Some tips for nontraditional students for finals and tests

Exams... deadlines... stress... finals... plans!<
Are you finishing final projects, or getting ready for exams and tests? At this time of year, this is normal. If you have kept good records and have gone to class regularly, you may find yourself sitting pretty and fairly well organized.

Need help? Consider visiting a free tutoring area if this is available, and go see your teacher to narrow down what you need to study.

You may want to increase the number of times your study group meets in certain classes.

Remember to get plenty of sleep during this could-be stressful time too, and take good care of yourself.

These postings from this blog may help you too:

10 Tips and Links to help you do GREAT on your Finals and Tests
Get Organized for Finals

Good luck on finals and tests this semester.

Leave a comment about how it is going!

Thanks,

Betsyanne

Current and former Nontraditional Student

Some Nontrad links:

The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo

Nontrads on Twitter

Two recent USA Today articles definitely are of interest to nontraditional students - and all students, in fact.

#1: More Schools vary tuition by major. Do you agree with this? Some majors would pay one price, others, like math and science degrees, would cost more. I have not heard of this before, and I wonder if more schools will jump on this bandwagon. This article is by Alicia McCarty: More schools vary tuition by major.

#2. Obama talks low loan rates in pitch to college students. President Obama has been talking about his and his wife's students loans lately. This article, by Richard Wolf, Catalina Carnia and David Jackson tells of a speech by President Obama at Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

President Obama wants to see less interest on students loans, and is speaking against raising Stafford loan interest rates to double what they are now. What do you think of this happening? Of course, it would happen only to new borrowers, but the rate is already a lot higher than I and others think it should.

The article says an even bigger problem right now is that graduates right now have few jobs to pick from. Leave a comment on these issues below. Thanks!

Betsyanne
Current and Former Nontraditional Student

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog Join Nontrads on Facebook Nontrads on Yahoo Nontrads on Twitter

Student Loans - what you should know, and some tips

Do you have a student loan? Are you thinking of getting one?

You should know that student loans in the U.S. aren't all the same. For instance, a Stafford Loan can have a fixed interest rate of around 6.8%. 

A Perkins Loan can be 5% interest, and has a 10-year payment period. A PLUS loan (parent loan) is about 7.9%.

This is more than current interest rates for savers, because the rate of school loans is made by Congress, and does not change as much as the cost of living does.

One thing is for sure (and has been all over the news lately) - all student loans must be repaid. Many lenders have you start repaying 6 months after you are out of school, or are not in school at least part-time.

Getting a private (not government) loan is generally more expensive. And putting student debt on a credit card can be extremely costly.

As you may have heard on the news lately, declaring bankruptcy does not get someone out of paying a loan.

But not all students can raise the money nowadays to attend college just from a summer job or savings. So getting a student loan can be necessary.

Be careful, take as many courses as you can per semester (as many as you can safely handle), and have a plan for what you want to take. Making a course plan is very important, as you can save money by not having to wait and take another semester of classes just because of a prerequisite that you forgot to take. Make sure you get an adviser too, to prevent this kind of mistake.

Make sure to ask your advisor about your credits transferring, if you plan to take more courses at another school or graduate school. There have been some scary stories of much student loan money being paid and lost and credits not applying towards a professional program.

And don't just go by what the advisor says, check for yourself at your second school before you spend time and money for classes that will not help you.

Are you looking for a loan? Fill out your information at the FAFSA site, and you will see all the loans available for you. You may even qualify for a scholarship or grant there too, and with the help of the FinAid or Fastweb site.

Find out more:

Loans - at the FinAid site.

The Stafford Loan website

Subsidized vs. unsubsidized loans

The official FAFSA site

Via Wikipedia: The Federal Perkins loan

Probe finds Fraud and Deception at For-Profit Schools (From USA Today)

And here are more of myome nontraditional student links: 

The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook

Nontrads on Yahoo

Nontrads on Twitter 

Betsyanne
Former and current Nontraditional Student

Are you ready to go back to school?

Here are some home study and prep ideas for New Nontraditional Students.
Before going back to school, check with an advisor there, and go talk to him or her. Some schools have back to school programs for new students. They may also have testing to place you at your correct level for certain classes like English or Math.

If you can plan ahead at least a half a year, you can take online quizzes or tests and get your skills back too.

