Regina Leader-Post

Prof Helps Kids Succeed

By Irene Seiberling
Regina Leader-Post

How you study is as important as what you study, insists a Toronto college professor.

"If you haven't learned how to learn, you're lost before you even start," points out Bernie Gaidosch, an English prof who teaches writing and study skills at George Brown College, and is author of The Professor's Secrets success-in-school program.

"If students and parents think that 'the little red schoolhouse' is doing its job -- it isn't!," Gaidosch says. "Teachers are so focused on teaching content, they don't have time to teach skills.

"In middle and high school, students aren't taught how to write and there are no courses that teach them the shortcuts to getting top marks on tests and exams," Gaidosch says.

"Kids who arrive at college without writing and study skills are set up to fail," he says. "Our diagnostic tests show that most have entry level skills at only a Grade 7 to 8 level. And there's a 30- to 40-per-cent high school dropout rate."

To help kids succeed in school, Gaidosch -- or "Professor Bernie," as he is known to students -- has produced a series of The Professor's Secrets manuals, CDs and a motivational DVD, offering his tricks of the trade -- everything from predicting test questions to avoiding "energy vampires" (people who take your time, attention and energy).

Known as "the plain language professor," Gaidosch offers simple, digestible strategies to help improve study habits.

"I want students to thrive, not just survive," he says. "My Professor's Secrets manuals feature my 'best on the test study plan' and my 'fast track writing system' methods that have helped thousands of students get the top marks. I show just what it takes to raise a kid's mark from a C to a B or from a B to an A in as little as a week."

His tips include:

- Take notes from your notes. Take a few minutes each day to condense your lecture notes. Highlight key points and put them on index cards. Use these cards to study for tests -- rather than weeding through pages and pages of jumbled notes.

- Recycle your efforts. For example, if you know the test you just wrote covered certain material that will also appear on a mid-term exam, you can use what you learned from the test when you write the exam. Chances are questions from the test will also be on the exam. So check to make sure your test answers are right, and correct the ones you got wrong.

- Don't confuse test directions. Know the difference between "compare" and "contrast," for example. When you compare two ideas, techniques, or concepts, you're showing how they're alike in terms of their similarities or differences. Contrasting two or more ideas, techniques, or concepts means that you show how they're different from each other.

- Remove your watch and put it in front of you. Use this as a visual reminder to divide your time among the test questions. When you actually see your watch in front of you (even if there's a clock in the room), you'll be prompted to pay more attention to using your time well.

"These techniques work," Gaidosch insists. "I taught these things to my own kids in class. Now I've taken these learning strategies out of the classroom."

Gaidosch has also produced a motivational video for students, designed to boost students to be the best they can be in high school, college or university.

"Too many students these days have either defeatist -- 'I'll never do well in school' -- or elitist attitudes -- the 'too cool for school' crowd -- and aren't motivated to succeed," Gaidosch says.

"In fact, many parents have called me to ask: 'How can I get my kids excited about school? How can I get them off the couch, away from the computer games or their negative friends?' That's why I created this video."

He emphasizes the importance of pumping yourself up for top marks. De-stress -- don't distress -- yourself the night before an exam. Take time for time management. And recognize that your "A" also comes from attitude, he says.

Because of the popularity of The Professor's Secrets for older students, which Gaidosch produced four years ago, he recently put together a four-CD set for parents of kids in Grades 1 to 3 and 4 to 6. They're packed with tips, techniques, strategies and skills to get younger students on the right track for success in college and university.

"I call this my 'Big Guy for the Little Guys' project because I'm giving these parents numerous segments covering such areas as shyness, science games, bullies, homework helpers, single parents, memory power, fear of going to school, reading skills and 20 things grandparents can do -- and much more," Gaidosch says.

"I want kids to build strong skills now rather than repair bad habits later," he says. "I have made inroads."

The Professor's Secrets materials are self-published and produced. They're available by calling 1-877-439-3999, or go online to www.profsecrets.com.

To top of page.

Home | Who Is Professor Bernie? | Media Coverage | Comments | Contact Professor Bernie | The Professor's Secrets Success-In-School Senior Edition For High School, College & University Students | The Professor's Secrets Junior Edition For Grades 1 - 6