Thursday, May 22, 2008

If Only I Had Hit the Books

Do it better...the blog
Province: 2008 May 22
http://tinyurl.com/3zj3pk

With summer just around the corner — well, hopefully — high school students everywhere are freaking out.

Yes the end of year is an exciting prospect, but before students can shut the book on school they have to open a few.

You see standing right there in the middle of their road to summer freedom are final exams.
So what’s a kid to do? Study!


Hmmm study? Now there’s a word that strikes fear in the heart of an academic underachiever like myself.

Looking back to my high school days, I don’t remember spending much time studying. Actually to be honest I don’t remember much from high school other than playing basketball and almost vomiting at the sight and smell of the fetal pig we were suppose to dissect in biology class. God, whose idea was that?

So when it was decided that Do It Better would look at studying for provincial and final exams I have to admit I drew the same kind blank as if someone had said locate lithium on the periodic table of elements. Periodic table of elements? I’d look for it in my medicine cabinet.

Luckily for me the principal at Killarney Secondary School Brenda Burroughs was an amazing resource setting me up to talk to counselor Vicki Jury and teacher/librarian Denise North.

North in turn was a huge help rounding up a bunch of grade 11 and 12 students to take time out of their busy day — and these kids are busy — to talk about preparing for exams and to have a little fun (check out the video www.theprovince.com/doitbetter to see a video).

Turns out most kids these days have a plan. Wow, that makes me wonder, what if I had had a plan that say stretched further than last class of the day? Maybe then I wouldn't have had to scramble and sweat like a crazy person once I got to college. Ahhh hindsight.

So, for the lowdown on getting good grades check out Do It Better in Province and online beginning May 26.