I am working on my eSchool's virtual newspaper The Cardinal Chirp this year so I'm going to post the article I write each month here.
•The OGT Survival Guide•
It’s your first time taking the OGT’s and you’re really stressed out. What do you do? I can advise you right now that eating your test will NOT help.
Most of the other teens who have taken the OGT’s have said that staying calm and not stressing out helped them a lot. There are many things you can do to relieve stress while taking your OGT’s. One of the first things you can do is be prepared for everything you will have to do that week. If this is the first time you are taking the OGT’s, you need to be prepared to take the tests all week. You also need to be prepared for a lot of writing. Another thing you can do to relieve stress when you’re taking your tests is to ask the teacher that is proctoring the test at your site if you can have candy during the test. Many teachers have brought candy with them to give to the students, and others have allowed then students to bring their own. As OGT veteran Ryan said: “Gas: $40. Candy $5. Eating candy while taking your OGT: Priceless.”
Some other things you can do be prepared for the OGT’s is to make sure you attend or watch the recordings of all of the OGT prep sessions that all the teachers will hold for the different subjects on the tests. These are really helpful and a lot of the students who attended these sessions said that they helped a lot and they felt more prepared for the OGT’s.
You will also need to balance your schedule well for OGT week. One of the most important things is to make sure you get enough sleep. Trying to take a test on only 4-5 hours of sleep will make it hard to concentrate and remember things you studied while you’re taking the test. Make sure you make time to eat a good breakfast before you go for each test. Pop-tarts are not a full breakfast, but you don’t want to eat so big of a breakfast that you feel stuffed during the test. You will be testing for a minimum of 1 ½ hours so you should try and eat a decent breakfast that will last you until you are done testing. You will also need to make sure you schedule in your schoolwork still because some teachers may lighten your course-load for that week, but you will still probably have some lessons and assignments to complete. One thing you can do though it let your teachers know that you are taking the OGT’s and they may let you have a little more time to get your schoolwork done.
Also, make sure you dress in layers when you go to take you OGT. The temperature of the room you test in can be either very cold and you will want a sweater or jacket, or the room could be warm enough that you will just want to wear a t-shirt. Dressing in layers will make it easier for you to be comfortable while you test.
There are also many online resources that you can use to study for your OGT’s. http://ogt.success-ode-state-oh-us.info/studentsOGT.htm This website has many practice tests, and resources that will help you prepare for your test.
Finally, as long as you’re prepared and stay calm you should do well on the OGT’s. Remain confident and don’t stress out too much. Ask teachers for help, they are willing to help you prepare and pass your OGT’s. As another OGT Veteran Kaiti said “I wish I would have known not to stress out so much. I was super freaked that they would be so hard, and there was not enough study time in the world! But, asking teachers for help, and other students, seemed to help me calm down some.”
Good luck!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
My Busy Senior Year!
I have been very busy this year with schoolwork, Student Council, working on my eSchool's newspaper, and college applications.
I haven't had time to blog about everything that has gone on, but I hope to fix that problem. ;]
I'm going to post a lot of things for the next few days to get caught up, but once I do that I'm going to make sure I take the time to post something here at least once a week.
I hope that those of you who read my blog enjoy my posts. :]
I haven't had time to blog about everything that has gone on, but I hope to fix that problem. ;]
I'm going to post a lot of things for the next few days to get caught up, but once I do that I'm going to make sure I take the time to post something here at least once a week.
I hope that those of you who read my blog enjoy my posts. :]
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Student Council 2010-2011
One of the things I was looking forward to most during my senior year was Student Council. I'm really active in my eSchool and I was Student Council President last year. I wasn't looking for a very high position this year, but I still wanted to run, so I joined three of my other friends as Treasurer on their ticket.
Student Council had a lot more people trying to get involved this year so we were pretty excited about it. There ended up being 4 other tickets besides ours running for the election. Many of which contained some of our good friends. The campaigning was tough and with all the support everyone was getting, it seemed like it was anyone's race.
Election day came and we were a little nervous, especially since the voting system for our eSchool was different this year and I was directing all my friends from my school to the right place to vote for who they wanted to win.
Voting was only open for a certain amount of time that day, and since my mom and I had a busy day we had to leave around the time voting ended. My phone kept notifying me that I had Facebook notifications and e-mails so I knew I needed to get home as soon as possible.
After I got home I logged back onto my computer to find that our ticket had won! Kaiti is now the President, Sabrina is the Vice President, Reagan is the Secretary, and I am the Treasurer. We were so excited we won and we can't wait to start working on all our ideas for the school as well as work on this year's Spring Dance! (Which will be my Senior Prom.)
