Back to School Student Success Story

By: Dr. Stephen Jones According to Indiana University the average American student only studies 3 hours each week. That amounts to 20 minutes a day. A total of 60,000 students responded to this study skills survey. Each year thousands of students enter college thinking they can use high school study habits and easily sail through a college degree. They have a rude awaking when they discover success in college requires a minimum of three to five hours studying each day. Some students say studying the night before their examination seemed so much easier in high school. Most students want to know the true seven secrets to better study skills and earning an A+. Is the answer studying all night before a major examination? Is it photographic memory you inherited from your parent? The answer to both questions is no. There are seven fundamental study habits that every student must master to get started on the right pathway to earning an A+. 1. Prepare for all Test Ahead of Schedule- Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for your examination. Most students increase their level of test anxiety because they feel unsure that they have studied everything. 2. Start a Study Group-Get together with a group of students who are enrolled in your class. Set a date when you will meet and give out assignments so each person has a responsibility. 3. Don’t Procrastinate on Projects- Start all assignments in sufficient time to perform your best work. For example, if a science project is due in December you should start the project by October. Also, start all studying for examinations at least 4 days before the test will occur. If a term paper is due in November start your paper in September. Develop a plan that has cut off dates for each segment of your assignment. 4. Get the Energy you Need- Many students put off the first meal of the day. They are missing the most important meal of the day. Scientists have discovered that eating a good breakfast is better for your overall health. Feeding yourself with healthy foods and exercising have a positive effect on the brain. 5. Get organized. Purchase several three ring binders for all of your courses English, math, history and science. Keep copies of your homework, quizzes and examinations in your binders. Make a copy of your syllabus and put it in your binder. Use your binder each time you study for an examination. 6. Talk to Your Teacher- Often students are afraid to talk to their teacher - Meet with your teacher in their office at the beginning of the semester. Let them know that you want to understand every thing you must do to earn an A+. Always show interest in the subject they are teaching by sitting in the front of the class. Go to class with questions you’ve written on a sheet of paper. 7. Read your Textbook- Read your textbook assignment before every class. Reading early is beneficial because you will be prepared for your class. You will feel confident that you have knowledge of your subject and you can answer your teacher’s questions. To avoid the pitfalls of procrastination you must have an academic plan. An effective study skills plan starts with organizing all of your learning materials. Begin with the end in mind. Determine what you would like to learn from each course. Instead of making plans to study at the last minute follow a calendar. You will experience the freedom of knowing where to find information when you need it. The more that you uncover the habits that block you from maximizing your achievements leads you into greater accomplishments. When you follow these strategies you are on your way learning the Seven Secrets of How to Study. There is one more thing that is a vital factor in your success. You must have a positive attitude and expectation that you will earn a good grade. Approach each class with an expectation that you are going to earn an A+ and you will be half way down the road to a successful academic year. Launch into each study session with enthusiasm and excitement about the new information you are about to learn. It’s important to invest additional quality time studying to raise your confidence in each class. Remember the formula for success is to study 2 to 3 hours for every hour that you are in class. Practice the Seven Secrets of How to Study and you will prepare yourself for lifetime of excellent grades. Dr. Stephen Jones is author of the “Seven Secrets of How to Study”, the Parents Ultimate Education Guide, and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide on the internet at http://www.DrJonesbooks.com to order a book or to order by telephone call 610-842-3843.

10 Tips for New Homeschooling Parents

By Dr Stephen Jones

New homeschoolers can benefit from the flexibility that home schooling offers. 

It is a great opportunity to engage all your students learning style. Some students

are visual learner, some are auditory learners and others are tactile learner. Think

 in terms of what you can do to make lessons interactive and engaging.  Be the greatest cheerleader when your student is studying and learning. Your words have the power to motivate students

to excel during their homeschooling experience. Here are some tips for homeschooling parents:

1.     Have a set time for your students to start and finish instruction

2.     Have a set time for your children to complete homework

3.     Go to the dollar store and fill up with supplies for projects

4.     Start on all projects early

5.     Teach your student how to study with videos on the topic

6.     Have a specific quiet place where all student's complete homework

7.     Visit sites and attend lectures where your student can learn something they are studying.

8.     Have conversations with your child regarding the things that they are learning

9.     Let your student explore a variety of careers on videos or by interviewing people in person

10.  Continually give your student positive feedback

Remember that you are the facilitator of learning and you can accomplish great things with

your child. Always ask your child open ended questions and it will create wonderful conversations.

