Goal Setting – The Independent Learner

How to Stay Engaged During Academic Breaks

Summer vacation, as most of us know it, or extended breaks from education, can cause students to regress academically. Whether you’re a student who follows a traditional academic calendar, or one who prefers to work more consistently throughout the year, there are things you can do on academic breaks to keep your skills sharp and ready for future studies.

Read often

Reading engages your mind in more ways than you may think. Not only does your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills expand – studies have shown that reading actually changes your brain activity and strengthens neurological connections. If it isn’t a current pastime for you already, consider regularly reading something that interests you to make it more enjoyable and habitual. Magazines, novels, comics, or even cookbooks are all fair game!

Continue to practice skills

While it’s probably the last thing you want to do while on a break from school, try practicing your skills during some free time. Whether that means solving some math problems, performing a science experiment, or reviewing old flashcards, practicing helps you retain information and will leave you better prepared for your future academic plans.

Get involved in community programs

Every community is different with many offering a variety of free or paid camps and programs for youth over the summer. Do some research to see what opportunities are available to you – chances are you may even make some friends along the way!

Pick up a new hobby

Starting a new hobby is a great way to explore your interests while stimulating your brain. Hobbies allow you to discover new things and think creatively while simultaneously helping you de-stress and learn time management. On breaks from school is the perfect time to begin a new hobby – so go do that thing you’ve always wanted to try!

Volunteer

Volunteering is another great experience that allows you to stay engaged mentally (and often physically) while also giving back. Nonprofits are constantly looking for volunteers, and helping an important cause is a great way to sharpen social and analytical skills. Not only this, but volunteering can boost your understanding of issues around you and has the potential to improve your college applications.

Travel

Traveling is known for its ability to foster cultural appreciation, self-awareness, and independence. Whether you decide to travel across the globe or take a weekend to explore an unfamiliar area nearby, traveling is a great way to fight academic regression. Try taking a trip with your family to a nearby museum, or take the opportunity to tour college campuses you may be considering. No matter where you go, you’ll be exercising your brain and ready to return to your studies refreshed and prepared.

While this isn’t an exhaustive list, all these options are great opportunities to retain academic sharpness during breaks from school. No matter what you choose to do, know you’ll be doing your brain – and your body – a favor. UNHS is proud to offer courses 24/7/365, and this summer is the perfect opportunity to enroll in a course that interests you! Explore our course catalog of over 100 courses and find the one that’s right for you.

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Practice Makes Perfect

When we think of this concept of “perfect,” is it something feasible? Society has placed a great burden on people to achieve this impossible idea. So why is it that we continue to use the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect” in an attempt to get us to meet our goals? Is it helpful? Is it true? Doesn’t it feel like a losing battle when, after hours of practice, results do not match the expectations?

I would like to argue that perhaps the wrong word is being emphasized in the phrase. Maybe, instead of focusing on the word “perfect,” we need to shift our attention to “practice.” As kids, we were taught to brush our teeth two times a day to defeat plaque buildup. Our parents likely helped us to form a routine to brush in the morning and again in the evening. This has become a healthy habit for most people but then, sometimes, life happens. You may be running late so you rush out the door and forget to brush your teeth. Or, you are so incredibly tired you don’t have the energy to brush your teeth before you go to bed. Does that mean you throw in the towel and stop brushing your teeth forever? I am sure your dentist would hope not! Instead, you may just do it when you remember or at the next opportunity you get.

Most of the time we hear this phrase applied when someone is trying to accomplish a big goal. If the objective is to succeed at something, then let’s look at ways to deliberately work toward results that are meaningful instead of mechanical.

Set attainable and clearly defined goals

First, clearly define your goal. Make it an attainable, realistic goal with parameters that allow for objective successes to be defined. You want to set CLEAR intentions with tangible proof that progress has been made toward the goal. For example, if you want to work out every day, what does that look like to you? Does it have to happen at the same time every day or can it be flexible? Do you need 5-minutes to warm up and does that count toward your goal? Are you setting a time goal, distance goal, or number of repetitions goal? Are you focusing on arms, legs, cardio, or full body? Ask yourself the hard questions about what it is you want to accomplish and how success will be defined for the goal.