We also encouraged all of our friends that ran to try and be one of the Reps in their region for Student Council because they all had really awesome ideas and we still want them to try and make those ideas happen, even if it's one region of Ohio at a time.
My senior year officially became even more awesome! :D
Link to one of the campaign videos I made for this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8hUN3YeOWU
Student Council had a lot more people trying to get involved this year so we were pretty excited about it. There ended up being 4 other tickets besides ours running for the election. Many of which contained some of our good friends. The campaigning was tough and with all the support everyone was getting, it seemed like it was anyone's race.
Election day came and we were a little nervous, especially since the voting system for our eSchool was different this year and I was directing all my friends from my school to the right place to vote for who they wanted to win.
Voting was only open for a certain amount of time that day, and since my mom and I had a busy day we had to leave around the time voting ended. My phone kept notifying me that I had Facebook notifications and e-mails so I knew I needed to get home as soon as possible.
After I got home I logged back onto my computer to find that our ticket had won! Kaiti is now the President, Sabrina is the Vice President, Reagan is the Secretary, and I am the Treasurer. We were so excited we won and we can't wait to start working on all our ideas for the school as well as work on this year's Spring Dance! (Which will be my Senior Prom.)
We also encouraged all of our friends that ran to try and be one of the Reps in their region for Student Council because they all had really awesome ideas and we still want them to try and make those ideas happen, even if it's one region of Ohio at a time.
My senior year officially became even more awesome! :D
Link to one of the campaign videos I made for this year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8hUN3YeOWU
Friday, July 16, 2010
eSchooling FAQ's #1
As a highschooler, I go to many different classes, events, and other places and one question I always get when I meet people is, "Where do you go to school?"
My response, "Ohio Virtual Academy. I'm eSchooled."
This response then gets a lot of different questions about eSchooling. So I decided that I was going to get a list of some of the most commonly asked questions that my eSchool friends and I get about the way we school.
Now because the list of questions is growing longer and longer as my friends and I find more of these questions, I also decided that I will address two or three questions at a time so my posts are not extremely long.
So here's this week's eSchooling FAQs.
• Are you on the computer all day?
Actually, most eSchools balance out the offline and online work that their students do. For my school, OHVA, some of the course work is online, but then there will also be offline reading, writing, or hands on things (Like 'lab experiments') that we do. So out of a typical school day, I spend a little more than half of my time doing online course work, and then the rest of the time doing reading and other activities. Plus, eSchooling gives me freedom. I can take my reading assignment for a English or History course and sit outside, in my room, at my desk, or even in the car if we have to go somewhere. So even though I may be 'eSchooled' that doesn't mean everything I do for school is on the computer.
• Does that mean you get to do school in your pj's?
This is always one of the funniest questions I get. Yes, I can do school in my pj's if I want, but I usually choose to get dressed every morning because I feel like I'm getting a better start rather than feeling like I'm lounging around all day. It also makes my mind feel more prepared for the day because I'm not just waking up, walking to my computer, and starting school. Plus, that habit has saved me on several occasions when random, unexpected guests show up at our house, or we have to leave because we need something or there's a family emergency. While that is just my preference, I know that there are other families that like being able to stay in their pj's all day if they don't have anywhere else to go. It's a silly question, but a lot of eSchoolers do have the option to do schoolwork in their pj's.
My response, "Ohio Virtual Academy. I'm eSchooled."
This response then gets a lot of different questions about eSchooling. So I decided that I was going to get a list of some of the most commonly asked questions that my eSchool friends and I get about the way we school.
Now because the list of questions is growing longer and longer as my friends and I find more of these questions, I also decided that I will address two or three questions at a time so my posts are not extremely long.
So here's this week's eSchooling FAQs.
• Are you on the computer all day?
Actually, most eSchools balance out the offline and online work that their students do. For my school, OHVA, some of the course work is online, but then there will also be offline reading, writing, or hands on things (Like 'lab experiments') that we do. So out of a typical school day, I spend a little more than half of my time doing online course work, and then the rest of the time doing reading and other activities. Plus, eSchooling gives me freedom. I can take my reading assignment for a English or History course and sit outside, in my room, at my desk, or even in the car if we have to go somewhere. So even though I may be 'eSchooled' that doesn't mean everything I do for school is on the computer.
• Does that mean you get to do school in your pj's?
This is always one of the funniest questions I get. Yes, I can do school in my pj's if I want, but I usually choose to get dressed every morning because I feel like I'm getting a better start rather than feeling like I'm lounging around all day. It also makes my mind feel more prepared for the day because I'm not just waking up, walking to my computer, and starting school. Plus, that habit has saved me on several occasions when random, unexpected guests show up at our house, or we have to leave because we need something or there's a family emergency. While that is just my preference, I know that there are other families that like being able to stay in their pj's all day if they don't have anywhere else to go. It's a silly question, but a lot of eSchoolers do have the option to do schoolwork in their pj's.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Christmas in July?
