Throughout all four years of my high school experience I was a part of a “school within a school” which ran on a college-based schedule. We had each class only two times a week and had no classes on Fridays, which left us plenty of time to catch up on homework or gain extra experiences within the school. Our grading system was based on mastery. Each student was expected to master their subjects and, if possible, exceed mastery. Exceeding mastery means going above and beyond to show your complete understanding of a topic. This grading system and unique schedule made my transition into college a lot easier. I gained so many skills that now help me succeed in college. Check them out below!
Time Management:
One of the most important skills I learned was time management. With the college style schedule, we only had class 2 days a week, which meant that the other 3 days during that time, we were not being instructed by a teacher to do our work. This was a struggle in the beginning because we had so much freedom that we thought we could do whatever we wanted during this time. We later realized this free time was for completing homework, projects and even getting ahead on other assignments. Using this time wisely was very beneficial for me. I often completed assignments for certain classes which gave me more time to work on other subjects that might have been more challenging for me. Learning to manage my time even allowed me to take some of my exams early and be able to focus on other subjects. Time management is an important skill that every student needs to learn to be successful in their future careers.
Organization:
Organization is an essential skill to being successful. Switching from a generic school schedule in 8th grade to a college-style schedule in high school was a big adjustment. Learning to organize all my classes and assignments was difficult at first, but once I got the hang of it, it was very simple. Each day I would check my email and my class announcements for information about upcoming assignments, then I would write each of my assignments down so I knew what I would have to complete that day. Organizing my assignments allowed me to thrive in my classes because even during the days we didn’t have class, I knew what was going on and what was expected to be done. Being able to organize and balance your work is very helpful in college.
Communication:
Another skill that I learned was communication. We only had classes two days a week, which meant that if we had questions for that class, we had to communicate with our teachers. Many students had trouble in their classes because they did not communicate with the teachers when they were struggling. Creating relationships with teachers is essential because they can not only help you understand certain things within the class, they can also provide you with further insight and opportunities that can help you later in life. For example, many college professors have connections to job opportunities and having a relationship with that professor could land you a job in the future. Communication is an essential skill that all people should be able to do.
Collaboration:
One of the most important skills I learned was collaboration. Most of our classes ran on a project-based learning style, which meant we constantly worked with peers to complete projects. Learning to collaborate with my peers was difficult because each person had their own ideas about the project. Listening and being open to different opinions was part of learning to collaborate. Being able to hear others’ opinions is important for our future careers because almost all jobs require you to collaborate with coworkers on different subjects. Learning this skill early in my life will allow me to better collaborate with my future colleagues.
Public Speaking:
Public speaking was never a strong suit for me. Though I was in a project-based learning environment, I was constantly doing presentations. During my freshman and sophomore years, I would get very nervous for my presentations. It was difficult for me to speak loudly and confidently to my audience. Eventually, during my junior and senior years I felt very confident in myself and my ability to present to large audiences. I also presented to a group of 200 students, and that is something I never thought I would do. Being in a project-based learning environment helped me come out of my shell and build confidence. Public speaking is something I will definitely have to do in the future and I feel prepared for it because of the skills I learned in high school.
Problem Solving:
Problem solving is another important skill I learned during my experience in a college-style high school. In order to be able to continue learning, we need to be able to problem solve. When getting stumped on a topic, we should not give up and move on to the next thing. Learning to persevere and work through the problem with the help of our peers and professors is beneficial for our future careers. The ability to problem solve in tough situations is a skill that many businesses are looking for. They want someone who will continue to build their business and make it stronger, not just keep it steady. Problem solving is a key skill that is beneficial in all careers.
Creativity:
I see creativity as one of my strongest skills. As someone who has always loved all art forms, I found this skill to be very useful when in a project-based learning environment. I used my creativity to exceed mastery in all my subjects. When doing a project in a class, I would go above the required criteria and maybe create an art piece or a video to go along with it. Doing these things also helped me further understand the subject and even be able to teach other people about it. We also did many hands on projects like building mouse trap cars, 3D printing, and painting. Applying the information we learned in class to a hands on project allowed us to completely understand the topic. Creativity is an essential skill to being in a project based learning environment.
Study Skills:
I learned many unique study skills while in a college based-learning environment. One of the study skills that worked for me the most was mind mapping. Mind mapping consisted of using colors and images to help retain information. I would take notes and use different colors to highlight important aspects. I also would draw visuals which allowed me to look at the information in a different form. Another study strategy that worked for me was studying with a peer. My peers and I would quiz each other on content or practice math problems together. Saying information out loud and writing information down has proven to help students retain information better. Both of the study skills and others have helped me a lot in college so far.
Independence:
Independence is another skill that is very valuable to me. As I have said, we only had our classes two days a week. This meant that we had to be responsible and independent when completing the rest of our work. Our teachers were always available to help, but it was up to us to know what needed to be completed each week. All the students in the space had to have some sort of independence, or else, it was hard for them to stay on time with the lesson plan. Learning independence has helped me be able to keep track of all of my tasks and responsibilities in college.
Flexibility:
Flexibility is an important skill that helped me a lot in college. Before entering high school, my educational experience was similar to most others. We had seven bells each day and had this schedule every day of the week with no changes. When I entered my college-style high school, it was a big adjustment. To adapt to this new environment, I had to be very flexible. Learning to work around teachers’ schedules to get in extra study time and work around peers’ schedules to complete projects was sometimes difficult. Each student and teacher had a unique schedule that was personalized for them. Being flexible was important to be successful in this space.
In closing, I am so grateful to have to opportunity to be in a college-style high school. I learned so much and acquired so many important skills. All that I learned has helped me transition into college and have a successful first semester!