Create a schedule

Second, design a plan and schedule with an outlined checklist of what to do and when. The key is to aim for daily practice, remembering that weekends are not special occasions when you are working toward a goal. Be deliberate with HOW you are accomplishing your goals by remaining present and giving it your best effort. Recognize that to build better muscle memory for completing a task, sometimes frequency is more important than duration. For instance, how you study for tests is more important than how long you study. Set aside distractions like your cell phone and set a timer to complete a task like making notecards or rewriting notes. Spending more than 45 minutes at a time on one thing overwhelms the brain and makes it harder to retain information.

Allow time for self-reflection

Lastly, allow for reflection at each step of your progress. It’s possible that early attempts at attaining your goal may not go as planned. That’s okay! Have a moment of meaningful reflection so that you can move forward. This is just evidence that you are learning resilience! Many experts and professionals in their field are just as interested in what they did wrong so that they can fix it in the future. Avoid the mindset that something is “good or bad” and focus on the technical side of things. Case in point, how often do you review the tests that you take? What do you look for when you review the test? If I had to guess, you probably only look it over once and probably only long enough to see your score. The best way to assess your own learning is not by just looking at the score you earned. Instead, look at each question that you missed and ask yourself the following:

Why did I miss this question? Was it a concept that I didn’t understand? Did I make a silly mistake? Was the question written in a way that I wasn’t expecting? After figuring out why you missed the question, ask yourself how you can improve on that problem for next time. Do I need to slow down when taking the test? Should I try making flash cards for vocabulary in each unit? Do I need to ask more questions while going through content?

Now comes the hard part. How do we rewire our brains to work on the practice part and not get so caught up in the perfect part? First, I would like to suggest some new phrase options for you to adopt:

Practice makes progress
Practice makes improvement
Practice makes prepared
Practice makes advancement
Practice makes an imperfect journey with highs and lows to accomplish a goal set with clear intentions and refinement of the process to develop a new skill

Okay, so that last one is a bit of a mouthful. Nevertheless, my challenge to you is to pick one of those goals that you have been meaning to get started on and commit to following through with the necessary, and realistic, steps to complete it!

Resilience

hugh-dec2020-blog — Hugh McDermott, principal, UNHS

Editor’s note: A post on this topic was originally published in April 2016 and has been updated with a note from the author, Principal Hugh McDermott:

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on each of us in some way. During this time, I have had first-hand knowledge as to how students and parents have demonstrated their resilience through unprecedented challenges. Disruptions to everyday life such as work, school, athletics, and other extracurricular activities have forced many of our students to return and remain at home. Parents and other responsible adults within households have had to become test proctors overnight and many have witnessed the unique struggles students face in their everyday course learnings. Through this, students have shown how they are able to adapt and overcome barriers to learning. Over much of this past year, students and families have had to approach schoolwork in many different and new ways that have stretched persistence and re-imagined resilience. As I reflect on the current obstacles that many of us have been facing, a previous piece I wrote in April 2016 on the topic of resilience came to mind. As now, more than ever, we have seen the importance of resilience and how it continues to resonate within our communities.

We hope everyone remains safe and healthy during this unique time and that we are able to see an end soon to the disruptions brought on by this pandemic.

As a former English teacher, there are some words I just love—like “resilience.” What is resilience, really? Merriam-Webster defines it as, “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” I love this meaning and what it stands for, and it’s very easy for me to recall example after example of resilience throughout my career.

As a principal, I have witnessed many students demonstrate resilience. For example, with students who struggled to pass their courses, their displays of resilience were often admirable. Many of these students knew they were struggling in their classes—in fact, some had been struggling academically for years! Yet they persisted and saw their courses through to a successful completion and ultimately earned their high school diploma.

Sometimes as a teacher, counselor, or principal, we would discover more about these students from a context outside of the school setting. It was then we better understood the word resilience! Many times, these students came from very difficult personal situations—a broken household, abuse, or low-income families. Even though they were dealing with these troubles, many students did not have an attendance problem. They liked being at school, and once we figured out together how they could be successful, nothing stopped them from overcoming obstacles.

