| The “go to the website” icon appears throughout the book. Click on the icon to learn more: |  |
Guiding Light for Test Prep
After the days have gotten shorter and the nights longer we move through the winter solstice. The days begin to lengthen. More and more light comes in, slowly, little by little.
Christmas and Hanukah celebrate light: Jesus, the light of the world, and the Hanukah, the eternal light in the holy temple.
What does this light mean to us? It is the light of our spirit, the sustaining force that gives us each the illumination and power to clear Continue reading
Chewing gum reduces test stress!
According to a new study, mild activities, like chewing gum, before a test can be helpful in improving test performance.
Comparing the effects of chewing gum before or during various testing situations, researchers found that performance on a battery of cognitive tasks improved for those who chewed gum for five minutes before a test, compared with those who didn’t
A report on the study said that scientists “believe the benefits of chewing Continue reading
SAT/ACT Coach’s Lament: “Do it!”
Follow your coach's direction
I’m in NY for a conference organized by the NY Times on “Schools for Tomorrow.” I met yesterday with Alexandra Zabriskie, a top-notch NY tutor for the SAT and ACT (and school subjects too). Alex talked about coaching her students to take practice tests under the practice conditions, in other words, when it’s possible, to take at least one practice test Continue reading
Dreaming of test anxiety?
Delia Lloyd. Blogger and Journalist
I was introduced to an interesting blog today and the post was apt for this site “Do You Every Really Leave High School?” and it’s from the blog RealDelia: Finding Yourself in Adulthood,” written by an American-born journalist in London, Delia Lloyd. The post focuses on the anxiety dreams many of us continue to have about tests. In my 35 years as I performance psychologist I’ve heard so many dreams about test anxiety that I’ve lost count. When I was a young child–just around the time I started school — I started having a full-blown nightmare about taking tests. The dream all took place on an enormous sheet of lined paper, the older kind with the red margin running up and down the left side. The teacher– something of a Alice in Wonderland Red Queen type — was standing at the top line, looking very imperious and scary. I had to go up to the top line on the page and answer a question. My Jungian analyst friends would probably have a field day with this day, but Continue reading
5th graders prepping for SAT. Really?
The right answer? Strengthen yourself.
The Silicon Valley Mercury News today published an article today about the SAT and ACT. Author Purvy Mody starts off by saying “The words SAT and ACT can conjure anxiety for even the most academically confident student. Standardized testing has become so talked about and so prepared for that I have heard of fifth-graders enrolling in SAT prep classes — something I am highly against.”
5th graders prepping for the SAT? AYK? (are you kidding?)
Mody ends the article with this: “Take a class if you need the structure, or get the official books and practice on your own. Whatever method you use, the most important thing is Continue reading
Test prep & neuroscience
Our amazing brain: constantly seeking connection
Having just attended the Learning & the Brain conference in Chicago, I am struck with two competing thoughts I’d like to share: how much science there is about the brain, and what a challenge it is for teachers to integrate the findings into their daily practice. I attended fascinating lectures about many new scientific studies on the brain and motivation, gender similarities and differences, stress, etc., but at the same time I was left wondering, “How do I implement these discoveries in my work as a teacher and a coach?” I would like to suggest we need more collaboration between researchers and practitioners– between the scientists and the teachers. One of the
LA Times Festival of Books. Major event book signing!
Come down to the LA Times Festival of Books! Fantastic opportunity for May 1, USC Campus, from 10 am-2 pm. Lots of interest in my book. Especially since the LA Public Library System bought 798 copies! Come to the Sunbelt Books booth, 092. This book festival is amazing, My brother Andrew is also here, signing the book he co-authored with Phil Jackson about the LA Lakers. Here’s a video of the two of us…
“My mother wants me to get higher SAT scores.” Really?
It's my goal!
Claire, a high school senior, was brought to my office by her two parents. She was an outstanding student– 3.5 GPA, captain of the soccer team, a volunteer in public service activities– all the makings for a great college application. The issue was her SAT scores. “Not high enough,” said her Mom when we talked on the phone.
So Mom and Dad brought Claire in for a consult. My opening question was directed towards her. “So Claire, why are you here today?” She looked at her Mom and then her Dad and then at me, “I’m here because my mother wants me to get higher SAT scores.” There was an audible gasp from the…
A mistake is an opportunity to learn
What can I learn?
Finding myself all worked up about not hearing back from a colleague in response to an email I’d sent a week ago, I started feeling disregarded, marginalized and unimportant. In a word, “angry.” My wife and I talked about this situation at length and concluded the best thing to do was to face the situation directly: talk to the person I’d sent the email to and find out “wassup?” Even though I don’t like fault-finding and placing blame, I found myself finding all kinds of things wrong with the other person (“What’s the matter with them? It’s rude not to answer emails!”).
As I considered the situation in a more methodical and detached manner I felt Continue reading
The tale of two students (part 1)
I’d like to share with you the experiences of two students: one who is working at succeeding and the other who is not.
The first student — I’ll call her Aly — is determined to score well in her college level courses and is doing what’s necessary to make that happen. The second — I’ll call her Erika — wants to score well but she’s often distracted and her grades are sub-par.
What’s going on? Aly is focused, Erika is not. Focus means having a goal and taking actions that get you to it. That’s what Continue reading
Follow Us!