SHALHEVET FRESHMEN
Student Guide
2013-2014
Chapter 1
7 Essential Tips for Success Welcome Class of 2017! High school is an exciting chapter in your personal, spiritual and intellectual growth. As the newest members of Firehawk Nation, you have an amazing network of students, faculty and administrators who are committed supporting you so that you can make the most of your high school experience. Think of this ebook as just one of many resources available for you to ensure that your transition to high school is smooth and productive.
1. High School is a Marathon, Not a Sprint A lot will happen these next four years and it is important that you pace yourself accordingly. It will take time to adjust so spend your energy wisely. Some days will be better than others. That’s okay and it’s part of the process so stay focused on steady progress and you will cross the finish line amazed at all that you have accomplished.
Get to know your teachers, administrators and schoolmates. Shalhevet prides itself of how warm and caring everyone is. So don’t be shy about asking for help, in the process you are likely to find mentors and lifelong friends. 5. Your Reputation is Your Most Valuable Asset How you carry yourself and the attitude that you bring to Shalhevet means everything. How you treat your peers, the
2. High School is Hard Work
attitude you bring to your coursework and being a productive
Develop good academic habits early and don’t expect instant
long term success than your GPA, that’s a promise.
results. Finding your groove requires time, patience and trial and error. One of the most important keys to success is demonstrating resilience and a good attitude. Keep working, take advantage of the support network Shalhevet provides for you and give it your best effort. The rest will fall into place in due time, guaranteed. 3. Get Curious and Discover Your “Thing” Don’t prejudge your interests or abilities. Keep an open mind and explore. From drama to debate, Boiling Point to Talmud you won’t discover your hidden talents and interests unless you give it a try. 4. You Are Your Best Advocate
member of the Shalhevet community is more important to your
6. It’s Never Too Early to Get Involved One of the best things about Shalhevet are the many opportunities to make a difference. Volunteer as a student ambassador, become a class representative or visit a club meeting. You are tomorrow’s school leaders so you mine as well start today. 7. While the Days Are Long, the Years Fly By You have been accepted into the Class of 2017 because you deserve to be part of the Shalhevet magic. Before you know it, you will be graduating, so catch the “Firehawk spirit” early and often. You deserve to be here and we are honored to have you as a valuable member of the Shalhevet community. Go Firehawks go!! 2
Chapter 2
“The key is not to prioritize
Study Skills
what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your
“The Effective study skills must be practiced in order for you to improve. It is not enough to simply "think about" studying; you have to actually do it, and in the process use information from what you do to get better. This is the central idea of this page. All that follows depends on this single concept. There is a saying that goes like this: "Practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect." If you want to be an achiever, take this saying to heart.
priorities.” -Dr. S. Covey
Section 1
Time Management activities if you have clear goals already set. Cross out
8 Proven Time Management Habits
completed tasks as often as you add new tasks on your to-do list 1. Set Realistic Goals
to ensure you keep moving forward.
Goals give you a vision, focus and destination to work towards. By setting goals, you are able to identify what’s
2. Keep a To-Do List
Movie 2.1 Manage Your Time Successfully
organized and on top of things. It helps
worth spending your time on and what’s
break things down into small,
a distraction to avoid. At the beginning
manageable tasks or steps so that you
of every semester you should ask
never forget to do the important stuff.
yourself where you want to be at the start
Use the calendar on Schoology to
of the next semester. Set personal and
keep track of all of your
academic goals that are realistic and
responsibilities.
achievable. This is a crucial step toward ensure you manage your time better. 1. Do the Most Important Things First
Keeping a to-do list helps you remain
3. Schedule Tasks Time management is an important life skill.
Prioritizing cannot be overemphasized when it comes to effective time management. It can be difficult to know what tasks to tackle first, especially when a flood of tasks all seem urgent. It is, however, relatively easy to prioritize
Your “down” time can be scheduled for less important tasks like checking e-
mail or returning phone calls. Remember you don’t find time for important things; you make time for important things best by scheduling.
