The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning is offering a series of hands-on, active, and process-focused workshops in which students learn and apply strategies designed expressly for the highly demanding Princeton University context. Led by McGraw's Senior Associate Director, Nic Voge, the emphasis is on advanced and innovative techniques for purposeful and efficient learning. Students apply the strategies to their own course materials whenever possible during the workshops and, ideally, make a one-to-one follow-up appointment in The McGraw Center which builds upon what they learned in the workshop.

The strategies introduced emerge from a common core of research-based learning principles and comprise an integrated strategic approach. While each workshop can stand alone, the series is designed to build on itself and thus reinforce the core principles, and yet is sequenced to be responsive to the current demands of the semester (e.g. midterms).

Princeton Students can meet with a McGraw Learning Strategies Consultant to work on any of these topics. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Do you have suggestions about topics or issues for McGraw Undergraduate Programming? Email your ideas to mcgraw@princeton.edu.

Spring 2018 Academic Strategies Workshops

Making the Most of Reading Week and Finals Prep

This interactive workshop will focus on successful strategies for how to complete Dean's Date assignments efficiently and prepare for exams effectively. Come get your questions answered about managing one of Princeton's unique challenges. Discussion topics are time management, productivity, and dealing with stress.

Friday, May 4, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. in 330 Frist Campus Center
RSVP to reserve a spot.

Monday, May 7, 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. in 330 Frist Campus Center
RSVP to reserve a spot.

Previously held Spring 2018 Academic Strategies Workshops

Princeton Students can meet with a McGraw Learning Strategies Consultant to work on any of these topics. Daytime, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Developing an Effective Plan for Completing Independent Work

The Princeton JP and Senior Thesis are exciting opportunities for students to explore and contribute to the scholarship of their discipline. For many, however, managing their time and this big task can be daunting and stressful rather than rewarding. During this workshop, you will clarify challenges that are impeding your progress, discuss strategies to overcome them and create a plan to manage your project and see it through to completion.

Efficient Learning Strategies: Studying Large Amounts of Information

Looking for more effective—and efficient—study strategies? Because of the large amounts of information assigned and the compressed schedule of midterm exam week, you need to prioritize, organize and study course content as the course unfolds. Waiting until exam week to study just doesn’t work. Learn several different study methods applicable to a variety of courses so that you can read, take lecture notes, and study.

Effective Midterm Exam Preparation Strategies

Ready for your midterms? In this workshop, you will learn proven methods for:

• Anticipating and preparing for the kind of problems and questions you will be expected to answer on exams
• Selecting and prioritizing the most important information in your courses
• Synthesizing and reducing large amounts of information from multiple sources into manageable formats
• Organizing your knowledge in ways that promote deep learning, retention, and efficient recall

This is an active hands-on workshop in which you will work on materials from YOUR own current courses. So, bring a syllabus or two and any other information from your courses such as previous exams (check Blackboard) that might be useful in preparing for midterms.

How People Learn: Using Research Findings to Become an Expert Learner

Research from brain science and cognitive psychology is converging on key principles of learning. These principles must be translated to the Princeton context to be useful to students. Learn how to apply these strategies to your own learning to become a more effective and efficient learner.

Organizing Your Semester

Map out your semester from the very start! Balance academics with everything else Princeton has to offer. Learn about the biggest organizational and time management challenges from Princeton upperclassmen—so you can overcome them. Try out proven practical techniques and tools. Find out about fundamental principles of time management and self-management that allow you to adapt to new, unexpected situations. Prevent procrastination before it prevents you from getting things done! Bring to the workshop the syllabi from each of your courses and leave with a useful toolkit for:

• Efficiently schedule your whole semester
• Manage time on a daily and weekly basis
• Getting more out of your study time
• Using to-do lists more effectively

This is an active, hands-on workshop in which you will apply strategies to YOUR own courses. Individualized follow-up appointments with staff in the McGraw Center in Frist can be arranged.

Preventing Procrastination

Prevent procrastination before it prevents you from reaching your goals. Up to 80% of college students report that procrastination has been a significant issue. Procrastination is not a matter of mere “laziness” and the solution is not simply “better time management”. In order to overcome procrastination, it is vital that you understand its root causes and motivational dynamics. It is also vital to learn an array of (sometimes counter-intuitive) strategies and techniques for dealing with it. In this workshop, you will:

• Gain a deeper awareness of what procrastination is and why people do
• Understand the motivational dynamics and mind games that perpetuate procrastination
• Learn a variety of techniques for managing procrastination

Starting The Semester Strong: Planning and Strategizing for Success in the Spring Term

Spring semester poses some unique demands, especially when it comes to time management and planning. Come to this session to learn strategies for making the most of the first weeks of the semester, making a plan for success, and scheduling your commitments.

Strategies for Efficient Reading

Learn How to Maximize Your Reading Efficiency! To achieve academic success at Princeton it is crucial for students to develop superior strategies for reading and learning from text. In this workshop you will learn:

• an approach that helps you align your learning strategies to instructor objectives
• techniques for reading various kinds of academic texts
• strategies for enhancing retention and recall
• methods for reading faster and more efficiently

Time Management, Task Management & Overcoming Distractions

Learn effective strategies for managing your time, your many tasks and--most importantly--yourself so that you can be efficient. During this workshop, you will learn the fundamental principles of time management and self-management that allow you to adapt to new, unexpected situations without distractions.

Understanding and Overcoming Procrastination

Is procrastination an obstacle to maintaining balance and achieving academic success? If so, you are not alone. Up to 80% of college students report that procrastination has been a significant issue. Procrastination is not a matter of mere “laziness” and the solution is not simply “better time management”. In order to overcome procrastination, it is vital that you understand its root causes and motivational dynamics. It is also vital to learn an array of (sometimes counter-intuitive) strategies and techniques for dealing with it. In this workshop you will:

• Gain a deeper awareness of what procrastination is and why people do it
• Understand the motivational dynamics and mind games that perpetuate procrastination
• Learn a variety of techniques for managing procrastination