If you have a student success tip you would like to share, please submit it to
Lindley Workman Alyea at lindley@txstate.edu

---

2012 - May Tips

Always ask students to self-reflect/evaluate at the end of a session.
What’s going to change? How will you do things differently?
What’s good that you’re doing now and how will you build on that?.
 

Bernard Grindel, Assistant Director of the Learning Center,
Quinnipiac University

 

1. Utilize faculty office hours. Study with a small group.
Get enough sleep. Remember 8/8/8 rule every day
(8 hours sleep, 8 hours class and coursework, 8 hours of everything else)..

 

 Roberta Schotka, Director of Programs
Wellesley College

---

2012 - April Tips

Syllabus quizzes! The first day and frequent pop quizzes
are helpful in keeping students involved.
 

Helen Alexander, Graduate Learning Specialist
CSU Fullerton

 

1. Don’t give them a quick fix to “get through.”
Empower them to know they can do it on their own.

2. Allow the students’ voice to be heard in their learning process.

 

 Tammy Cepeda, Administrative Assistant to the Centers for Learning Excellence
South Texas College

---

2012 - March Tips

Have mutual respect, mutual communication, and adequate financial support.
 

Barb Freitas, Tutor Coordinator
Mohave Community College

 

Incorporate Student Learning Outcomes into your syllabus
and clearly communicate expectations to students.

Ask your students to use a semester at a glance
calendar to track busy assignment weeks.

 

 Lisa Johns, Director, Learning Assistance & Assessment
University of Texas at San Antonio

---

2012 - February Tips

Early & Often. This applies to seeking help,
starting and following through with mastering coursework,
communicating with professors, and many other
important pieces of the college experience.
 

Rachel Heiser, Academic Support & Learning Resources Specialist
Bryn Mawr College

 

Treat others as if they are what they ought to be.
Let them know you believe they can succeed.

 

 Vanessa Natseway, Student Success Center Coordinator,
Arizona Western College, Yuma

---

2012 - January Tips

Make’em work! They do appreciate it!
DO spend time with them. DO use “praise sandwiches.” DO acknowledge effort.
 

Anthony Craig Gordon, Asst. Professor of Psychology,
New Mexico State University

 

Everything is process; if you have no plan or direction in life, learning goals, there is no production.
Process is necessary for a good / better product. For example, if you don’t manage your time,
it will manage you; if you don’t have goals, you will meet none;
if you don’t work on theprocess of getting things done
(writing, degree attainment, work), they won’t
(get done or get done well) .

 

 Karen Linam, Tutor Coordinator,
UC Merced

---

2011 - December Tips

First seek to learn, and the grade will be awarded to you.
If you first seek the grade, the learning is not always guaranteed.
 

Stella Abuabara, M.A., L.P.C., Assistant Director of Learning Assistance,
The University of Texas at San Antonio

 

Sometimes making calendars or daily to-do lists just does not work for everyone, especially
if you have an unpredictable schedule, which can happen if you work while you attend school.
If that’s the case for you, then make a different kind of list! At the start of each week, take a sheet
of paper and create three columns. Identify in one column everything you’ve got to do before the
week is over; in the second column, everything you ought to do if you finish the “gotta do” list;
and finally in the third column, all the other tasks you could do in the event you finish the
“oughta do” list. Include both personal and academic tasks, and see a feeling of
accomplishment come over you as you check things off the list!

 

 Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins, TeamUp Faculty Programs,
Cengage Learning

---

2011 - November Tips

Follow your passion —

That might mean a different major

and a better fit!

Peter Hanowell, Director of Tutoring Services,
Florida State University

 

 

Prepare
Practice	—Share what you learn with others. —Great way to retain knowledge.
Persistence !

 Jim Waterhouse, Tutor
South Texas College

 

---

2011 - October Tips

To promote discussion and interaction remember the softball/hardball rule.
Begin with softball questions that will build confidence and allow
students to get over any nervousness they may have speaking
out. Gradually move to the hardball questions as students are
ready for questions that will illicit more critical thought.