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4. Focus on One Task at a Time Forget multitasking. Focus more on completing one task at a time. Completing tasks in sequence one at a time leads to better use of time and will actually increase the quality of your work. 5. Minimize Distractions Whether it’s e-mail alerts, phone calls from friends or IM chats, distractions are a hindrance to effective use of time. Distractions break your concentration, lower your productivity and often prevent you from completing important tasks on time. They can also cause stress.
The trick to beat procrastination can be as simple as devoting a small amount of time to start. 7. Take Breaks You can’t work long hours without burning out and sacrificing on quality. However tempting it may be to work for hours straight, take breaks in between work. This way you give your brain valuable time to rest and recharge. Squeeze short breaks in between work for down time. Ideally, take a five-minute break half hour. Taking breaks from work is not time wasting. It is smart time management.
The Magic 30/10 Rule
Identify what is distracting you from doing your schoolwork and put a stop to it. Kill that television and turn off your Internet
connection and IM chat. Put up a “Do not disturb” or similar sign
on something for a solid 30 minute block before their brains
at the entrance of your dedicated work space to prevent
start getting pooped and antsy, and their mental
interruptions. Just do whatever it takes to minimize distractions.
performance starts to diminish.
This ensures you take control of your days and maximizes your
productivity.
the 30/10 rule. Under the 10/10 rule, you work nonstop for
6. Overcome Procrastination
When studying, apply the 30/10 rule. People can focus
To keep your brain running on all six cylinders, implement
30 minutes, and all your focus is on the task at hand for that block of time. When the 30 minutes is up, take a break for
Don’t put off tasks that you should be focusing on right now and
10. Surf the web or get up and go for a quick stroll outside.
let procrastination steal your time. Remind yourself that the best
As soon as the 10 minutes are over, get back to work. Just
time to do something is usually NOW. Push yourself a little harder
knowing that you always have a set break coming up can
to beat procrastination and get what needs to be done DONE.
keep you on task.
6
The famous basketball player Michael Jordan wrote the following
about. When it happened, I set another goal, a reasonable,
about goal setting in his book, I Can’t Accept Not Trying: Michael
manageable goal that I could realistically achieve if I worked hard
Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence:
enough....I guess I approached it with the end in mind. I knew
I approach everything step by step....I had always set short-term goals. As I look back, each one of the steps or successes led to the next one. When I got cut from the varsity team as a
exactly where I wanted to go, and I focused on getting there. As I reached those goals, they built on one another. I gained a little confidence every time I came through.
sophomore in high school, I learned something. I knew I never wanted to feel that bad again....So I set a goal of
...If [your goal is to become a
Movie 2.2 Advice from Michael Jordan
doctor]...and you’re getting Cs in biology then the first thing you have to
becoming a starter on the varsity. That’s
do is get Bs in biology and then As. You
what I focused on all summer. When
have to perfect the first step and then
The famous basketball player Michael
move on to chemistry or physics.
Jordan wrote the following
Take those small steps. Otherwise you’re opening yourself up to all kinds of
Especially the Great Ones Fail
frustration. Where would your Michael Jordan the famous basketball player wrote about setting goals and not being afraid of failure.
confidence come from if the only Setting goals and learning from your mistakes are essential for success.
I approach everything step by step. I had always set short-term goals. As I look back, each one of the
measure of success was becoming a doctor? If you tried as hard as you could and didn’t become a doctor,
would that mean your whole life was a failure? Of course not.
steps or successes led to the next one. When I got cut from the
All those steps are like pieces of a puzzle. They all come together
varsity team as a sophomore in high school, I learned something.
to form a picture....Not everyone is going to be the greatest....But
I knew I never wanted to feel that bad again....So I set a goal of
you can still be considered a success....Step by step, I cant see
becoming a starter on the varsity. That’s what I focused on all
any other way of accomplishing anything.I Can’t Accept Not
summer. When I worked on my game, that’s what I thought
Trying: Michael Jordan on the Pursuit of Excellence is published 7
Section 2
Art of Studying IN THIS SECTION YOU WILL LEARN
One of the biggest differences between middle school and high school is the amount of time students need to spend outside of class studying. Whether it is a