If you can afford a tutor get one or find out what is offered at a local school. Where possible

have conversations about careers by talking to your child about their interest. Don’t be afraid to ask other homeschooling parents questions for advice. You can expect to have a great from your home schooling experience.

Dr. Stephen is an author and presenter who has written three books , Seven Secrets of How to Study, Parents Ultimate education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide at http://www.DrJonesbooks.com, stephenjoness@rcn.com and 610-842-3843.

Dr. Jones Parenting Online Course

https://www.parents.teachit.education/ 

Dr. Stephen Jones Books

1.     Seven Secrets of How to Study 

2.     Ultimate Scholarship Guide

3.     Ultimate Parents Guide

4.     http://www.DrJonesbooks.com

Dr. Stephen Jones Podcast App

Join my podcast on the Anchor App which is titled Education Central 

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How to Help your 9th Grade Students to Exel

By Dr Stephen Jones

The 9th grade can be one of the biggest adjustments of a students life. The expectations are so different from middle school that some students want to give up. An effective school principal and teachers must recognize the anxiety of a 9th grader and plan to reduce it. Believe in your students capability to have a passion for learning. Seek to create an excellent school environment. Here are some things you can do:

1.  Teach them how to study and to perform well

2. Give students one on one success meetings with the best teachers

3. Take them outside of school to see the world of work

4. Invite in interactive speakers to talk about their professions

5. Start an internship program for 9th graders

6. Specific tutors for graders in subjects where they frequently have problems 

7. Continuous information for 9th grade parents in a newsletter or blog

8. Show that you care and create class spirit

9. Tell them that you expect them to get a post secondary education and show them the way

10. Never, never, never give up on them

You can change your school by always seeking to innovate. Think inside the bust. What are the three most innovative things you can do for 9th. At a minimum have a suggestion box where they can anonymously share problems and suggest solutions. Each generation has its way of thinking. To get workshops for your students or parents contact Dr. Stephen Jones at Learn@DrStephenJones.net/books or http://www.DrStephenJones.net

610-842-3843.

10 Things High School Students Must do During Freshman Year of College

For many high school seniors the final year can be a stressful time. High school students often struggle to manage their time. College will be an awakening for some high school students in terms of time spent studying. The best thing that a high school student can do is develop an academic study plan and follow it. Their freshman year will require 20-30 hours of studying each week. Here are ten tips to for freshman year of college:

1. Get a time management daily planner and increase your study time in your daily schedule. Study at least 4 hours each day.

2. Don’t procrastinate and study for examinations at the last minute. (Study 5 days before each examination)

3. Purchase books for all classes and begin reading them right away. If time allows read each chapter twice. Follow your syllabus and stay ahead.

4. Meet every professor in their office throughout the semester. Go to their office with prepared questions.

5. Get tutoring where appropriate

6. Get involved in study groups where students are earning A+ grades.

7. Focus on maintaining a positive attitude by reading motivational books or listening to recordings.

8. Organize and review your notes daily.

9. Ask your instructor questions right after class.

10. Go to the library to study and avoid friends who area distraction.

Get ready for college while you are in high school. Attend your colleges’ summer program before you attend. College will be the stepping stone to your future.

Dr. Stephen Jones is a college coaching and study skills expert. You can get a copy of his book the “Seven Secrets of How to Study” at http://www.DrStephenJones.net or to obtain college coaching for your son or daughter call 610-842-3843.