 

Kathryn Bartle Angus, Department of Reading,
California State University, Fullerton

 

Don’t forget why you are in the field of education. It is so easy to get bogged
down in the work and stress that comes with being an educator or

working in the field of education. If you stop and consider all the

reasons you went into education in the first place, you

remember that you are there to help students

succeed, and your focus and drive are

different from when your only

concern is to simply get

the work done.

 

 Miranda Swain, MA, Student Development Specialist,
The University of Texas at San Antonio

---

2011 - September Tips

The three basic steps in learning are attention, connection, and review.
Begin with the intent to learn, connect the information to your life,
experience, and previous knowledge, then practice what
you’ve learned to make those connections stronger.

 

Victoria L. Williams, Chair, Department of Academic Support,
St. Cloud State University

 

Remember that reading and learning are processes. You will hear about

many strategies, but as with any process, it is a trial and error

approach. Try strategies until you find one that

works for the way you think and learn.

It may be a hybrid of existing strategies, but that is okay.

There is no right or wrong way to learn.

There is just what is effective for you.

 

 Theresa Kelly, MAT, Department of Student Success,
Kaplan University

 

---

2011 - August Tips

To help students learn to be better test takers, consider offering half credit
for doing a test analysis that includes: (1) correcting their errors,
(2) explaining why the correct answer is correct, (3) explaining
why they got it wrong and what to do better next time.
Students begin to see themes in their test taking

and can make adjustments to improve
their test taking skills.

 

Linda Russell, Instructor & CRLA Secretary,
Minneapolis Community & Technical College

 

Have two backpacks: one for your Tuesday-Thursday classes, and the
other for your Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes. You’ll be much less
likely to forget necessary items, and you’ll save time, too!

 

 Sharon Green, Reading Coordinator, Office of Academic Support,
Niagara University

 

---

2011 - July Tips

Don’t wait until the last minute to start assignments and get help when needed.
There are so many free resources on your campus!

 

Nathalie Vega-Rhodes, Math Lab & Writer’s Center Manager,
San Jacinto College South

 

Time management is usually misunderstood. It helps you find out
about the time you’re wasting, not extra time!

 

 Mason Tudor, Academic Support Center Coordinator,
West Kentucky Community & Technical College

---

2011 - June Tips

Start working with a Career Services office soon –
the first year is not too soon for career counseling.

 

Diana Bell, Executive Director, Student Success Center
University of Alabama in Huntsville

 

Remember to schedule time for loved ones as well as friends and social events.
A scheduled phone date with mom and dad will help ease the transition.

 

 Katy Lee Kemp, Director, Center for Academic Performance,
University of North Texas Health Science Center

---

2011 - May Tips

For effective studying, heed the research – based brain rule and don’t cram.
Instead, build repetition (rehearsal) over time to get the important
stuff into long term memory.

 

Kate O’Dell, Professor Emerita of Teacher Education
University of Alaska at Anchorage

 

Learn the names of your students! Relationships start with names.

 

 Kathy Stein, Director, Academic Center for Excellence

Sul Ross State University

---

2011 - April Tips

Pursue undergraduate research in any discipline. You will increase your critical
thinking skills and improve your ability to understand pertinent academic
theories and concepts. (You’ll learn better!)

 

Yolanda Clarke, Director of Academic Enrichment Services
Ithaca College

 

Break an assignment down into components and then use it as a checklist!

 

 Melissa Thomas, Assistant Director of Learning Assistance
University of Texas at San Antonio

---

2011 - March Tips

Meet your major department’s administrative professional (secretary)
and get her/him to know/like you. At some point, you’ll need the help.

 

Norm Stahl, Northern Illinois University,
CRLA President-Elect

 

You can’t teach them until you reach them!

 

 Wally Barnes, Director of the Reading Center
Sam Houston State University

 

---

2011 - February Tips

Ask questions! If it is unclear, ask or you may never know.

 

 Becky Barge, Senior Student Program Advisor
University of New Mexico

 

 

Get to know your professors, even in large lecture classes (if applicable).
It will pay off in more ways than you can imagine.

