Academic Skills

Note from Dean Brown: Important Deadlines and Events

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Hello to the Class of 2013,

A.  Wed., Feb. 3:  Drop/Add Deadline, Academic Skills Workshop, and First-Year Focus

deadline_clock1.  Yes, the 3rd is the last day to drop or add classes, so review your course schedule for accuracy and make sure you have selected the correct grading mode option.  After the 3rd, you may withdraw from courses with a “W” through April 15, but you may not change your grading mode.

2.  “How to Be a Star Student II”—Check it out at Usdan 114 from 5:30-6:15 p.m. and then move onto….

3.  The First-Year Focus program is offering an info session on “Applying for Program Housing” at 6:30 p.m. with ResLife Staff in Usdan 108.  Snacks provided.

B.  Wed., Feb. 3- Sat., Feb. 6

There are tons of events going on campus already!  Some of these are a reading by Hilton Als, our distinguished visiting writer, a performance piece by Prof. Gina Ulysse, First-Year Plays at the ’92 Theater, Black History Month’s student and faculty of color mixer, and a panel discussion about the U.N. Human Development Report on internal and international migration.  Check the class blog at www.classof2013.blogs.wesleyan.edu for more info on each.

C.  Wed., Feb. 10:  Dodgeball Tournament Entry Deadline

thumbnailCA83Z62OHave fun and fundraise at the same time!  Get a six-person team together for the “Have a Heart for Haiti” Dodgeball Tournament and fundraiser on Sun., Feb. 14 at the Bacon Field House.  Enter at www.wesleyan.edu/deans/2013council/dodgeball.html by Feb. 10.  Sponsored by the 2013 Class Council and open to all classes.  Valentine Prize for the Most Creative Team Attire.  The winning team splits the proceeds 1/3 to 2/3  with Partners in Health Haiti Relief. 

D. Thurs., Feb. 11:  Musical Madness:  Competition Between the Classes Entry Deadline

Show which class really rocks!  From opera to rock, from blues to rap, from folk to ska, perform your piece on CrowellthumbnailCAI5NB36 stage on Thurs., Feb. 18!  Prizes for Best in Class and Best in Show awarded by a distinguished panel of faculty.  So grab a couple of classmates or go on your own and enter Musical Madness by Feb. 11 at www.wesleyan.edu/deans/musicalmadness/entry.html .   Hey, if I can do it, you all can do it! 

E.  CHECK THE CLASS BLOG DAILY.   Make it easy and get it as favorite on your portfolio.  There is a variety of information posted, but you are responsible for knowing the academic and administrative info.

I hope you’re getting settled into the semester and enjoying your classes.  Please drop-in (hours below) to say hi or get your questions answered or give Susan a call to make an appointment.

Best, Dean Brown

202 North College  860-685-2758 (office)  Drop-in Hours:  M–2-3 p.m.   T–3-4 p.m.   W–5-7 p.m.   Th–11 a.m.-noon   F–2-4 p.m.

Invitation to Work with a Writing Mentor

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WRITING MENTOR PROGRAM:  Applications are due Tuesday, February 2 at 5 p.m. and available at:  http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/workshop/mentorapp.html

TO THE CLASS of 2013:

We invite you to work with a WRITING MENTOR this semester!  Have you ever wanted a personal tutor and editor, someone who would meet with you privately to help with your writing? 

thumbnailCAM7YPH6In the Writing Mentor program you will meet every week throughout the semester with a trained student writing mentor. Your mentor will help you with papers for all your courses as well as with general questions about your writing, whether you need advice about generating ideas, structuring your essay, grammar, or time management. We welcome all applicants.

We look forward to hearing from you. You can find the electronic application at: http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/workshop/mentorapp.html

This is a relatively new program with limited funding so we cannot guarantee that all applicants will be paired with a mentor.  Please note that if you participate in the Writing Mentor program, you are making a commitment to meet with your mentor regularly.

Best Wishes,  Charlie Weiss and Oriana Korol, Ford Fellows in the Writing Program, 103 and 104 Downey House, (860) 685-2440 writingworks@wesleyan.edu

and  Anne Greene, Director of Writing Programs

Get Your A+ On: Various Skills Workshops Dec. 13

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thumbnailCAFQ0QJCthumbnailCA47O4GLTime Management Workshop

Sun. 12/13 at 7 p.m., Exley 139

With exams and end-of-the-semester papers and projects rapidly approaching, managing your time well is more important than ever.  This workshop will help you begin to organize your time and prioritize your academic and co-curricular activities so that you can finish the semester stress-free.  Bring your 2009-2010 Wes Planner and your major deadlines.

thumbnailCAGR6RHGExam Preparation Workshop

Sun. 12/13 at 7 p.m., Usdan 136

 With finals approaching next Thursday, discover what methods will best aid your success in the closing weeks of the fall semester. The Exam Preparation workshop will cover the use of notes, studying, working in groups, and more.