Parent Involvement the Primary Key to Student Success

 School districts all over the country are suffering from a lack of parent participation. Could you imagine a day when fifty percent more parents show up for a parent’s night?  Parent involvement can change an entire school system. I challenge parents who are reading this article to use their social networks to encourage friends of your family to show up at Parent’s Night.  If more parents showed up it would let other parents know what resources are needed and they could play a major role in helping schools to become better.  Gone are the days when a mother stayed at home to raise children and participate in school activities.  When a child’s parent is involved in their school it sends a message that they care. If a parent is working they can send a relative or a grandparent. Something needs to be done to make parent involvement in K12 schools a high priority on their list of daily activities. Each parent should want to witness their student’s academic success. Their student’s achievements will draw them into the school and encourage them to participate.

What the educators are saying about parent involvement is true. Parents who read to their children early develop children who enjoy reading.  Children are like sponges absorbing new knowledge at a tremendous rate. 

 Parents are great role models for their children’s love for learning.  If the majority of the parent’s time is spent in front of the television or laptop computer then it becomes their child’s main source of information and learning too.  In other words parents who demonstrate a joy of reading instill it in their children. A student’s enthusiasm for learning should begin in the home then spreads to a child’s in school instruction. Here are a few tips:

1. Parent Involvement – Make out a schedule of dates when you or a relative will show up for school meetings during the academic year. There are plenty or resources that are only announced during a parent’s night.  Also you are getting an opportunity to meet your student’s instructor to find out how they run their class.  You will also uncover ways that you can get involved with at least one activity for the year.

2. Encourage them to set goals for themselves – Children need to know that there is no limits to wait they can accomplish.  Encourage your child and stay involved in school activities.

3. Failure is success – Help your child to understand that there is a lot that they can learn from each failure.  Let them know that they will know to try something different the next time that they are pursuing a grade. The student may also need a tutor to help them to learn a particular subject.

4. Surround your child with positive role models – Get them involved in activities that promote leadership and determination.  An optimistic child can learn that they should never give up.

5.  Expose your child to the world -  Children need to know that there is more to the world than their immediate neighborhood.  There are a lot of positive things that they can learn from others.

6. Physical fitness and good health leads to optimism – A child who is physically healthy will have more energy and enthusiasm for life. A child who is eating write, physically fit and gets sufficient rest will be a very productive child.

7. Get a Tutor – If your student needs help with their academic achievement level talk to their teacher about tutoring. The teacher may provide it or have a tutoring recommendation.  If you ask you will find out that other parents are getting help for their children.

Some governors are saying we need more standardized tests to resolve the student achievement gap.  Testing is not the answer. Parent involvement is an alternative that costs fewer dollars to implement.  The resources that are allocated for testing could be spent to increase the number of parent leaders who are in the schools.  Some schools are finding ways to get parent’s involved in the daily activities of their schools.  Parents who are involved can learn about instruction methods that other parents can use in the home.  They are the catalyst to get parents who are not involved to volunteer for special projects.

Parents sometimes reflect on the bad experiences that they had when they were in K12 schools.  Student achievement can be raised when parents know that their active participation will make a difference in their child’s learning capacity.  Some parents are looking at their child’s achievement level to see if there are any differences.  They need to know more about the benefits of looking at the value of education from a different perspective.  Some parents do not know what a good education looks like.  School administrators and teachers must continually advocate for increased communication with parents.

Parents need more information about how K12 education is changing.  Most parents are not aware of the financial challenges that school systems are facing.  Many schools are underfunded when compared to school districts within their own states.  Parents can play a role in encouraging their local legislators to get involved in changing their states school funding formula.  Parents should invite the legislators to visit schools and to witness so that they can witness the challenges that they are facing.  It is easy to create a policy that under fund schools when you make assumptions that money is getting wasted.  Parents need to partner with schools in order to help with specific resources that their child’s school requires.

The United States is steadily slipping in terms of its edge in graduating students from high schools, trade schools, and colleges.  Starting a national campaign to help parents to understand their role in student achievement is a solution whose time has come.  New and innovative organizations are needed.  These organizations must take into account the changing trends in family structures.  Parents are looking for solutions to the achievement gap.  The solution lays in a combination of community and K12 schools working toward alternative education activities which are easily implemented in the home.

Some parents are raising the bar on their expectations for their student.  They are often interested in identifying resources that will prepare their child for college.  They participate in after school and weekend programs right along with their child.  They sign up because of their belief that their program will serve as a link between high school and post secondary education. Today is the day to get involved and make a difference in your local school. Parents are the key to a successful school and their child’s future career opportunities.

