Surviving APWH!

Surviving APWH

This page is dedicated to providing tips and tricks on doing well (or even just surviving) APWH.

First, come see me, Mr. Mers' office hours:
1st Period:  8:15-9:00
5th Period: 11:45-12:30 House 7 Soph team (by appt. ONLY!)
6th Period: 12:35-1:25 (you may have to watch me eat as this is my lunch hour)
After school hours:  
Mondays-  until 4pm
Tuesdays-  until 4pm
Any other day by appt.

The Success Form
No system is perfect. All human beings learn differently, but we can take ideas that have worked for most and apply them. Please ask Mr. Mers if you have any questions regarding any of these. Many of these tips will discuss in class throughout the year.

Be patient, learning at an advanced pace will be trial and error. It will feel as if you are working very hard at first until you get to a point when you work efficiently. Sooner or later you will come to a place this year when you just "Shampoo It" each week. That's what I call it. Shampoo it: Wash, Rinse, Repeat if necessary. Those are the directions on the back of the bottle. You will find a system that works for you. (Results may vary!)

Learn from the past. Students that have had success in the class and ended up doing great on the AP Test have passed on their tried and true methods.

Here is what they might look like over a week at a glance:
FRIDAY NIGHT:
1. Print the Learning Targets from the website.
2. Skim through the Chapter you are reading from Strayer quickly, looking over the section titles, headings, pictures, and margin review questions.
SATURDAY:
3. Read the Chapter and take notes. (My best advice is column notes or Cornell notes so that there is room on the page of notes for you to add to it during class.)
SUNDAY:
4. Continue reading the Chapter and taking notes.Most students can't read it all in one sitting. Heck, I can't either. I usually do a major section and then take a break. Write questions down in your notes for things you do not understand. Bring those to class on Monday and ask that question in class.
5. Write out the vocabulary and definitions from the Target Sheet on a separate sheet of paper - or - make flash cards (I call them "cards that flash sometimes").
6. Go to the Strayer Online Companion Site and look at the chapter outline, take self quizzes and self tests.
MONDAY-WEDNESDAY:
7. CRUSH THE READING CHECK QUIZ. How you say? You can use your hand written notes. So take them over the weekend, bring them to class on Monday and get to crushing on the quiz!
8. Answer the Margin Review and Big Picture Questions from the Target Sheet. Place special emphasis on questions that are in the week's agenda that Mr. Mers has already put on the website and will be the focus of a lesson or a DO NOW Question.
THURSDAY:
9. Get together with a STUDY GROUP to sit and discuss the chapter. Don't just "talk about it." Question each other with Margin Review and Big Picture Questions and work to find the best answers cooperatively. 
FRIDAY:
10. CRUSH THE TEST.
- REPEAT STARTING WITH #1 - 

OR You could just skip all that and CRAM on Sunday. This is what is meant by #StrayerSunday
Oh yeah, that never works. ;-)

When reading Strayer, use the SQ3R Method: Survey! Question! Read! Recite! Review!
Find out more here: The SQ3R Reading Method on Study Guides and Strategies Website.

5 Classroom Rules to obtain educational BLISS!

B-  Be respectful

L-  Listen to understand

I-  Include yourself

S-  Set Aside judgment

S-  Stay focused

In order to follow the last rule, come prepared, be prompt and use...

SLANT:
Sit up straight
Lean forward
Activate your thinking
Note key information
Track the speaker