Just About Time to Hit the Books Again
By John Pecoraro, Assistant Director
Summer vacation is melting quickly away. The new school year is looming ahead. Are the kids prepared? Are the parents prepared? The library has the resources budding students need to excel at school.
Eighteen video files always available for free download from Hoopla shows your child “How to Become a Superstar Student.” These videos are packed with information about skills vital to carry your student through high school and into college. The advice, tips, tricks, and resources will transform your student’s education.
In “Painless Study Techniques,” Michael Greenberg provides helpful information on topics including time management, homework organization, note taking, creating outlines, studying for tests, and writing a research paper. Every chapter features “Brain Ticklers,” activities to help students practice their new skills. The book is intended for secondary school students, but the information could be useful to students of any age and to their parents and teachers.
Cal Newport reveals the proven study secrets of real straight-A students in “How to Become a Straight A Student.” Combined into a practical system, he shares secrets on maximizing study time, conquering procrastination, absorbing material quickly and effectively, and discerning which reading assignments are critical and which are not. This is a study guide written by students for students.
Available as a free downloadable audio from Hoopla, “The Student Success System: How to Get an A on your Test!,” by Howard Berg teaches students how to study more effectively. He offers techniques to master getting the most out of reading assignments, maximizing reading comprehension and speed, learn and comprehend complex principles of science, physics, and math, and even how to compute math problems in your head.
“How to Study Program,” by Ronald Fry is another downloadable audio from Hoopla. Some of the topics covered in this audio include organizing your studying, reading comprehension, organizing your time, efficient use of the library, writing better papers, and studying for tests.
If your student is struggling with math, you’ll want to show them “A Mind for Numbers,” by Barbara Oakley. This book equips students with the tools to excel at math and science. In this short book, the author discusses how to toggle between creative and analytical thinking, both of which are required to learn math. She utilizes exercises, photographs, and diagrams to teach students to redirect their brains for more effective learning.
The library has a collect of study guides in book format covering the entire alphabetic array of test abbreviations. You’ll find everything from the GED to the GRE, from the ACT to the SAT. Additional study guides are available as free downloadable eBooks from Hoopla and the Sunflower eLibrary.
The library is much more than books when it comes to helping you with your education. “Learning Express,” for example, is a one-stop online shop for a variety of resources. You’ll find test prep guides for the ACT, SAT, and others, along with tutorials, and downloadable eBooks. There are also skill building resources for elementary, middle, and high school students in match, social studies, and English language arts. If you’re already in college, take advantage of skill building resources in math, reading, and science. You’ll also find materials on study skills, skills to help you succeed in the classroom, information literacy and research techniques, and computer skills. If you setup a free account with “Learning Express,” you’ll to keep track of the resources you’ve used, and where you left off.
If you’re interested in getting a head start on learning another language, or you just need a refresher, try “Mango Languages.” This free online resources features lessons in 71 languages. Learn French, Spanish, Italian, or Russian with ease. There are even specialty language courses, such as Spanish for those in business or in the medical field.
Students needing help with Word, Excel, and a host of other software, can view thousands of instructional videos through the library’s subscription to Lynda.com. Each video tutorial is divided into short segments for easy viewing.
Your library card is your entry ticket to thousands of resources, from books and audios to downloadable eBooks to databases and more. Let the library help you prepare for a stellar school year.