Dr Stephen Jones is and education advocate and an author of the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide. Get your copy http://www.DrStephenJones.net .

How Principals Reinvent their Schools

One of the critical aspects of transforming a school is innovative leadership.  The expectation that new and innovative ideas will be accepted will result in a successful school.  Why do some schools turn around while others flounder?  It is because some principals and teachers continue to lead the same way they did last year. They expect different results but they keep doing the same things that caused the school to have difficulties. Successful principals and teachers see change as a good aspect of their schools success. An effective leader must have a positive vision and measurable outcomes that inspire students to be successful. There must be a commitment to moving forward with new ideas and actions throughout the school year. Today is the day to get started by making the school a welcoming place where every student can thrive.

     The principal, staff and teachers in a school that’s progressing has very good communication and cooperation among the entire professionals who are running the school. The principal must refuse to let communication breakdown. When there is an expectation that all communication has a purpose it motivates everyone to raise the level of energy that is invested in student instruction. An improved school will come from everyone knowing how to carry out the vision of the principal and his/her team.  Teachers in this school should feel free to talk to each other and to develop some of their own strategies to improve each student’s academic success. This includes discussing the way that each teacher communicates their lessons to students.  The teachers must also feel confident that the principal understands them and takes time to teach students too. A principal who takes time to teach will have a better sense of what students are learning in their classrooms.

     The students must understand that everyone at the school expects them to do well.  There must be a strategy to totally abolish the culture of low expectation.  Students must be applauded and recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom.  A whole school culture can change if the students who maintain a “C” average are challenged and acknowledged for raising their performance to a “B” average or higher. Success is evident in a school when the principal and teachers make learning fun and engaging.  The school not only celebrates the success of its athletes but has a bigger celebration over students who excel in the classroom.  A school atmosphere can change so that athletes want to become a scholar athlete.  Better grades and academic performance will get all students excited about coming to school.

     There must be a level of compassion by the principal, teachers and everyone on staff.  A school must be a welcoming place that is aware of the neighborhoods and cultures that influence the students.  Schools administrators that ignore the child’s problems are ignoring that they are affected by a number of struggles at home.  The challenges that a student can face when there is one parent in the home are tremendous.  Even if the student has two parents it does not guarantee that they will focus their energy on the student’s academic success. The principal and teachers must understand these challenges and work on some solutions that help each student to position themselves to learn when they are in school.  There are some very bright students whose home situation is not good.  It is better to meet the challenge head on than to hope that it will go away.

    It is important to lead from the front and not from the back. What is meant by this statement? It is better to have a plan that the school is following than to constantly respond to conflict and problems that were never fixed.  When the principals, staff and teachers lead from the front schools become better.  The teachers are excited to come to school because they feel supported. The students get the benefit of the teacher’s enthusiasm.  The principals and teachers can be role models of what good leadership looks like.  They also inspire students to become leaders at the school and in their community. 

     Positive changes can come from principals, staff and teachers who know how to get parents involved in the daily life of the school.  Parents often do not know how they play a positive role because their own parents were not involved in their school.  The school staff and several parents should come together to discuss how other parents can be involved.  These meetings can be held in the school, at a community center or at a church.   An effective parent involvement program includes meeting the parents where they live.  It’s great when a principal can find a pre-existing group of parents that meet and find a way to get on their agenda.  This saves the parent’s time but the principal can share important information with them. Persistence and a significant improvement in the students success is the key to improving parent involvement.

    Finally an inspired principal and staff can change a failing school by promoting career awareness to all at all K12 levels. Too many students are drifting in schools where they have no idea what their future could look like.  I firmly believe that career exploration should occur all year.  The K12 students need to explore careers to sustain their enthusiasm for learning. When they hear from visitors they can visualize themselves working in professions such as medicine, engineering, government, business and other professions.  The principals and teachers are the catalyst that motivates students can educate students about some of to pursue the top careers.  It is time to try something different at the all schools. It is time to take action and to fight for successful schools.

