Tales of Tenth Grade

A lot of students listen to music while they are studying, but what music is proven to be the best for this task? Will you get a higher score on your history test if you listen to Beethoven instead of Louis Armstrong while reviewing for it? Well, according to Marsha Godkin, a professor at Northcentral University,  classical or meditation music is the best option, or basically any genre of music without lyrics. Songs that have a fast tempo can also be distracting, the optimal beats per minute are from 60 to 70. Music that is too slow can also relax you to a point where it’s hard to keep working. Making personal study playlists can also help more than pre-curated playlists or stations on apps like Spotify since you don’t have to feel the need to skip unwanted songs and it also can help you time how long you want to study. When the music is over, take a break or take a final glance over your material. Other options for studying music are nature sounds, spa music, lo-fi music, or anyth...

*Disclaimer: Most of the information presented here comes from my personal experience.  Everyone has a different experience in homeschooling and I can’t speak for every homeschooler out there! I was homeschooled in Florida from 1st to 6th grade.  When I moved to Sparta and immediately started public middle school, it was quite a change.  I had to adapt to a different workload, a longer school day, a new environment, and even receiving grades for the first time. Upon revealing that it was my first year in public school to my new Spartan friends, I was met with a lot of the same questions. Most of these questions were based on myths that I've come across time and time again, so I'm here to debunk them once and for all. Most people think that homeschoolers’ parents act as teachers in a school would, being extremely involved in their child's work as well as being their primary source of knowledge. In fact, upon googling the keyword “homeschooling,” almost every im...

    AP Testing; the looming peril to Sophomores, and the arduous reality of Juniors and Seniors. These exams are a requirement for all AP courses and incorporate a culmination of topics learned in the class throughout the year. While there are understandable benefits to the rigor of both the test and the course itself, the forced consistency of the test and the consequential scramble to learn the curriculum presents significant reasons to question its effectiveness for students.     While it may be an exaggeration, Bruce Lee's quote "I fear not the man that ha s practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times" thoroughly summarizes the shortcoming of AP Testing. Due to the attempted standardization of the tests across the country, all preparation must be completed by the time the test is taken in May. The hurried syllabus has lead to a classroom environment with a crumbling foundation. Communication, deep comprehension o...