PEERFORWARD NAVIGATOR DEFINING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Warm-Up What to Expect in Your Freshman Year - As students enter the room, ask them to begin reading the article. LESSON EXTENSION College Movie Night - Screen clips from movies or television shows (or an entire film, if you have the time) that feature college classrooms to demonstrate visually for students how college classes can be different from high school classes. Ask students to generate a list of myths and facts about college life that come up from the films. LESSON EXTENSION College Student Visit - Invite a few alumni from your school or other college students to visit your class and speak about the differences between academics at the high school and college level. Have students prepare questions for the visitors in advance. sample student work from "College-Level Academics" handout Academic Excellence at High School * Teachers are trained in educational theory and helping students be their best. * Most students take the same classes and follow the same path toward graduation. * Your class schedule is created for you in most cases. The time school starts and ends is pretty much set. * If you do all of your work, you will probably get a good grade. * Attendance is mandatory in class. * Teachers will call your parents or talk with you if they suspect you are stressed out or having a problem. * Class sizes range from around 20 to 30. * Teachers will use different ways to teach you material, including group work and fun activities. * Teachers will often offer make-up work or study sessions to help you prepare for big projects or exams. Academic Excellence at College * Professors are experts in their subject area and teach as well as research. * You decide what classes you want to take and set your own path toward graduation. * You create your own class schedule based on your own needs, and decide your own start and end time. * Getting a good grade is not about how much work you do, but instead how well you do your work. Quality counts more than quantity. * Attendance for many classes is optional. * Professors will not approach you. In fact, they probably won't even know who you are. It's up to you to monitor and advocate for yourself. * Classes can be as small as 10 or as large as 250. * It's up to you to identify the ways in which you learn best. In class, professors will use discussion or lecture, and you'll have to participate by taking notes or asking questions. * You are in charge of creating your own study plan and expected to meet deadlines. 324 lesson 21: College-Level Academic Excellence