Dr. Stephen Jones is an education expert who you should consider for your school.  He is the author of the Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate scholarship guide at http://www.DrStephenJones.net. Contact him right away at 610-842-3843.

How to Sponsor New App for a High School in Need

 If your college or company interested in helping high schools to thrive and get more students involved in volunteering and developing leadership skills help them launch the Student Life Club APP. Too many students do not know how that can get involved in clubs and this leads them to have a bad feeling about learning and completing high school. Your college or company get involved in this national cutting edge initiative to introduce more students to beneficial clubs and organizations at their school. Your college or company can reach out to the student clubs through the App. Having high school students more involved in their school clubs is one way to keep them coming every day and to pursue college or a trade school after their graduation. Get the http://StudentLife.club app to raise money for your student organizations. Available in at the Android and Apple Store.  Find out more at  http://bit.ly/2aE1Rqv Contact: Walter Pearson 301-377-2464

Back to School on a Shoe String Budget

According to Dr. Stephen Jones, parents can save thousands of dollars by mapping out a back to school shoe string budget.   Annually the cost of going back to school continues to rise.  Supplying one child for a k12 school or college can cost between $300 and $1000.  In fact one student recently said a book he purchased cost $200.  While this may not be the norm it is cause for alarm for parents who have several children. Parents must make difficult choices regarding the quality of materials their children will use to present term papers and projects that are due during the school year.  Often parents get so busy during the summer that they fail to plan a school supply budget and they end up running around from store to store trying to reduce the cost of book bags, calculators, text books, computers and etc. 

It is clear that the retail stores are doing their research and they know that parents will flood the stores around the third week of August.  Most parents would prefer to go to one store to get all of their supplies but they look in the papers and discover that the prices vary from store to store.  Dr. Jones says that parents can save hundreds of dollars by making wise purchases.  Here’s how parents can save hundreds of dollars:

1.         Don’t shop at the last minute right before school is about to start.

2.         Identify a discount school supply store so that you don’t end up shopping at the local corner store.

3.         Check the internet for sales at websites such as overstock.com.  Get together with friends and buy some things in bulk.

4.         Don’t be afraid to buy some clothing at a thrift store. You can save hundreds of dollars.

5.         Check your supplies from last year before you go out to buy new supplies.  You will reduce the chances that you are purchasing items that you have stored from last year.

6.         Ask your local school where they order their supplies from and contact the store for a catalogue or website.

7.         Consider purchasing certain items at the Dollar Store near you.

8.         Purchase books at discount websites that are on the internet

It’s amazing that some parents are willing to spend more money because they are unwilling to invest time to uncover savings.  The hundreds of dollars that are saved can help with the purchase of a new computer and printer. Don’t cave in to the temptation to putting your purchases on a credit card.  The credit card debts that parents obtain at the beginning of the school year can last until the next summer if a parent is not cautious.  Parents who are shopping on a shoe string budget recognize that credit cards are potholes that will take you thousands of dollars off track. 

Mobilize family and friends who can keep an eye out for special school supply sales.  Parents can use a number of methods to stay in touch.  First consider using the cell phone to create a list of people who will be looking out for certain supplies that you have identified.  Also, friends and family can contact you immediately when they discover a good sale.  Parents can give friends and family money in advance or ask them to pay for it and agree to pay them back.   Using e-mail can also be a good method to share websites that offer the products at prices that are not available at the stores.  The links to website can be put right within the text of the e-mail, which makes it easy fro a parent to make a purchase right away.

You can save thousands of dollars by shopping on shoe string budget.  Get started right away and you will not regret it.   Dr Stephen Jones is education consultant author of three books the Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent's Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide available at http://www.sevenbooks.net

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10 Ways Teachers Can Ignite Excitement About School

Did you know that a teacher’s excitement about school plays a great role in a child’s enthusiasm for school?  Students can tell when their teacher really cares about their success.  A teacher can ignite a student’s fire and passion for learning just by saying the right words.  One way to encourage a student is by brainstorming a list of 25 positive words that you can use to encourage your students daily.  You should think of ways that you can get each student to have great expectations for their future.  It is important to keep your classroom moving in a positive direction. Use words of encouragement whenever you can. Highlight the students accomplishments as a class and individually.  You can compete to be the best class in your school.  Always consider ways that you can implement innovative teaching techniques.  Your students will benefit from periodically seeing change in your approach to instruction.  View student test results as feedback regarding your student’s knowledge of your subject.  Make your review of past tests or quizzes fun and engaging and your students will remember the right answers.