1. How to design an awesome study space. 2. How to create an effective study plan. 3. How to overcome procrastination.
long reading assignment, homework, research, studying for an exam or all of the above, the time you will have to spend learning outside of class can seem overwhelming. At times, you may even feel that there is not enough hours in the day to accomplish all of the learning your teachers expect of you. Don’t despair! Just remember, you are not the first Shalhevet freshman to go through this process. While studying is rarely fun, with a few simple strategizes and some practice you will soon realize that you can accomplish a tremendous amount of schoolwork without going crazy. In fact, if you adopt effective study skills you will not only do well in all of your classes, you will also have plenty of free time to pursue your other interests. So, take a deep breath and take the following study skills to heart. It will make the difference between feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and maintaining a proper work life balance where you are in control of your academic life.
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Section 3
Study Space Have everything needed for studying handy beforehand. Don't
Identify what may distract you from doing your schoolwork and
waste valuable time looking for books, notes, and other
put a stop to it. Kill that television and turn off your Internet
information. After you have assembled the items you need, put
connection and IM chat. Study time is a great opportunity to
them where you can reach them easily, and above all, keep it there!
recharge your cell phone (in
Movie 2.3 Create a study space that works.
another room where you will not hear it buzz).
Get comfortable but not too comfortable. Studying on your bed in your sweatpants
Put up a “Do not disturb” or
might seem ideal, but you’re just asking
similar sign at the entrance of your
to fall asleep while reading about the
dedicated work space to prevent
Ancient Mesopotamia. Sitting upright at
interruptions. Just do whatever it
your desk wearing your day clothes will
takes to minimize distractions.
help you stay awake.
This ensures you take control of your days and maximizes your
Lastly, create a study space that will let
productivity.
you stay focused. So make sure you minimize distractions. Whether it’s e-mail alerts, phone calls from friends or IM
Creating a productive study space isn’t rocket science, it just takes a little discipline.
chats, distractions are a hindrance to effective use of time. Distractions break your concentration,
The bottom line is that it is virtually impossible to do two things at once if one of them is
studying. More about that later in this book.
lower your productivity and often prevent you from completing important tasks on time. They can also cause stress. 9
Section 4
How to Study Time is the most valuable resource a student has. It is also one of the most wasted of resources. The schedule you develop should guide you in how to allocate the available time in the most productive manner. Sticking to your schedule can be tough. Don't dribble away valuable time. Avoiding study is the easiest thing in the world. It's up to you to follow the schedule you prepared. A good deal of your success in high school or college depends on this simple truth. Thinking skills Everybody has thinking skills, but few use them effectively. Effective thinking skills cannot be studied, but must be built up over a period of time. Good thinkers see possibilities where others see only dead-ends. If you're not a good thinker, start now by developing habits that make you ask yourself questions as you read. Talk to other students who you feel are good thinkers. Ask them what it is they do when they think critically or creatively. Often times, you can pick up valuable insights to help you become a better thinker.
The SQ3R method The SQ3R method has been a proven way to sharpen study skills. SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review. Take a moment now and write SQ3R down. It is a good slogan to commit to memory to carry out an effective study strategy. Survey - get the best overall picture of what you're going to study BEFORE you study it in any detail. It's like looking at a road map before going on a trip. If you don't know the territory, studying a map is the best way to begin. Question - ask questions for learning. The important things to learn are usually answers to questions. Questions should lead to emphasis on the what, why, how, when, who and where of study content. Ask yourself questions as you read or study. As you answer them, you will help to make sense of the material and remember it more easily because the process will make an impression on you. Those things that make impressions are more meaningful, and therefore more easily remembered. Don't be afraid to write your questions in the margins of textbooks, on lecture notes, or wherever it makes sense.
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Read - Reading is NOT running your eyes over a textbook. When
an examination to begin the review process. Before an
you read, read actively. Read to answer questions you have
examination, do a final review. If you manage your time, the final
asked yourself or questions the instructor or author has asked.
review can be thought of as a "fine-tuning" of your knowledge of
Always be alert to bold or italicized print. The authors intend that
the material. Thousands of high school and college students have
this material receive special emphasis. Also, when you read, be
followed the SQ3R steps to achieve higher grades with less
sure to read everything, including tables, graphs and illustrations.
stress.