Exam Taking WorkshopthumbnailCAPT7PMO

Sun. 12/13 at 8 p.m., Usdan 136

Each type of exam question – multiple choice, short answer, true-false, essay or other, requires a certain kind of approach or understanding. Obviously there is more than one way to approach each kind of questions. Come to the Exam Taking Workshop this Sunday and learn some of basics of test taking to help you stay cool, calm and collected during your exams!

Peer Advisor Academic Skills Workshops–Sunday

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thumbnailCA47O4GLTime Management Workshop
Sun. 12/6 at 7 p.m., Exley 139
With exams and end-of-the-semester papers and projects rapidly approaching, managing your time well is more important than ever. This workshop will help you begin to organize your time and prioritize your academic and co-curricular activities so that you can finish the semester stress-free. Bring your 2009-2010 Wes Planner and your major deadlines.

Public SpeakingthumbnailCADIYE94
Sun. 12/6 at 7 p.m., Usdan 136
Those of you with poster sessions and final presentations will want to take advantage of this. Learn skills for speaking up, effectively, and efficiently to groups large and small.

thumbnailCACM6YZZExam Preparation
Sun. 12/6 at 8 p.m., Usdan 108
With final exams around the corner you need methods for preparing for the last few examinations of the semester. Determining important material, memorization, and other exam prep tools will be covered in this workshop.

Get you’re A+ on!

Note Taking Workshop — Dec. 3 at 12:15 p.m.

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Do your class notes contain more doodles than useful info?

Do you always seem to be writing down the wrong thing, not what’s really important?

When you study from your notes, do they not make sense? 

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NOTE TAKING WORKSHOP

THURS., DEC. 3 @ 12:15 P.M.   USDAN 108

BRING YOUR LUNCH!  BRING A FRIEND!

Academic Skills Workshops Sunday

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The SARN peer advisors will hold three workshops on Sunday, Nov. 15. Please attend!  No reservation required.

thumbnailCAK12CRSExam Taking:  Students in this workshop will improve their exam-taking skills by learning about and trying several techniques. This is open to all class years, so come learn how to tackle the exams that will be waiting when you return from Thanksgiving break!  7:15 – 8:30 p.m., Woodhead Lounge, Exley Science Center

Time Management: If you have always pondered about how to balance your workload, how to juggle academics thumbnailCA7IZ161with co-curricular activities or how to wake up on time, then this workshop might be for you. Tips will be shared, so come and learn how you can better manage your time.  2:00 – 3:00 p.m., Usdan Center 114

thumbnailCA0I6DB4Study Skills: In this workshop, we will discuss different ways people learn, examine your study habits, review guidelines for improving your study strategies, and learn techniques for planning effective study groups.  7:00 – 8:00 p.m., Usdan Center 136

Thursday: Writing Workshop with Grammar Man

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Curious about when to use a semi-colon? Take action!

 grammarman

 Come to the:

Kinesthetic Grammar Workshop to learn how to improve your command over grammar

using action figures, basketballs and paper airplanes.

Thursday, November 12, 5 p.m. 

Shapiro Creative Writing Center (3rd fl., Albritton Center)

Sponsored by the Writing Workshop

Not Happy with Mid-terms…?

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Not Happy with Mid-term Grades…

Many of you will be getting your mid-term exam, papers, and projects back soon, if you haven’t already.  While I hope you will be pleased with how you did, if you are not, it can be quite an eye-opener and rattle your confidence a bit. 

thumbnailCA0I6DB4Suggestions for next steps:   Review the exam with your professor and/or your TA and talk with them about study strategies specific to the discipline; meet with your faculty advisor and with me for study suggestions and time management tips; talk to a peer advisor and strengthen areas that you’ve identified as trouble-spots by going to an academic skills workshop (keep your eye out for exam prep and exam taking workshops for the next round of “mid-terms;” check out the SARN resources through the class blog, below; seek out some support at OBH or the chaplains; and come see me with any other questions or concerns. 

Always remember that you never would have been admitted if you didn’t have the chops!  We all run into times that are difficult or seem overwhelming.  It’s how you deal with them that makes a difference.