There are some things that you can do and say to make this school year a success.  There are limitless learning possibilities during the school year and summer.  Consider how you can also coordinate your activities with parents.  Here are some other ways that you can create excitement about current and new school year:

1.  Plan an exciting trip to explore nature

2.  Get involved in a physical activity that will require you and your students to do it using math or science experiments.

3.  Plan a visit to library when they are having a special guest speaker.

4.  Purchase and use several board games that require your students to use a strategy to win.

5. Work together on a fun project where they can earn points to win.  Let your student select the project.

6.  Ensure that your students have breakfast in the morning and encourage them to have a great day.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some students come to school hungry. 

7.  Visit the local community center, YMCA or YWCA to find out about their summer activities. Help your students to participate in projects where they will learn something new.

8.  Visit the local book store to find a list of age appropriate books that your students can read during the school year. 

9.  Make sure that you take time to talk to your child about what they are learning in school.  You can both search the internet for additional points to discuss.

10.  Allow your student to teach you something that they have learned during the school year.  Ask your student to share their knowledge with others.

Getting the off to a good start in any class is an important way to lay a good foundation for learning. One way to keep the child active is using the student’s prior knowledge as a chance to build their confidence. Build your foundation on the positive aspects of learning. You can have an exciting school year just by investing time to use innovative classroom techniques to encourage your student’s success.

Dr. Stephen Jones is an outstanding educator and consultant he is the author of “Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide. Get these books for your students right away at http://bit.ly/OOmCA0. He can be contacted at 610-842-3843

13 Education Dreams to Achieve During 2013

The best way to achieve your dream is by making a commitment to start today.  Determine that you will not let another year go by where you have not pushed the limits to achieve your dream.  Even if you get half way there during 2013 you will be closer than you have ever been.  The greatest thing that you should fear is procrastination.  It will be your greatest enemy on the days when you do not feel like working toward your dream.  There are many outstanding and creative ways to get started. I suggest that your start by keeping a weekly list of things to do.  It’s time to cast off the old and focus on new opportunities. The year 2013 is a chance to make a big difference in the way that you feel about yourself and others. So here are 13 things that you can do to achieve your dreams during 2013:


1.  Write your own mission statement for the year

2.  Identify a song that will be your theme for the year.

3. Start working on your dream today by putting a plan on paper

4  Get started an associate, bachelors, masters or a doctorate degree or attend a trade school

5. Get physically fit so that your can have a strong body and a clear mind

6. Start training on your job that you put off

7. Use a journal to record what you are accomplishing each week

8. Start writing that book that you have planed for several years

9. Break into a new career by upgrading your resume and submitting to different companies

10. Identify at least mentors and keep them informed of your progress

11. Start a community organization to have a positive impact on parents

12. Eat healthy meals that you did not eat last year

13.  Try something new that you have not done before.  You may uncover a skill that you did not know about.

Feel free to add to this list. The year 2013 is full of possibilities. It's time to think out of the box. Dr. Stephen Jones is an education expert, authors and keynote speaker at http://www.drstephenjones.blogspot.com or 

call 610-842-3843.