Often times tables, graphs and illustrations can convey an idea more powerfully than written text.
The following tips have proven to be extremely powerful guides for organizing, thinking, studying, and learning. They represent
Recite - When you recite, you stop reading periodically to recall
the best advice of successful college students. They can also
what you have read. Try to recall main headings, important ideas
work for you during high school.
of concepts presented in bold or italicized type, and what graphs, charts or illustrations indicate. Try to develop an overall concept of what you have read in your own words and thoughts. Try to connect things you have just read to things you already know. When you do this periodically, the chances are you will remember much more and be able to recall material for papers, essays and objective tests. Review - A review is a survey of what you have covered. It is a review of what you are supposed to accomplish, not what you are going to do. Rereading is an important part of the review process. Reread with the idea that you are measuring what you have gained from the process. During review, it's a good time to go
Don’t be that guy!
over notes you have taken to help clarify points you may have missed or don't understand. The best time to review is when you have just finished studying something. Don't wait until just before 11
Section 5
Overcome Procrastination 7 Reasons Why Students Procrastinate
examples that you have just read promote time wasting and frustration.
1. Poor Time Management Procrastination means not managing time wisely. You may be uncertain of your priorities, goals and objectives. You may also be overwhelmed with the task. As a result, you keep putting off your academic assignments for a later date, or spending a great deal of time with your friends and social activities, or worrying about your upcoming examination, class project and papers rather than completing them. 2. Difficulty Concentrating When you sit at your desk you find yourself daydreaming, staring into space, looking at pictures of your boyfriend/girlfriend, etc., instead of doing the task. Your environment is distracting and noisy. You keep running back and forth for equipment such as pencils, erasers, dictionary, etc. Your desk is cluttered and unorganized and sometimes you sit/lay on your bed to study or do your assignments. You probably notice that all of the
3. Fear and Anxiety You may be overwhelmed with the task and afraid of getting a failing grade. As a result, you spend a great deal of time worrying about your upcoming exams, papers and projects, rather than completing them. 4. Negative Beliefs Such as "I cannot succeed in anything" and "I lack the necessary skills to perform the task" may allow you to stop yourself from getting work done. 5. Personal problems For example, problems with your boyfriend/girlfriend, etc. 6. Unrealistic Expectations and Perfectionism You may believe that you MUST read everything ever written on a subject before you can begin to write your paper. You may think
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that you haven't done the best you possibly could do, so it's not good enough to hand in.
Study in small blocks instead of long time periods. For example,
7. Fear of Failure
you will accomplish more if you study/work in 30 minute blocks
You may think that if you don't get an 'A', you are failure. Or that if you fail an exam, you, as a person, are a failure, rather than that you are a perfectly ok person who has failed an exam.
5 Easy Ways to Overcome
3. Study in Sips Not Gulps
and take frequent 10 minute breaks in between, than if you study for 2-3 hours straight, with no breaks. Reward yourself after you complete a task.
Movie 2.4 How to Get Things Done
Break large assignments into small tasks.
Procrastination
Keep a reminder schedule and checklist.
1. Recognize Self-defeating
5. Modify Your Environment
Problems
Eliminate or minimize noise/ distraction.
Be honest with yourself and recognize
Ensure adequate lighting. Have necessary
your fears and challenges. Do you
equipment at hand. Don't waste time going
have difficulty concentrating, poor
back and forth to get things. Don't get too
time management, indecisiveness or perfectionism? If you know what is causing you to procrastinate, it is
4. Set Realistic Goals
The best way to avoid procrastinating is to be honest with yourself and disciplined with your time.
much easier to work on overcoming those challenges.
comfortable when studying. A desk and straight-backed chair is usually best (a bed is no place to study). Be neat! Take a few
minutes to straighten your desk. This can help to reduce daydreaming.
2. Be Honest with Yourself Identify your own goals, strengths and weaknesses, values and priorities. 13
Chapter 3
Note Taking
In school, note taking is an important skill. You should not only take notes during class, but you also need to use this important skill when reading your course materials. Apply the information you've discovered here to become a more efficient note taker and ultimately a more capable student. Note taking skills vary between subjects so if you move from, say, history to science you'll need to give yourself time to develop the particular skills required. There is no right or wrong way of taking notes. However, try to keep your notes brief and succinct. Your notes should reflect the main themes and the areas you have identified as important.