One or two study helps are buying a study book with CD, such as a Peterson's or Kaplan study guide. Here are some examples:


You may also want to brush up on your computer and typing skills.  Peter's Online Typing course is a good site for brushing up on your typing.

And some good and free computer courses are listed on my Betsyanne For Seniors page.

Remember to give yourself a pep talk too! It can help you go ahead with your plans.  Good luck in going back to school.

And here is the official FAFSA page for when you decide to see how much loan, grant, or scholarship money you qualify for.

All for now,

Betsyanne

College, trade school, a GED - is one on your bucket list?

This posting is for people who have always wanted to go back to school, but keep putting it off.

Advice for new and student teachers: Follow your heart first, my new ebook, and tips from experience.

A posting for nontraditional education students.

My decision to go back to school, saving time, teacher ed, finding a good school to teach in for your first year, what I did not know, my new ebook, more.

When I went back to school as a nontraditional student, I followed a self-imposed timeline. Mostly, I wanted to save time and not have too many student loan payments to make. I had many more English credits than anything else, so I decided to go for a teaching certificate in this subject. Also a plus: I enjoyed English and writing. I thought I could inspire my students and have fun teaching this subject too.

As many of my readers know, hindsight is 20/20. Now I wish I had chosen art as my teaching subject. Even though some art classes get students with behavior problems dumped into their classes too, I believe that some new art teachers have the chance to get some students who actually want to be there. I don't know if having a different subject emphasis would have helped me enjoy my first teaching role more though - by itself. But it would have been fun anyway, to take some more studio classes. Back to the subject.


I was a Teacher Ed Student. Some if what I did NOT know was...

Student and novice teachers: Prepare for a rude awakening if you have a class of students who don't even want to be there. This can be so difficult that you may think of quitting the profession, or you may be shoved in that direction by others. I did not know this could even happen.

I was lucky when I was in school. I went to an excellent grade school, high schools and great colleges too. Plus, I actually liked writing and reading. I guess I was pretty naive, and didn't check out the support system for new teachers at my first job before it was too late.

I know now you won't find eager students in every school. And sometimes classes are made up of all kinds of students with problems. Why is this? I think maybe that clustering problem students in one class can help other teachers because then they won't have them in their classes. Or it could be ignorance by administrators of what makes a balanced and good classroom.

Regardless, many students in my classroom had pre-existing behavior problems, and I could not get much help with them, even as a new teacher. The reason for this? I think it's because some schools can't afford to (or just don't want to) test all students, in order to see if they need special help.

And another reason some people at some schools don't want new teachers to test students as they are taught to do in college is because it might show some great lags in ability that may require special help, which they also can't afford. No Child Left Behind? I don't think it worked, because the funding was not sent along with the new law. So teachers and administrators have had to do pretty weird things, like maybe skimp services. There is plenty of blame to go around on this situation, I am sure.

All this can be problematic at the least for a new teacher. But there are some handy things that new teachers can learn to help themselves, and things to look for when looking for a first (or later) job.


What is New Teacher Induction?

Some schools have what is called a Teacher Induction program that includes support from other teachers that are not on the grading team. Some schools even introduce new teachers to the community and help them acclimate to school culture before they teach. Wow. And some awesome schools help teachers with classroom management even before the first class starts. They WANT their new teachers to succeed, and help them do just that. This sounds great!


The most important skill a new teacher can have is Classroom Management.

It makes everything else you do go smoother.

There is an excellent book called The First Days of School in which Harry Wong and Rosemary Wong explain some great ways to achieve organization and discipline in the classroom.

A new student teacher or intern doesn't just need a book, however, to be successful at teaching or classroom management, the #1 subject new teachers need help with. He or she needs a lot of support from other teachers, real hands-on help.

My suggestion is to follow Dr. Wong's advice AND make sure your first teaching assignment is at a school with a New Teacher Induction program that is at least a week long BEFORE classes. Also make sure that you will have somebody to call if you ever have a problem. Check your equipment - especially your phone, heating, books, etc. You will thank me!

There is a lot more I am going to share with people in a new ebook I will have out this year. I still have some tweaking to do on it, but I am hopeful I can complete it soon. The title is, What Not to Do as a New Teacher.  I hope this new ebook will really help new teachers find a great first job and continue with teaching after that.