During the summer my mom checks a lot of the school info and last week she said that we should be getting our school supplies for this coming school year soon.
Now for many people I know that getting school supplies isn't too exciting because that means that school is close to starting. But as for my sister and I we consider it "Christmas in July" because the UPS or FedEx guy brings a bunch of big, heavy boxes every summer. It's something we look forward to every year.
This year, the school sent my little sister 3 big boxes full of all kinds of neat things for her math, science, english, history, music, and art courses. I think her favorite things are all the blocks, shapes, and cubes that the school sends for her math supplies.
Now for many people I know that getting school supplies isn't too exciting because that means that school is close to starting. But as for my sister and I we consider it "Christmas in July" because the UPS or FedEx guy brings a bunch of big, heavy boxes every summer. It's something we look forward to every year.
This year, the school sent my little sister 3 big boxes full of all kinds of neat things for her math, science, english, history, music, and art courses. I think her favorite things are all the blocks, shapes, and cubes that the school sends for her math supplies.
I only received one box this year and it had two big books in it. They are for my English and Composition course. Because it is my senior year, I already have all my required High School credits except for one more year of English. So all of my other courses are electives. The one that I am the most excited for is Journalism.
I can't wait to start my senior year! :]
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Being A Successful eSchooler
Being successful in an eSchool can affect many things in your future; where you go to college, what type of career you have, or even how successful you are in the future. Getting good grades can help someone go to a good college so that they can be successful in the career they want to pursue. There are many things that you can do to be successful including staying organized, having a set schedule, and staying in contact with your teachers.
One thing you can do to be successful is to keep all your supplies, schoolwork, and your workspace organized. You need to keep all of your supplies organized so you know where all of your things are. Supplies such as pencils, erasers, a calculator, notebooks, and folders should be easy to access while doing your schoolwork. You should also keep any schoolwork that you print out or take notes on in certain folders or drawers so that you can easily find it. Then you can go back to this material and review it for tests and assignments which can help you get a better grade on the test. Keeping your workspace organized will create more room for when you are working on schoolwork.
Another thing you can do to be successful is to make sure that you can access all of your courses and you know how to contact all of your teachers. You should make sure that all parts of your course work so that you can complete your daily schoolwork. If things are not working correctly and you do not address this problem you can get behind and this would hinder your success. You should also make sure that you know how to contact your teachers in situations like this. If something is wrong or you cannot open a part of your schoolwork then you should contact the teacher that you have for that subject so that they might fix it, or so they at least know you are having problems. Then the teacher can give you extra time to get assignments and work in. You should also know all the different ways that you can contact your teachers in case one method of communication does not work.
One of the most important things you can do to be successful is to have a set schedule for all of your schoolwork, tests, and assignments. If you have a schedule set for everything then you can make sure that you complete all of your assignments and work on time. This will then help you stay on course with your work so you don’t get behind. Using a schedule, you can also plan out larger assignments so that you have enough time to complete each part of the project. You can also keep track of when there are big tests, small tests, or even quizzes so you do not forget to take them. A schedule can also be used to keep track of any live sessions or other things your teacher for that course is having. Knowing when these sessions are and being able to attend them is also very helpful in being successful. A schedule will also help reduce stress because you won’t have to rush to complete things last minute or worry about cramming for tests.
It is pretty simple to be successful in an eSchool if you follow a few simple steps. These steps are not hard to do, but have big effects. They will help you in the long run and will make it easy for you to create a successful future. Being successful in an online high school will give you a good foundation to build the rest of your life on.
(Based on my Expository Essay for my British and World Literature Course. An expository essay is an essay that explains something. It can explain how to do something, or explain why something is the way it is.)
One thing you can do to be successful is to keep all your supplies, schoolwork, and your workspace organized. You need to keep all of your supplies organized so you know where all of your things are. Supplies such as pencils, erasers, a calculator, notebooks, and folders should be easy to access while doing your schoolwork. You should also keep any schoolwork that you print out or take notes on in certain folders or drawers so that you can easily find it. Then you can go back to this material and review it for tests and assignments which can help you get a better grade on the test. Keeping your workspace organized will create more room for when you are working on schoolwork.
Another thing you can do to be successful is to make sure that you can access all of your courses and you know how to contact all of your teachers. You should make sure that all parts of your course work so that you can complete your daily schoolwork. If things are not working correctly and you do not address this problem you can get behind and this would hinder your success. You should also make sure that you know how to contact your teachers in situations like this. If something is wrong or you cannot open a part of your schoolwork then you should contact the teacher that you have for that subject so that they might fix it, or so they at least know you are having problems. Then the teacher can give you extra time to get assignments and work in. You should also know all the different ways that you can contact your teachers in case one method of communication does not work.