3 Step Note Taking IN THIS SECTION YOU WILL LEARN
Note taking is a three-stage process. There are certain things you need to do before, during, and after you take your notes. Here are a few things to keep in
1. How to take notes during class. 2. How to take notes on your reading assignments. 3. Highlighting and annotating text. 4. Choosing between note taking 
 techniques. 5. Organizing your notes.
mind during this whole process. Step One-Before You Take Notes 1. Have several pens, pencils and erasers available, along with a sufficient supply of paper. 2. Review any notes you've taken from the previous class lecture and previous readings. 3. Scan the text briefly before you take any notes. Pay attention to headers, bold faced words, pictures, diagrams, and any questions found at the end of a chapter. 4. Think of your own questions before and during course readings. Ask questions like, "What is the reason for this section? What do I want to get out of this reading?" and "How does this information relate to class lectures?" 5. Read, but don't write. You want to read just enough to keep an understanding of the material. Your focus should be on understanding the content instead of
15
taking notes. Read a manageable portion of text (a section or
6. Make your notes your notes. Use different colors, diagrams,
paragraph). Pay attention to important points highlighted in the
and drawings of your own making. Think about your unique
text.
learning style and tweak your notes to match that style.
6. Review the material you've read. Find main ideas and important subtopics. Paraphrase that information to get more involved in the reading experience. You want to restate the main ideas and supporting topics in your own words. Step Two-During Note Taking 1. After you've thoroughly read and reviewed that manageable section of text, jot down the important ideas you discovered. 2. Keep your notes organized. Use the structure of course readings as the structure of your notes. For example, the chapter title is the main idea, major headings serve as supporting topics, and main ideas found under those headings point to subtopics. 3. Mark anything important with a special symbol or arrow. A highlighter can also draw attention to specific ideas that were emphasized in your course readings. 4. Remember to write legibly. 5. Leave room in your reading notes for any new or supporting information your teacher might add during class lectures.
7. Write down any questions that were raised by course readings so you can find the answers later. Step Three-After You Take Notes •Reread your notes within 24 hours of a making them. You should review all lecture and reading notes at least once a week. It's best to review your notes every day. This is a time-efficient way of retaining new information. •Ask questions of your teacher and other students about anything you didn't understand in your course readings. Refer to those questions you jotted down earlier. • Develop study questions based off of your course readings. Incorporate the questions asked in the text as well. Answer these questions as a way to review the information and identify main ideas and important information. • Coordinate your reading and lecture notes. Take the notes you created from your textbook readings and mesh them with the notes you take during class. Bring your reading notes to class and add on to them. Never rely solely on textbook notes because lecture notes can give you an idea of what the teacher expects you to know. 16
Section 2
Lecture Notes Taking notes in a lecture can be difficult because it may not be
them, it probably means he’s
Movie 3.1 Take notes like a pro.
saying something important, so
possible to ask the speaker to
write it down.
repeat their words. You may find
Pay Attention to the Teacher’s Cues
yourself writing as fast as you can and still missing potentially important points, so what do you
Anytime the teacher says, “You
do? Don’t write everything down!
need to know this,” or “This will be on the test.” Duh.
Only write down the main points of the lecture. Your goal isn’t to
Anytime the teacher repeats
transcribe your teacher’s lecture
himself.
word for word, rather it’s to
Anything the teacher writes on the
identify and record the main
board.
points of it.
Anything the teacher repeats very
So how do you know what the teacher’s main points are? Pay attention to cues your teacher
slowly so that it can be taken Mastering the art of note taking is arguably the most important academic skill you will learn in high school.
gives off. Here are a few cues your teacher may give during the lecture. Whenever you see
down word for word. If your teacher starts talking more
loudly, or with more emphasis. Watch for language that shows relationships between ideas. These sorts of points are often 18
where teachers get their exam questions from. Examples and key
The best way to prepare for class is simply doing the assigned
words include:
reading. Being familiar with the material will better enable you to
• Lists-first, second, third.
understand the teacher’s lecture and separate out the important points. As you read, take notes of what you think are the main
• Emphasis-especially, most significant, most important.
ideas. Highlight, underline, and write in the book’s margins. Write
• Relationships-however, on the other hand, because, so, therefore, consequently.
down questions that come up as you’re reading.