7 Ways to get the Most out of College

Attending college is one of the best ways to grow intellectually, emotionally, socially and personally. As you take classes and listen to lectures look for opportunities to do a self-assessment. You should uncover how much you do or don’t know about a topic. Then ask yourself how does this knowledge apply to your life? Active engagement with the learning process will be tremendously rewarding. Take time to talk to your advisor ansd visit the career center to talk about your career plans. It can help you to maintain the motivation do your best work in all of your classes. One of the best things that you can do is get to know your instructors and visit him/her. Don’t allow yourself to get nervous and talk yourself out of visiting your professor. Your professors are full of knowledge that you need. Research the articles and books that they have written. You should also show up when they ask you to listen to a guest speaker. It will enable you to have another type of conversation with your instructor. Many instructors never have a visitor during their office hours. You can be the first to visit and get personal help from your instructor. Make it your goal to take full advantage of all that college life has to offer. Here are seven important ways to get the best out of college: 1. Talk to a faculty member about doing undergraduate research 2. Join a club and take on a leadership role 3. Learn another language so that you can function in a global economy 4. Go on an international studies experience 5. Volunteer to represent your university on a service learning trip 6. Attend a student conference in your major 7. Serve a as a mentor/tutor for other high school students You should work to develop new skills while you are in college. It is extremely important to develop good speaking skills. It will take you a long way. It is also important to increase the quality of your writing and reading skills. College professors and corporate professionals are looking for students who have good communication skills. College will pay when you are able to get the job that you desire. In addition take time to learn how to network. Get to know professors and administrators who are not teaching your curriculum. You will have many more people who are available to help you throughout your college experience. Networking is a good way to form study groups and to get tutoring when you need it. One of the best aspects of college life is all of the students that you meet who are from diverse backgrounds. You can get the most out of college by taking it as an adventure and an early preparation for your future. Dr. Stephen Jones is an author, keynote speaker and educator. His books are the Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide. You can reach at http://www.studyskills2u.com.

How to Find Money and Resources for Your School

One of the biggest challenges facing schools today is how to maintain an effective level of resources for teachers and students. This is the time to get creative and think of alternative ways to obtain resources. Often people and companies just need to know your needs and they will get involved. It’s important to have a mindset that the resources are available so that you will be an active participant in the effort to locate resources. If everyone in the school gets creative, you can identify resources all throughout the school year. Here are twelve things you can do to find money and resources. 1. Contact new companies that are coming into your town. They want to find a way to get connected to the community. 2. Get students who have graduated from your school and are working to purchase specific items. 3. Get time on a radio program to talk about your needs 4. Have a carnival involving the students and parents 5. Create a list and get sororities and fraternities to have a campaign to get supplies for your school 6. Organize a school wide car wash on a specific Saturday 7. Offer a certain item (i.e shirt, cup) at a school sports event and let the participants know that it is a fund raiser 8. Purchase the chronicle of Philanthropy. It list foundations and corporations who have given to school. 9. Don’t limit your search for funding to local corporations. Go after funds from large corporations 10. Write a proposal and a separate executive summary for funding that you can send out at any time. 11. Join a crowd funding network (i.e. IndIegogo.com) that allows people from all walks of life to contribute to your needs 12. Use the internet to conduct your search for “free school resources.” The important aspect of getting these resources is active participation. You may have an alumni or PTA that will help you with your efforts. Ask others in your school to help to create a list of contacts who are ready to help your school. You will be surprised at who is really interested in helping schools to succeed. Know is the time to get started. To contact Dr. Stephen Jones visit http://www.studyskills2u.com or call 610-842-3843

Athletes Need Drop Out Prevention Help too

According to Dr. Stephen Jones each year more than 50 percent of African American students drop out of high school and college. This has a significant impact on athletes who play sports. The drop out rate is greatly affected by poor college preparation and study skills. The lack of academic preparation is evident in middle school and high school. Too often athletes are accepted into college without the preparation they need to graduate. The student athletes’ athletic prowess is valued more than their intellectual abilities. Some athletes are also blindsided when they uncover the huge academic deficits when they start college classes. This crisis will continue because of the abundance of athletes who can replace the athlete who is in academic difficulty.

This problem must be attacked head on. Athletes deserve to be prepared to succeed at all levels. The NCAA requires colleges to have an academic support center. Unfortunately often the academic gap is too large even for the tutors that are assigned to students. Although these students have graduated from high school these students arrive to college academically three and four years behind their peers. Middle schools and high school students must get academically caught up prior to enrolling in the college. Many of these students are coming from schools that are not making Adequate Yearly Progress according to the standards set by No Child Left Behind. There are some very basic elements of the education process that are critical for students to succeed in college and they include the ability to read and compute.