One of the most important things you can do to be successful is to have a set schedule for all of your schoolwork, tests, and assignments. If you have a schedule set for everything then you can make sure that you complete all of your assignments and work on time. This will then help you stay on course with your work so you don’t get behind. Using a schedule, you can also plan out larger assignments so that you have enough time to complete each part of the project. You can also keep track of when there are big tests, small tests, or even quizzes so you do not forget to take them. A schedule can also be used to keep track of any live sessions or other things your teacher for that course is having. Knowing when these sessions are and being able to attend them is also very helpful in being successful. A schedule will also help reduce stress because you won’t have to rush to complete things last minute or worry about cramming for tests.
It is pretty simple to be successful in an eSchool if you follow a few simple steps. These steps are not hard to do, but have big effects. They will help you in the long run and will make it easy for you to create a successful future. Being successful in an online high school will give you a good foundation to build the rest of your life on.
(Based on my Expository Essay for my British and World Literature Course. An expository essay is an essay that explains something. It can explain how to do something, or explain why something is the way it is.)
Monday, January 25, 2010
My YouTube Channels and Twitter
These are the links for all of my sites:
www.youtube.com/TheTeenagEschooler
I use this channel to post videos of things that my family and other eSchool friends do for school or in our spare time :] A lot of which are our crazy eSchool antics!
www.youtube.com/OHVAStudentCouncil
This is the channel that I use to post videos related to my eSchool's Student Council. :] I can post videos on here to update the other students on what is going on in our eSchool. Or I can just post pictures of different outings.
www.twitter.com/TeenagEschooler
This is my twitter that I post to several times a day. :] Whether it is totally random thing my family or friends did or if it is a quote I heard in my lessons that day.
www.youtube.com/TheTeenagEschooler
I use this channel to post videos of things that my family and other eSchool friends do for school or in our spare time :] A lot of which are our crazy eSchool antics!
www.youtube.com/OHVAStudentCouncil
This is the channel that I use to post videos related to my eSchool's Student Council. :] I can post videos on here to update the other students on what is going on in our eSchool. Or I can just post pictures of different outings.
www.twitter.com/TeenagEschooler
This is my twitter that I post to several times a day. :] Whether it is totally random thing my family or friends did or if it is a quote I heard in my lessons that day.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Second Semester
Today was the first day of the Second Semester in my eSchool.
I woke up this morning, logged into my school, and started opening my new courses for this semester. I went through all the announcements from teachers, many saying "Welcome Back! :)", and started setting up my schedule for the week. I wrote down dates for assignments, and I posted a schedule of all the live online elluminate sessions that I will have in each class. I also wrote down all the information for my teachers so that I can contact them if I have a question.
Then I went though the courses again and looked to see if there were any lessons or assignments I had to do today and completed them. By the time I finished most of the course introduction work, I had to log into my first elluminate for the day. The elluminates that are being held this week are for new students. Through this they can learn how to use the courses and submit assignments. My teacher, realizing I was a returning student, asked me to log into my courses and show the new students how to submit an assignment so that the teacher can view and grade it. As the day went on I went to more elluminate sessions and tried to help the teachers explain things for the new students if asked.
I also noticed that there were many students that were struggling with different things, especially on elluminates, so I had talked to the rest of the girls from Student Council and we decided that we should try and get more information out so that the new students can be a little more used to our eSchool.
I believe that as long as I stay organized this semester I will be able to get all of my things done, get good grades, and enjoy my last semester before becoming a Senior :].
I woke up this morning, logged into my school, and started opening my new courses for this semester. I went through all the announcements from teachers, many saying "Welcome Back! :)", and started setting up my schedule for the week. I wrote down dates for assignments, and I posted a schedule of all the live online elluminate sessions that I will have in each class. I also wrote down all the information for my teachers so that I can contact them if I have a question.
Then I went though the courses again and looked to see if there were any lessons or assignments I had to do today and completed them. By the time I finished most of the course introduction work, I had to log into my first elluminate for the day. The elluminates that are being held this week are for new students. Through this they can learn how to use the courses and submit assignments. My teacher, realizing I was a returning student, asked me to log into my courses and show the new students how to submit an assignment so that the teacher can view and grade it. As the day went on I went to more elluminate sessions and tried to help the teachers explain things for the new students if asked.
I also noticed that there were many students that were struggling with different things, especially on elluminates, so I had talked to the rest of the girls from Student Council and we decided that we should try and get more information out so that the new students can be a little more used to our eSchool.
I believe that as long as I stay organized this semester I will be able to get all of my things done, get good grades, and enjoy my last semester before becoming a Senior :].
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