Write Down Any Examples or Hypotheticals
your own notes.
This is especially important for math and science classes. Also,
Practice
If you are given a handout, use this as the framework for taking
write down any hypothetical issues your teacher may present. You’ll probably see a similar hypothetical on
Get used to thinking actively about what you are listening
your final exam.
to. You probably don't need to takes notes on everything so get used to identifying what does need to be noted down
Write the Teacher’s Summaries At the end of the class, your teacher will often summarize the main takeaway points. Write this
and what you can let go. This skill takes time but stick with it and I promise it will get easier. Plan for Missed Details
down. Your teacher is basically telling you the main points she wants you to know. At the beginning of the next class, your
Create a wide margin down one side of the notepaper you use to
teacher may give a quick review of the previous class and then
take notes. Later on, when you look at your notes again, use the
provide a preview of how those points are related to the day’s
margin area to add extra notes that you may have missed. Also,
lecture. Write that down.
try to re-read your notes soon after taking them. This will help you remember the material and reduce the amount of time you will
Tips for Taking Great Class Notes
have to spend studying for your exams.
Prepare
wrt lk ur txtN
19
You can finally tell your parents that all of your texting has value. Taking notes requires speed and efficiency so take as many shortcuts as you can. Take notes like you are texting and use as many symbols as possibles. When taking class notes, speed matters!
20
Section 3
Reading Notes Many students find that marking their study texts with highlighter
You could use different colored pens to mark different kinds of
pens or annotating them by writing in the margins helps them to
information, but be careful not to highlight so much that it
concentrate, and it enhances their understanding. Just deciding
becomes distracting. This technique is not a replacement for
what to highlight, underline or annotate encourages you to think
making your own notes, but may form the first stage in creating
critically and formulate your own response to the text.
better study notes as well as preparing for essays.
Highlighting
Two Useful Highlighting Tips
First read quickly through the text to get an overview of what it's
1. Don’t highlight large volumes of text – You want important
about. Then read it more closely, pausing at the end of each
points to stand out. Although we all know that everything
paragraph to identify the main points. In the page margins you
can’t be important, we often highlight all of the text on the
might like to add brief comments and queries as annotations.
page. You want to find the 20% of the text that is important
Then you decide what you want to highlight or underline to help you to recognize key points and their significance. You may decide to highlight: • • • • • •
A sentence or word that sums up an important idea Quotations Statistics Specialized terms Important or useful data Examples or links to other ideas.
and highlight that. 2. Don’t mark the obvious – Don’t waste time marking up things that you already know. What is Annotation? Simply put, annotations are comments, notes or ideas that you add to any reading or text. It is the link between what you read and what you write. It helps you engage with a text and makes it easier to make connections among ideas and develop your own 21
voice in the process. In other words, annotations help you build a body of textual evidence that you can use for class discussions and initial paper ideas. Flag Text with Codes • Question marks to indicate disagreement,
• Write comments. Personalize your reading with criticisms, praises, and insights. Add these ideas in the margins. • Reader-generated questions significantly increase reading comprehension, • Summarize – Add your own summary after the last paragraph. That simple exercise will crystalize your thinking on the topic. If you can’t write it, you don’t understand it.
• Exclamation marks to note agreement or to flag a strong statement,
Extras
• Triangles to indicate a change in thinking,
Post-It notes are great ways to also mark locations within books, much like bookmarks do. You can also use colored paper clips to identify pages or chapters that are important.
• Star for the topic sentence, • Arrows to connect related ideas, • Check mark when a key new term is introduced,
Gallery 3.1 Annotation in Action
• Circle new and unfamiliar words – Look them up as soon as possible and write out the definition in the margin. Use the Margins • Write the passage topic in the margin as a reminder, just a word or two, • List examples, • Number key details that the author provides, • Write questions in the margin – When you don’t understand something, write the question in the margin as a reminder to settle the question,
Notice the different strategies this student used annotating a passage from The Great Gatsby.