 

Jeanne Higbee, Professor
University of Minnesota

---

2011 - January Tips

Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
And remember that failing to plan is planning to fail!

 

 Roberta Schotka, Director of Programs,
Wellesley College

 

 

Believe deeply in what you do for students – it lies at the heart
of your program’s effectiveness, quality, and professionalism.

 

Jan Norton, Director, Center for Academic Resources,
University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

---

2010 - December Tips

Find your student life rhythm, one that balances study
and play and other aspects of your life that sustain you.

 

Rosie Woodruff, Director, Learning Assistance Center,
University of Hawaii – Manoa Campus & CRLA Treasurer

 

It’s normal to lose confidence as a learner, especially when you
are trying something new. Remember that building confidence
requires conscious effort – focus on success, ask for help,
stay involved in things you are already good
at while learning new things.

 

Elizabeth Boretz, Director, Student Advising & Learning Center,
University of California-Merced

---

2010 - November Tips

Students should begin building a strong academic foundation with a good sense of what actually works for them and what behaviors or activities tend toward the counterproductive, futile or ill advised. The important thing is to take some time to really understand their individual strengths, motivational quirks, and dominant learning style. With a foundational understanding of themselves, they can then begin the journey from being the dependent authority figure focused learner toward becoming an independent active learner and ultimately blossoming into the most effective interdependent participatory learner.   

Maggie Floyd, MPA, Director of Supplemental Instruction,
University of Texas at San Antonio

Realizing that we are all different is very important. Not everyone learns the same way. Not everyone studies the same way. Finding out what works best for you, personally, will benefit your grades in the long run. Find a good study spot, whether it is the library, your dorm, the park or even a coffee shop.  Experiment with different study strategies, such as making index cards, a mock test, diagrams, re-typing notes, etc. and find out which one is the best for you.

Jazi Hiriart, SI Leader and Senior Political Science Major,
Stephen F. Austin State University

---

2010 - October Tips

Try to form your social relationships around your academic goals. Too often friendships are based on little more than being in close proximity to a stranger, such as your randomly assigned roommate, the person you happen to sit next to the first day of class, or the person you strike up conversation with while at a party. While these can work out, they are not necessarily the best influences on your academic goals. Students you meet in study groups, academic based student organizations, or even at jobs having to do with your major, are more likely to be having the same struggles as you and ultimately serve as good resources to success.

Richard G. Johnson, Director, Student Learning Center
Texas A&M University

Visit with every professor at least once at the beginning of the semester, even if you don't have a question for them. That way they can put a face to a name, something that can drastically improve your semester. You should also remember that you can learn something in every class you take. It may be something simple, or it may cause you to change your major and overall career path. But you will learn something...you just have to look for it.

Melissa Hoffman, Senior English Major with Teaching Certification
& Undergraduate SI Supervisor. Texas State University-San Marcos.

---

2010 - September Tips

". . . your attitude toward learning new things . . . plays an important role in determining your aptitude and intelligence."
Digital Storytelling in the Classroom, Jason Ohler:7

Sometimes our students, though attending classes to learn, are resistant to learning new information - especially if it is diametrically opposed to information they already have. However, if they understand that learning, understanding and being able to use new information indicates their level of intelligence, they are more likely to become better students.

-Dorothy Chase, Professor, Department of English,
College of Southern Nevada

 

Before entering a graduate or professional school program, sit down with those in your support network and discuss the demands the program will place on you the student. It is important that your loved-ones know that your schedule will change and that you might need to schedule more things in advance. Discussing this topic early can prevent familial stress and frustrations down the road.

-Katy Lee Kemp, M.Ed., Director, Center for Academic Performance,
University of North Texas Health Science Center

---

2010 - August Tips

If you want to pass your next exam, you may want to start at the gym. Getting regular vigorous exercise increases cognitive function, reduces stress and anxiety, and can be helpful in reducing symptoms of depression and attention deficit disorder.  If you want to read more on this topic, I highly recommend the following book: “Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” by John J. Ratey, MD which was released in 2008.

