Reaching Lifelong Goals

Being a Non Traditional Student majoring in History, I am assigned large amounts of reading homework.   I looked around at my fellow classmates and noticed the use of colored highlighter pens.  This seemed like a good idea, so I dug out an old highlighter from the desk and went at it.   I ended up with a text book that looked like a 1st grader’s coloring book.   (I did note to myself….at least I colored within the lines!!)   Too much of a good thing is never the best.   Concurrently with this escapade with a yellow highlighter, I was taking my CG111 College Learning Skills Class.   Effective study skills – Highlighting Text was on the class schedule.    Save me from my over zealous use of a highlighter!!   The first thing we learned in this section will stick with me forever - just because it is highlighted, it does not mean it has been learned! Words to live by in college!!   I had pages in my Biology text that were 85% colored.   At most, effective highlighting will produce a passage or chapter that is no more than 20% highlighted.    Key factors for effective marking are; 1.  Underline or highlight the topic sentence completely (this is the only sentence in a text that will be completely highlighted.)  2.  Only highlight key phrases or ideas within the topic studied.   Try to only hit the key (important) words in each sentence, color should only be on the DETAILS.   3.  Circle important terms or new vocabulary words. (my system utilizes a different color for all vocab highlights.)  4.   Try to number or split out lists or steps by numbering them in the margins (again, here I use a separate color to highlight steps/lists)   5.   Use brackets or margin notes to separate large pieces of information that needs to be retained, only highlighting words that relate to the main point.

These 5 points to effective highlighting are essential when you go back to study for tests/papers.  By not giving color to non-essential information, you can use your study time wisely and focus on key phrases and vocab.   This system for highlighting applies to your note taking as well.   I always try to get back to my class notes as soon as possible to edit them.   If I do not use my highlighter during the note taking of the lecture, I make it a priority to go back after class and add my colors to the notes.   My colors, yes, I have decided upon a set group of colored highlighters that I will use throughout my college years.   I try to be very consistent with my highlighting of both notes and textbooks.

YELLOW:  TOPIC SENTENCES AND MAIN POINTS IN TEXTS/NOTES

PINK:  FOR BODY OF TEXT ONLY HIGHLIGHTING DETAILS – MINOR POINTS

BLUE:  RESERVED FOR NEW VOCABULARY WORDS OR SPECIFIC TERMS ON TESTS

GREEN:  LISTS AND STEPS.  A COLORED # OR MARK BY LISTS OF ITEMS.   CAN BE USED IN MARGINS.

The most important concept here is efficient information retrieval.   By only adding color highlights to 20-25% of the text and hitting the most important key phrases or details, your review of the material is focused.   Review of all of your notes or textbook materials before testing  will be funneled into an organized pattern.   “Never processed – never learned”

My learning style lends itself to a colored system like this.   I need to separate main points and vocabulary and lists of study materials in this visual way.   I learned this in the College Skills class (did I mention you should take one of these courses…VALUABLE)   Now, my notes and textbooks are colorful, but in an organized, concise way.   Leave the coloring books to my niece and nephew.   Everyone learns in a different way, and this color system may not fit your needs.   Some variation of these highlighting skills applies to all students, non trad or not.

Surfed into a great article on the Psychology Today site.   Written in the blog of “the Image Professor” by LisaMarie Luccioni.  The Top Ten Ways to Impress Your College Professor “Don’t bring an apple; bring your best academic self”.    This article is full of common sense items that I think most Non Traditional Students already practice.   Things like coming to class on time, turning off your cell phone, showing up for class on the first day…you know – Non Trad stuff!    This article is really worth taking the time to read, some of the points were not on the top of my list until now…   Item #1 should be of special note:

“1. Make your personalized contribution to the classroom. The best compliment I give any student occurs at quarter’s end when final exams are submitted. If you hear me say, “Lauren, your presence in my class made it better than it would have been without you,” know this: I was indeed impressed. Be THAT student.”

I sometimes forget that your contribution to a classroom means a great deal to your instructor.   I have been in a class where the only discussion on issues was between the teacher and the crew of nontraditional students, while everyone else just sat there…not contributing.  In a Community College level of classes, this interaction with your professor is probably easier than in a huge lecture hall on a University campus.     I try to connect in some way with all of my instructors, you never know when that letter of recommendation might be needed.    I really do hope you all take the time to read this special article.   I will keep it in mind throughout the rest of my college career.

Being the history geek that I am, my English Composition class is going to fulfill my needs in many ways.  Aside from being 3 credits towards my baccalaureate core at Oregon State, I’m soaking up some wonderful historical tidbits from every lecture.   My ENG 201 class, Early Shakespeare – 1587 – 1595 Shakespeare’s early years, poems and plays will turn out to be one of my “fun” classes this term.   My Professor, Peter Jensen has a lecture style that feeds my history addiction along with presenting the Bard’s works in an interesting format.   I am enjoying the historical perspectives that he adds to the study of the plays themselves.   We are starting with Richard III, which is one of the early works in his historical series.   I had not been exposed to this play prior to this class.  Sure, we all can utter the first few words of Richard’s speech, “Now is the winter of our discontent…”, words that come to mind in a list of great Shakespeare “one liners”.    But to really dive into the meat of this play and its history of royalty and the wars of the roses, has been a real joy for me.   Peter Jensen will be one of the teachers I remember from my time at LBCC.   In all of his lectures, I have been enthralled with the little “history tidbits” about Elizabethan Theater and England during the late 1500s.   Hence the title of this post…I am familiar with the term “groundlings”.    At Shakespeare’s Globe theater in London, the common folk would pay their “penny” to see his plays by putting their admission in a box at the entrance (this is where the term “box office” comes from…) and stand at the thrust of the stage in an area called the pit.   These folks were called the Groundlings.  The term “Penny Stinkard” was coined for the unwashed masses of commoners watching the plays while standing.  I find myself taking more notes about the historical bits (items I want to research further) than about the play itself.     One such note from Friday’s class sent me on a wonderful journey through history this weekend.   Peter made a comment about a news story he heard a few years ago.   It seems that 2 skeletons were found walled up in the Tower of  London, were they the two princes from Richard III???    This historical tidbit got my attention.   Quick….to google… and beyond!!!      What I found, led me to a great story and a possible research paper for ENG 201…    A work crew found a box at the bottom of a staircase during renovations that contained two skeletons.   They appeared to be small, like children.    Could these be the skeletons of Richard’s nephews, Edward V and Richard the Duke of York (ages 12 and 9)?   The kicker here is…they were discovered in 1647!!   The two “princes” were placed in an urn in Westminster Abby.   In 1933 the bones were studied with no conclusive findings other than the possibility that they were of the correct ages and had possibly been smothered.   I was hooked…could this be what my Professor was referring to?    I have a huge amount of information to sift through, some texts to find at the OSU library and more searching to do.    One comment in a lecture about Richard III and I found another historical quest before me!     I am determined to flesh this story out into a research paper.   References from the period, current news stories that involve the Queen’s denial of any further study of the skeletons,  and any references from a couple of years ago about walled up skeletons in the tower of London.   I really think that students should THANK their professors more often.    Professor Jensen, thank you for this new historical quest.