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Chapter 4
During Class
While high school requires quite a bit of learning outside of school, there is no question that the majority of your learning will take within the classroom. Simply showing up to classes will not cut it at Shalhevet. As many of our alumni will attest, Shalhevet faculty expect active learning in their classrooms, so come prepared to learn.
Section 1
Maximizing Class Time Sit near the front. Yeah, it’s cliché, but it really works. You’re
in the back with his arms folded and doesn’t say a word.
more likely to stay focused and pay attention to the teacher when
Discussing in class engages you with the content and helps
you’re sitting near the front.
reinforce what you’ve read and heard. Also, participation in
Take notes. Learning is an active process and note-taking is one of the steps in that process. Moreover, taking notes forces
classroom discussion is part of your overall class grade. Don’t miss out on an easy points grade. Speak up.
you to pay attention in class. Even in the most boring of classes,
Go see your teachers during SWAP and take advantage of the
taking notes will keep you awake and alert.
after-school homework club.
Ask questions. As you’re doing your reading or working through
You won’t believe how much our faculty want to help students
problem sets, write down any questions that you have about the
that they see making an effort to learn (and how often this effort
material. Bring these questions with you to class, but don’t ask
is reflected in your final grade). To make your visit with your
them right away. You’ll pay more attention in class as you listen
teacher as efficient and as effective as possible, have a list of
to see if the teacher will answer your question during the
specific questions you need help with. Don’t just show up and
prepared lecture. If he doesn’t answer your question, ask it. Don’t
say “I need help,” thus forcing the teacher to spend 30 minutes
feel embarrassed. Chances are somebody else has the same
figuring out what exactly you need help with.
question. If you’re still having trouble understanding a concept, show some respect for the teacher’s and your classmates’ time by waiting until after class to ask for more clarification. Participate in discussions. Many Shalhevet classes focus on
Attend review sessions. As exams draw near, many teachers or will offer optional review sessions. Go to them! In my experience, the teacher will pretty much tell you exactly what will be on the exam. Definitely worth the time.
classroom discussion. Participate! Don’t be that student who sits 24
Chapter 5
Wise Advice
My best advice would be for you to take the advice of those who know what they are talking about. As such, our college counselor Ms. Aviva Walls is going to share her Freshman Do’s and Don’ts. Take her advice to heart, she has your very best interest in mind.
Section 1
Freshman Do’s & Don’ts While college may seem far off into the horizon, there are things
couple of years down the road, that teacher might agree to write
you can do now, as a freshman which will help to prepare you for
you a letter of recommendation for you.
the application process. Do Keep an open mind about academic interests, extracurricular activities and the college you might want to attend. Now is the time to explore the opportunities available to you.
Enjoy high school. You will only be a high school student once, so don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy this time of your life, make friends, and most importantly, have fun! Don’t Set your heart on one particular college. While I certainly
Do your best academically. No matter what you’ve heard, grades
encourage you to have dreams and set goals, as a 9th grader, it’s
in 9th and 10th grade do matter, so its important that students do
far too early to make definite plans.
their best even during the first year of high school.
Be too concerned with one bad grade or exam. Grades are
Try new things in order to discover your passions and interests,
certainly important, however, don’t forget that, when the time
you have to explore the possibilities. So, join a club or co-
comes, colleges will look at the whole picture of your transcript
curricular, try out for the team, audition for the show. You never
including rigor and trends.
know where you might find your passion.
Forget to ask for help. You are not expected to tackle every
Develop good relationships with your teachers. We are fortunate
problem on your own. Seek out the help of your teachers and
to have an incredible faculty at Shalhevet. Take advantage of
deans when you need some advice or are struggling
their knowledge and advice, and respect their counsel. Plus, a
academically, or even socially. Learning to seek out assistance
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and eventually to be your own advocate are crucial skills to learn in high school. Concern  yourself with college testing or applications. At this point of your high school career, you should be exploring your strengths and opportunities for growth.  Instead of worrying about standardized tests, focus your energies on doing well in your classes. The time will come for SATs and college essays, and when it does, I will be there to offer advice.
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