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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Grade Posting Day

I can breathe again.
Today was the day when my proffessor posted the final paper grade and total grade for the course.

My paper grade was  A+ with a 33.5/35.  Actually one of the best grades I have received in this Masters program. The class grade was a little lower at 94.75 %, an A- but I am happy with that.

Going into the second quarter of classes in April I will be maintaining my A grade overall.

It is always a relief to receive the final grade. It always seems to take forever to get that last part of the puzzle. Normally the week from Sunday to Thursday flies but when final grade week comes. Time drags.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Support Your Knowledge: Talk

A good way to strengthen and support your knowledge is to talk about your subject with either fellow students or a Tutor.

Forming a class discussion group can help you find support from your fellow students. Talking about your last class, a topic in your paper or examining readings from your textbook will help you understand your subject better.

Talking to a fellow student also helps you find where others have been having problems. You can help each other overcome common problems and also if several of you have the same problem in understanding, you can more confidently raise the question woth your teacher.

Speaking to a tutor also helps. Tutors, particularly peer tutors have probably taken the same class as you. Your school or College often employs "A" Grade Students to act as peer tutors. So you know they know the subject and possibly the teacher too.

You can always seek advice from an outside tutoring source.  For instance I am available, my number is posted to the right of this post through Ether.com.

Talking about what you know and what you think you don't know is a wonderful form of study. It is social and you often learn more by relating to other people. You are able to pick up on their ideas, some of which will reinforce your own ideas others may contradict those ideas. As you analyse each others understanding of the subject you will gain in knowledge and confidence.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Time to Rest and Prepare

Well last Sunday saw the end of another four week class.

That was Seminar in US History II (Reconstruction to the End of the Cold War). Now of course is the worrying time. Teachers have two weeks to post final grades, and, Yes even at fifty years old, I still worry about my final paper grade.

This last paper was also a difficult one because it was very modern. Most of the history for my choice of topic was only written in the last seventeen years.

My topic was US Highway 66, or more popularly known as Route 66. It ran from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California in the years between 1926 and 1976, those are the official dates but some parts of the route are still in use as alternates to the long Interstates that replaced old Route 66.

Anyway, my paper as a draft only raised a "B+" from the instructor as a draft.  I took her comments to heart, but still if as a final paper it comes in at anything lower than 88% it will be my lowest grade on a paper ever!

Nrmally, I have excelled at papers. I put it down to my British education, there in the 1970's when I went to school the emphasis was upon essay writing in examinations. We did not do multiple choice very much in those days, and I still hate those tricky little blighters even today. Give me the meat of an essay and I will always do well.

So here I am poised, waiting, I need 26 out of 35 to get an "A" I only dropped one point in all my other work that counted in this class. But still I tremble and worry. Still I want that "A" again.