This crisis is not one that we can ignore. Too many extremely bright African Americans are ending up in prison. This includes former college athletes who do not have a degree. Every so many weeks it seems that there is an article about some athlete who is escorted into a court room and sent to jail. This is especially detrimental when they leave a stable wife and children to make it by themselves. This foretells a disastrous educational outcome for their children who cannot afford to attend the better schools.

Some organizations and colleges are tracking the exceptional student athlete as early as ten and twelve year old. Yet attention and devotion to ensuring that they maintain high levels of academic performance is given little attention. It seems that there is a viscous cycle of poor study skills and academic preparation that’s repeated in inner city communities throughout the country. A fundamental academic requirement must be established for athletes early in their K 12 experience. Colleges and school districts must make a greater commitment to these students. There must be a break in the pattern of the deepening despair that has become a viscous cycle for so many athletes who do not graduate. Too many families can point to athletes in their family who have never competed a high school diploma or college degree.

Dr. Stephen Jones is a nationally recognized author who has written the “Seven Secrets of How to Study and the “Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide.” You can contact him at 610-842-3843 and at stephenjoness@rcn.com or visit http://sevenbooks.net.
Posted by Dr. Stephen Jones at 3:09 PM 0 comments
Labels: Athletes, coach, College, counselor, education, high school
Monday, September 22, 2008
Time to Manage Your Money
We are living in a time of financial crisis. Corporations are laying off thousands of employees. According to the United States Department of Labor and Statistics, the number of unemployed persons rose by 592,000 to 9.4 million in August 2008. While banks and insurance companies like AIG are on the verge of bankruptcy. It seemed that no one knew exactly what to do. So the government is bailing them out. There are too many people talking about the crisis and too few that offer solutions for the common person. Panicking will only add to the confusion that is pervasive in the country. The financial crisis should force each family to review all personal bills, financial investments and family insurance plans. It’s time to manage your money.

A smart financial plan begins with your own research and study of your financial circumstances. If you have not heard from your retirement company give them a call. You want to maximize the amount of information that you use to make good financial decisions. Don’t feel pressured to move money around or to take your money out of the bank and hide it. Remember your money is insured up to $100,000 for each bank where your money is deposited. It is still a good idea to have a conversation with the bank manager about your money. Get everything in writing so that you know what your bank will and will not do if it fails.

This is one time when procrastinating does not work in your favor. Everyday you could be losing money. It’s time to have a plan of action that you will follow. Your job may offer a financial planning workshop. Make time to attend a session. Prepare a few questions prior to the meeting. Ask if there is some type of financial planning website that you can review.

Most adults have never attended any type of money management class. They do what their parents did with their money. Their bills were continuously behind and the house was loaded up with the things that they wanted. When a person who freely spends marries a thrifty person their can be conflicts over money. This type of conflict can strain any relationship. In fact financial management issues are one of the primary reasons that married couples break up. Agreeing to manage your money with some flexibility must be a priority. Each single person and married couple should have a financial plan.

One of the effective things that you can do at this time is cut back on unnecessary expenses. Eliminating fast food from your diet may be one way to save money. If you decide to make this change you will improve your health and financial situation at the same time. If you go to Dunkin Donuts in the morning, McDonald’s during the afternoon and to a restaurant at night you can easily spend $50.00 a day and by doing this several times each week you will spend hundreds of dollars. Taking control of your budget means looking at every aspect of your life and considering the changes you must make.


Your goal should be to pay off bills and cut up all credit cards. Did you know that if you are late paying one bill your interest rate on other credit cards can go up? Paying your bills on time is an important habit. When possible pay a little more money on each bill. Get a copy of your credit report and eliminate any statements that are not true. Remember that banks and credit unions will look at your credit report score when you want to make a loan or ask for a line of credit. Manage your money by putting yourself in a position to pay off your financial obligations.

We each have a free will to choose how to manage our individual financial obligations. Learn to be content with what you have rather than letting your friend influence your buying decisions. Purchasing a $4,000 flat screen television may not be in your budget. Remember you can enjoy freedom when you manage your money and plan to live a stress free life. While the country is in this financial crisis you can still have peace by following your financial plan. Dr. Stephen Jones is author of the "Ultimate Scholarship Guide "available at