As a native Oregonian I am in the (fairly small?) minority of folks who love the gray drizzly days of winter and will purposefully head to the coast to catch a storm and watch the big waves from a distance.
Heading home from a quick trip to Rockaway last weekend, we stopped by the main public parking lot where a king wave had just washed all the way up over the train tracks, bringing sand, debris, and several big logs almost into town!
While at the coast, I was reflecting on the impact of the pandemic on my teacher friends, my friends who are being at-home teachers, and my students who are working hard to do the best they can with virtual learning.
For some, it has been much harder to connect with teachers and feel engaged in learning over the screen and I can relate! Here are some tips:
- Create a specific space to use when you are “in school” and don’t just prop up your laptop while lying in bed
- Get up and get dressed, wash your face, eat some breakfast and start your day AS IF you are “going to school”
- Keep your camera on so your teacher gets to know your face
- Participate in class–turn on your mic, answer a question, engage
- Utilize “extras” that teachers are offering like office hours, or 1:1 face time to help build relationship and stay on top of tricker subjects
We have also started to talk about forecasting for next school year and as a reminder in general, I recommend some combination of these “extras”:
- 4 years of math with increasing rigor
- Purposeful and meaningful electives
- 3-4 years of consecutive language
- Honors/AP/IB level courses when available
- A full load all 4 years including senior year (unless you need an early dismissal for work or other legit responsibilities)
- Sticking with something all the way through, like taking all of the business classes offered, or music all 4 years, etc.
- More science than is required for graduation
Try to show some breadth and depth in your high school courses, meaning go ahead and “try on” some different things–kind of interested in the environment? Take AP Environmental Science! Like people and figuring out how they tick? Try AP Psychology! Think you might want to pursue graphic design? Take 3D art!
But also aim for some depth–if you start with something, and there is a second or even third class offered, keep going!
Remember that colleges are looking at your transcript and evaluating how potentially capable you are going to be in taking college-level courses, and how you will do once on the campus. In an effort to protect their yield (how many students who are offered a spot actually come), but also who STAYS for the 4 years.
This is especially important for juniors who are in the midst of research…
- First, you are figuring out what’s out there and what you are looking for
- Next, you’re building a list of schools that meet your criteria and is also balanced across acceptance likelihood (and finances), so you end up with several great fit offers
- Then you’re considering where to actually go~ Where you will be happy and thrive? Where will the academics be challenging enough, and not overwhelming? Where will you find your people? So that you stay on the campus for 4 years.
Part of this is looking at your interests and aptitudes and starting to connect these to potential majors and careers. And one place to see how reality fits hypothetical is to take a high school course.
Click here for more tips on how to keep things moving this February!
And lastly, shout out to a sweet senior client and his mom who sent me the nicest surprise thank you present. A new scarf to wear out in the Garden Shed on chilly days. What a lovely gesture and I am so appreciative, thank you!
