps just to know that you're not alone. Whether you are a career changer, single mother, domestic violence survivor, recovering alcoholic, widow/widower, "Baby Boomer" or septuagenarian, there ARE students like you, who share similar interests and concerns.
If your school doesn't have an adult student support group, consider starting one up yourself or participating in an online community.
If the going gets tough, think of the reasons you decided to return to school, and keep your eye on the prize. Successfully managing the challenges of returning to school is a rewarding achievement. Good luck!
From Kimeiko Hotta Dover
http://adulted.about.com/cs/backtoschool/a/reentry_tips.htm
Think of the significant lessons you've learned since you were last in school. No doubt you've learned a great deal about human relationships through a broad range of interactions. You may have learned about health and medicine through the birth of a child or the illness or injury of someone dear to you.
Perhaps you've acquired technical skills through employment or home maintenance, repair and improvement. A love of travel could have exposed you to other languages and cultures. Certainly you've learned the value of academic credentials, something your younger classmates may not yet realize. Clearly, you don't have to be in a classroom to learn.
Not only are your life and work experiences valid, they can sometimes give you an advantage over your less experienced classmates. Making connections between classroom studies and life experiences can enliven and enrich not only your own learning, but that of your teachers and classmates, too.
2. Get off on the right foot
Talk to your loved ones about your return to school, and the new commitments and responsibilities you will have. Work towards achieving understanding and support of the changes ahead.
Getting off on the right foot also means managing your time effectively and establishing good study habits. One of the first steps to establishing good study habits is understanding your learning style. Do you learn by seeing? hearing? doing? Try some learning style self-assessment questionnaires to help you decide. Once equipped with an understanding of your learning style, brainstorm how to make the most of it. For example, if you are an audio learner, make sure to choose a seat where you will be able to hear clearly. Consider taping lectures and your own study notes for review purposes.
Practice good study habits from the outset. Invest in tabbed binders to keep your notes organized by subject. Maintain a calendar of homework, assignment and test descriptions and dates. Break big tasks (e.g., writing a term paper) down into smaller, more manageable targets (e.g., locate library and Internet resources; read and take notes; plan essay outline; write; proof-read; edit). Review materials regularly and consult a tutor or your teacher immediately when you encounter items you don't understand.
4. Get Comfortable with Technology
Campuses have gotten increasingly wired in the past several years. Electronic student cards can be used for everything from making photocopies to signing books out of the library to buying lunch. Library reserves are catalogued and searched on computer databases.
Cell phones ring through the halls, and too often, unfortunately, in the classrooms. Teachers may send and receive assignments by e-mail. You may be taking some or all of your courses online.
Surrounded by younger, computer-savvy classmates, how can you narrow the "generation lap"? Look for free or low-cost computer orientation courses offered by your school. Most libraries help users learn to search their databases and Internet resources. Schools may also offer workshops in basic keyboarding and computer skills.
A great deal of information and support can also be found online.
5. Develop a Support Network
Sometimes it helps just to know that you're not alone. Whether you are a career changer, single mother, domestic violence survivor, recovering alcoholic, widow/widower, "Baby Boomer" or septuagenarian, there ARE students like you, who share similar interests and concerns.
If your school doesn't have an adult student support group, consider starting one up yourself or participating in an online community.
If the going gets tough, think of the reasons you decided to return to school, and keep your eye on the prize. Successfully managing the challenges of returning to school is a rewarding achievement. Good luck!
From Kimeiko Hotta Dover
http://adulted.about.com/cs/backtoschool/a/reentry_tips.htm
Labels: adult education, college, university
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