I think resilience springs eternal and internal within each of us. Everyone exhibits some degree of resilience throughout their lives, but how we nurture it makes us all different. Many students who struggle on a daily basis with life circumstances display resilience, but during difficult times, it must seem like it’s nearly extinguished. Others guard and protect their resilience because they feel it is all they have. No matter the situation, your resilience will pay off if you work hard enough.

As educators, we carry a responsibility of inspiring hope within all our students. Students have their hopes and dreams, whatever they are, and it is our job to encourage them, support them, and motivate them into believing anything is possible.

What examples of resilience have you witnessed or what have you overcome?

The Keys to Senior Year Success

Your senior year of high school is a very exciting time. Whether you’re in the classroom or schooling from home, the finish line is in sight! Soon you’ll be starting a new and very important chapter in life. Before you get too carried away though, it’s important to remember that you’re not done yet. Your final year of high school is the most crucial time in the college planning process. This fall there are a few things you can do to ensure a smooth transition if you have plans to attend college next year:

Retake the ACT/SAT

Many seniors retake the ACT and/or SAT at least once during the fall. Make sure to sign up early and create a calendar of dates to keep yourself on track. This is your last opportunity to increase your scores – make it count!

Complete the FAFSA

The FAFSA is key if you’re looking to apply for student financial aid, whether in the form of scholarships or student loans. It only takes a few minutes to fill out. Learn more about the FAFSA application process at: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid

Narrow down your list of colleges

You’ve probably been looking at a number of colleges, trying to decide which ones are right for you. Now is the time to narrow the list of 3-5 potential colleges of choice. Narrowing down your options helps you find which colleges meet your criteria and makes it easier to manage your application materials. During this time of social distancing due to a global pandemic, consider exploring whether your schools of choice offer virtual options to help you learn more about the institution, such as a virtual campus tour or a video conference with a college ambassador.

Ask for letters of recommendation

Some college applications require letters of recommendation. These can come from advisers, teachers, coaches, or other adult figures in your life. Make sure to check if the college you’re applying to requires this! Don’t wait until the last minute and scramble to find someone willing to write a letter for you. Ask for letters early and remember to send a thank you when completed.

Apply for scholarships

College is an investment, and it can be expensive! Scholarships are a great way to help you finance your education. Check with your college’s financial aid office, talk with your high school advisers, and search scholarship databases to find which scholarships you are eligible for. The U.S. Department of Education scholarship page is a great resource to start with.

Start applications early

Most colleges have deadlines when applications must be completed by, with most regular decision deadlines falling sometime in January. Don’t wait until December to start working on your applications. Take the time this fall to start completing your applications, well before the deadlines. Make sure to check if your school accepts the Common App – it could save you countless hours!

At first glance it can seem overwhelming, but if you take it one step at a time you will be on track for success. And remember to reach out to teachers, advisers, parents, and other trusted adults for support if you need any advice or help. You’ve got this!

The Gifts of Wisdom & Common Sense

Every day I hear from parents who worry about the safety, health, happiness, and confidence of their children and teens, as well as the quality of their education. I completely understand these feelings not only from the perspective of a parent, but as a grandmother too. I have worked as a University of Nebraska High School academic adviser for eleven years and one important skill I have learned is that it is important to apply wisdom over worry for the most difficult situations and planning for the future.

“Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.”
– Commonly attributed to Winston Churchill

Our life experiences have taught us as parents to use our strengths and common sense to make the best decisions. As we are currently facing unprecedented times, we have had to use common sense to make decisions for the health and safety of our families. We have discovered our talents for making masks, exercising wisely in our neighborhoods, socializing with distance and precautions, all the while rediscovering the gifts of having more time with immediate family members. We, as parents and grandparents, can teach the same principles of lifelong wisdom and rationality to our children and teens. COVID-19 has reminded us to lead with examples in self-care, self-motivation, self-regulation, self-organization, and self-confidence.

Schooling at home is not for everyone, but if it feels right for your family, the opportunity for your children to study independently with a well-written curriculum can help to reinforce their strengths and talents. Advance thinking and planning allows the University of Nebraska High School diploma program to affirm that students are successful now and will continue to be in the future. They will take the life experiences of living through a worldwide pandemic and come out stronger. They will know how to be resilient, how to use their independent-thinking skills to make good decisions, will hang onto the memories of having more time with family, and take this with them to someday be our future leaders.