Using Case Studies in the Classroom

Using Case Studies in the Classroom If you teach an advanced high school class, youre always looking for opportunities to help your students apply what they know and put theory into practice. Using case studies in the high school classroom can do just that. What are case studies? Commonly used in business schools, law schools and medical schools, case studies set up real-life problems and ask students to answer questions about those problems. They can be short or long and are often based on actual situations, but their objective is to give students information to discuss, dissect, and use to develop solutions to the problem at hand. Below are some suggestions from Huntington for how to use a case study in your classroom: Have students identify the main problem or problems in the case study, possible courses of action, and obstacles. Give students direction on how to think about and analyze a case based on your different course objectives. For example, you might have students think about how they would have approached a situation differently than those in the case study or weigh the pros and cons of different potential solutions to a situation. After dividing students into groups, assign members of each group different perspectives to take. Have groups present to one another after they have developed their analyses/positions. After all groups present to each other, have a group discussion about common viewpoints and arguments made by your students. Case studies are a great way to innovate in your classroom and prepare your students for college-level academics. Read more about case studies as discussed by Carnegie Mellon Universitys Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence Educational Innovation.

Prepare for SHSAT Registration

Prepare for SHSAT Registration An Essential Guide to the SHSAT The Specialized High School Admissions Test is almost here and it is time to start helping your child prepare for exam day. This test is important to incoming freshman in the New York City Public School System and helps determine which high schools they will attend.What is the SHSAT?The Specialized High School Achievement Test (SHSAT) is an exam administered to nearly 30,000 eighth and ninth grade students in the New York City Public Schools. These students are all vying for approximately 3,000 seats at the city's Specialized High Schools of New York. The exam consists of two parts: VerbalThe verbal section has 45 questions and measures a student's ability toorder sentences to form a paragraph, apply logical reasoning, and analyze, interpret, and understand written passages. MathThe math section is comprised of 50 questions testing a student'scomputational skills and ability to apply mathematical knowledge to wordproblems. Why is the SHSAT important?The results of the SHSAT exam, along with other relevant academic information, help determine whether or not a student will be offered a seat at one of the city's nine specialized high schools. Students only have two opportunities to take the exam, in eighth grade for ninth grade placement and in ninth grade for tenth grade placement.What are the best ways to prepare for the SHSAT?Preparing for the SHSAT doesn't have to be complicated. Spending time reviewing what has already been learned and preparing for the exam format will help ensure your child is ready. There are many effective ways to get ready for exam day, including: Taking practice tests A great way to determine if your child is ready for theSHSAT is to administer a practice exam. This will help you determine yourchild's strengths and weaknesses and which areas to focus on. The New YorkCity public school system has published two different sample tests that students can use. Many students take one of theseexams as a preliminary benchmark and then take the second one severalweeks later to measure growth. Pacing the preparation Cramming rarely works. Your child will do best if the exam preparation is spread out over time. Create a study schedule thatallows your child to pace the preparation and maximize the amount of timenecessary to master the exam. Understanding the exam format The SHSAT is a specialized standardized test thatassesses math and verbal skills. Its format is very different from otherexams. Using the sample questions available online, makes sure your childunderstands the exam format. Spend time discussing and reviewing thespecific types of questions that will be asked. Prepping both body and mind It is just as important to prepare the body as it is toprepare the mind. Don't waste your student's careful preparation on a lack of sleep or an empty stomach. Make sure your child is getting plenty ofrest in advance of exam day and is eating healthy meals. Avoid sugary foods the morning of the exam and prepare a breakfast with the nutrition necessary for success. Asking for help IfSHSAT preparation feels overwhelming it is a great idea to ask for help. Customized tutoring sessions provide your child the space and time tolearn from highly qualified professionals experienced with preparingstudents for the SHSAT. The staff at Huntington Learning Centers pridesitself on understanding the local importance of the SHSAT exam andpreparing New York City students for success. The SHSAT registration typically begins in September. Is your child ready? The professional tutors at Huntington Learning Center are available for exam preparation in advance of the SHSAT. These tutoring sessions are customized to your child's needs and the SHSAT exam. There are Huntington Learning Center locations throughout New York City and our tutors are known for their commitment to students and their success.