-Joel McGee, Director of Instructional Programs,
Student Learning Center, Texas A&M University

 

In summer, there is no room for procrastination. You are getting a lot of material in a short period of time. Being organized w/dates and staying on top of homework helps. Using all the resources available helps to strengthen your understanding of material (learning lab, extra practice from online, corresponding dvds, etc). Self testing helps predict performance on exams.

-Michelle L. Williams, Junior Mathematics Major,
San Jacinto College

---

2010 - July Tips

I like to use quotes when I teach, and find that students relate well to their use. One of my favorites is “Inch by Inch, life’s a cinch.  Yard by yard, life is hard.” I find it applicable to just about every situation: Have a big project to complete?  “Inch by inch…..” Overwhelmed by the demands of a class?  “Inch by inch….” Having trouble dealing with homesickness?  “Inch by inch….” Think graduation looks too far away?  “Inch by inch…” By helping students discover the advantage to dealing daily with smaller, more realistic goals, the anxiety lessens and they are more productive and successful in the long run!

-Lori E. Saxby, M.Ed., Reading Specialist,
Academic Skills, University of Southern Indiana

 

I love the question that Alan Lakein poses, “What’s the best use of my time RIGHT NOW?” Helps me every time to stop procrastinating and get working!!

-Melissa Thomas, J.D. Assistant Director of Learning Assistance,
Tomás Rivera Center , University of Texas at San Antonio

---

2010 - June Tips

Learning enhancement professionals tend to be myopic. We are focused on the here and now, but we can broaden our perspectives. This summer you should take a giant step into our past. Go to your library or use interlibrary loan so as to put one of the following books on your personal reading list.

• Bird, C. (1931). Effective study habits. New York: Century Co.
• Book, W. F. (1926). Learning how to study and work effectively: A contribution to the psychology of personal efficiency. Boston: Ginn.
• Frederick, R. W. (1938). How to study handbook. New York: D. Appleton-Century Co.
• Triggs, F. O. (1943). Remedial reading: The diagnosis and correction of reading difficulties at he college level. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

If you catch the old book fever (it comes with the library dust), go to ABE Books on-line and browse away by topic or author. Wonderful classics can be yours for a pittance. 

Remember, treat these old treasures with respect.

Norm Stahl, Chair & Professor of Education Literacy,
Northern Illinois University 

Focus your attention on making sense of something you want to learn by relating it to your previous experience. Take what is new/unfamiliar and make it used/familiar. Question what you know— why am I studying this, how can I use it, what makes it relevant (so what)? Play with the information. Search for relationships and seek patterns. Have fun studying with another student.

Rosemarie V. Woodruff, Director, Learning Assistance Center,
University of Hawaii, Manoa Campus

---

2010 - May Tips

When faced with a challenge, ask yourself this question: This situation is not ideal; but, how can I persevere positively? No matter what the situation, we always have choices! Make a list of all possible choices and then select the choice or choices that best align with your goals.

James W.G. Barnes, M.A., Assistant Director, Student Advising and
Learning Center, University of California, Merced

---

2010 - April Tips

When a student isn't performing, find out why.
The reason might surprise you and lead to a lesson for you both.

Michael Keleher, Assistant Professor of English, Kennesaw State University, 4/1

2010 - March Tips

Recognize the achievements of our students and build on those.  When I let students know I have noticed their good work, they are more likely to feel capable in other areas and that can lead to success as a student.  I encourage my colleagues to remember what we train our peer tutors to do and how motivating our own successes can be, so that we can be encouragers and facilitators of student success. 

-Linda Stedje-Larsen, Director of Support Services, Wingate University,
CRLA Mid-South Regional Coordinator, 3/10

We all make mistakes when we write. In order to become a better proofreader, read your paper out loud.  This will force you to slow down, and you will easily recognize your mistakes.

I think it is important for students to realize that there is always assistance available to them and they should not be afraid to ask for it.  Whether it’s a college employee or a friend, it’s never a bad thing to accept a helping hand.

-Cadet Nathaniel Zand (VMI, Virginia Military Institute, and
presenter at the 2009 CRLA Conference) 11/09