Dear Students: Stststststs.... STUDY

Question: How do we know what we don't know in school?
Answer: Review your notes from the lesson and ask yourself, "Do I get it?"

When the answer is "no," you need to come to class the next day armed with questions. The first level of studying is reviewing your notes. All things a teacher (ESPECIALLY Mr. Logan) writes on the whiteboard or chalkboard or even the computer screen, to help you understand a concept are notes. WRITE THEM DOWN... just saying... ;-)

This is a strategy to last a lifetime, not just to survive Mr. Logan's class. For the next four and a half years, you are privileged to have "teachers." After high school, the job title shifts to "instructors" and "professors"; those words mean something. Implicitly there is an expectation- you are expected to learn on your own.

So, while I'm teaching TDA's, literary analysis, grammar, and vocabulary, I'm also (we all are) charged with helping you learn how to learn on your own. In teacherspeak, we call it independent learners. The first step to achieving that is to understand that you are expected to review your lessons. When you do that at home, you are most likely to realize that everything that made sense in class while the teacher was teaching is no longer clear. Now, you can come to class armed with questions to increase your understanding.

We have many opportunities to get help from teachers this year: ask questions in class, post questions in Google classroom, have mom or dad send your teacher an email, request I/P conferencing. The biggest thing I want you to think about is this: If you don't ask questions, or even know what questions you need to ask, how can your teacher help you?

Step one: Study.
Step two: Evaluate what was unclear.
Step three: Ask for clarification.

Still don't get it? Start the process all over again. I challenge you to drive me dizzy with questions until you get it. All readers are my witness--- I'm encouraging bombardment with clarifying questions on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.