South Western High School

A Tradition of Excellence

Additional tutoring may be available through National Honor Society students. Please speak to your school counselor for inquiries regarding this. 

Finally - New Hope Ministries offers tutoring services to our students. Please speak to your counselor regarding this as well.

Preparing to Study

• Choose a quiet, well-lit place free of interruptions.
• Keep a supply of study materials you may need, including pens, pencils, references, and calculator.
• Select an area which has enough room and storage space.
• Keep the area free of clutter. Use the same place for studying every day.
• Turn off the TV, cell phone, radio, and computer. No distractions!

Organization

• Use an assignment book or an agenda planner to write down homework, test, and project due dates.
• Clean out book bags and lockers on a regular basis.
• Keep all notes, handouts, and materials on one subject together in the same folder/binder. Color coding folders and notebooks by subject can be helpful.
• A three-ring binder is great for keeping handouts, notes, and tests arranged in a certain order.

Time Management

• Determine the goals and priorities in your schedule.
• Using your agenda book, plan a weekly study schedule, taking into account upcoming tests, quizzes, and project due dates.
• Break up tasks into manageable and meaningful chunks.
• Stay up to date with class assignments.
• Review class notes and assignments daily.

Active Participation

• Try to sit in a position in class which will maximize your attention and minimize distractions.
• Be an active listener. Pay attention to class discussions, take notes and participate in class discussions.
• Maintain an open dialogue with your teachers. When you do not understand something, request clarification during class or in the resource center.

Taking Notes

• Preview chapter by skimming headings, vocabulary, charts, graphs, pictures and chapter summaries.
• Read the text carefully. A single reading is usually not enough! Re-reading is critical.
• Annotate the text in your own words, making sure to include key concepts, vocabulary. Keep a record of what you do not understand, so you can request clarification from a teacher.
• Date your notes and add headings for easy referencing.
• Review notes by rereading, highlighting, or rewriting key points.

Test-Taking Tips

• Plan a study schedule, keeping in mind the date of the test, the topics covered, the type of questions (matching, multiple choice, true/false, short essay) which will be on the test, and the text pages covered.
• Daily review is essential- learning is more efficient when the material is covered on a regular basis, rather than during one long session.
  Staying up to date on assignments will help you learn consistently and efficiently.
• Read through the test first, and ask questions on anything that is unclear. Take note of the scoring system, paying close attention to questions that are worth more points.
• Answer the easiest questions first, making sure that answers are recorded in the correct place. Then concentrate on the questions that are more difficult.
• Read over your answers carefully before handing in the test.
• When you receive the test back, request from the teacher any help you may need on correcting and learning from your mistakes. Make sure you go over these again, to make sure you can answer those problems on your own.

Extra Help

• National Honor Society students are available to tutor in a specific subject. See your counselor for more information.
• Up to date course progress is always available on Sapphire/Community Portal
• The Khan Academy offers excellent free resources for students for all subjects and even the SAT.