I have been working on it a lot, adding new suggestions and tips to help all new teachers and student teachers. Do you have a tip you would like me to share in my book? I welcome all suggestions.

All for now,
Betsyanne
Former and current nontraditional student

PS: Here are more publications by the Wongs:
http://www.effectiveteaching.com/

Join Harry and Rosemary on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Harry-and-Rosemary-Wong/107771335938182

Sign up to get the first notice of my new book, What Not to Do as a New Teacher publishing date. I am super-excited about it.

And here are some more of my Nontrad links:
 The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
 Nontrads on Yahoo, and
 Nontrads on Twitter
Here is the Nontrad News signup:

Motivational quotes from the Student Doctor Network

I really like these motivational quotes. It's true that sometimes everyone needs a hand up and some motivational sayings really can help.

I found a great page today which is a real gold mine at the Student Doctor Network discussion boards. People there share their own favorite motivational quotes on the page that is called "A Dose of Nontrad Motivation (Quotes)". One is "Desiderata-Max Ehrmann 1927" which has a lot more verses than I remember. You may also remember the first part of this beautiful and inspiring poem.

Here are just a few of the quotes shared. You can go to the Student Doctor Network Discussion board page <"A Dose of Nontrad Motivation (Quotes)"> to read the rest.

" 'Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. -- Calvin Coolidge' "

" 'Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall." ~Confucius' "

“ 'When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'” --Erma Bombeck' "

 There are also some videos there about failure that are extremely motivating to the poster. Here is one about Lincoln and other famous people who have failed in life. You will be surprised who is listed here. (thanks, PreMedical...)



So.. how is school going? Are you seeing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel? Share, friend, share, by commenting at the end of this blog.

Sincerely and nontraditionally yours,
Betsyanne
Former and current nontraditional student
from Kentucky

Some more of my Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
Nontrads on Yahoo and
Nontrads on Twitter

School Support for Nontraditional Students - is it enough?

Personally I think some schools DO have the right idea, or are on the right track.

Amsterdam Train Station

Some schools do help nontraditional students with advising, special club rooms, remedial classes, and teacher understanding when emergency family issues come up.

But some schools do not cater to nontraditional students, which I think is a mistake. More and more students are going back to school after a break, and they are all ages. Some of these nontraditional students want to only take online classes, but others enjoy being in a classroom environment.

We nontraditional students want choices, and also to be recognized for the positive influence they have in classes, that special point of view that comes with experience.

I love seeing nontraditional student groups on Facebook, for instance. How cool is that? Students can have fun while going back to school, just like other students.

What has been your experience, fellow nontraditional students? Do you feel that your school is or was supportive? Are you a staff member in charge of helping nontraditional students?

Here is the link to the Nontraditional Student section at the University of Oshkosh site. I think it looks great. I especially love the paragraph about Academic Amnesty. What is that? Erasing some grades, I think. Check it out here: Support for Nontradiitonal Students - Lifelong Learning and Community Engagement.

Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you.

Betsyanne

Current and Former Nontrad
Kentucky

A reminder: Get connected, nontraditional students!

Hi to all nontraditional students!

Nontraditional students are a growing group across the country and abroad. Older students are realizing that they can change their lives and go for their dreams.

There are many nontraditional student blogs and websites online to help them in their educational journey.

I have several that may be helpful to you. Along with this blog for nontraditional students, there is also the Nontraditional Student website, Nontraditional students on Facebook, the Nontraditional Student Yahoo Group, and a Twitter site.

The Nontraditional Student website has different state pages where people can look up nontraditional student groups in their state. They can also submit their group to the site.

Nontraditional students on Facebook has 538 Likes.  Members can post to the Wall, and there are links and interesting cartoons and articles listed there.

Nontraditional Student Yahoo Group has 278 members. Three just joined recently. Right now, there is an introduction for a new member from Texas. I like the fact that the group is diverse and has people from all over in it. Members give advice and share how they are doing as nontraditional students or people helping them or thinking about going back to school soon.

The Twitter site shares web links and links to interesting sites for nontraditional students. There is also a site for scholarship and grant seekers at the ScholarsGrants Twitter page.

Here are some more links you may enjoy:
The Nontraditional Student blog Big List of Nontrad Links

Later!

Betsyanne
Former and current Nontraditional Student