Religion

Taking Faith & Morality? Olivia H, a junior, said to:
“…try not to get behind in papers. In the beginning there’s [sic] lots of short papers to do, so it gets hard to catch up when you get behind. It’s also good to read through the material right before class, even if you’ve already read it, so that it’s fresh in your mind.”
Olivia P, a sophomore, said that it is also important:
“…to take notes during class and while you are reading the chapters. When you are writing your paper, make sure to include all the information from the book’s outline.”

If you are doing Sacraments & Apologetics, Kaitlyn G, a senior, had some tips:
“I have one my Latin teacher gave me. She said that the table of contents is an outline of what you’re studying and use that to your advantage.”
“Pay attention to the header in the Fr Laux book and the bolded text. These can help you read actively and take notes.”
“Using the table of contents to take notes with Fr John Laux books is a great way to find what you should be writing down. Because the contents is split into sections, chapters, AND headings.”

If Bible Study is one of your subjects, I have a couple tips:
It isn’t hard for Bible Study to be overwhelming, but remember you are taking Bible Study to grow in your Faith! Highlight or write down the Bible verses you like! The people in the Bible were real people, and we can follow their example. What is God saying to you?
Ask your parents or teacher questions! Even if your questions sound silly, it is better to ask than to not know!

Is Sacred Scripture one of your subjects? Lily Ruth, a senior, said that “Sacred Scripture is a rigor course, so there’s a lot of reading and a lot of challenging discussions. Here are some things that I found helpful!
Take notes as you read.
It is helpful to take notes as you do the reading. Our teacher often gave us questions to think about as we read, as well as the syllabus which has questions to post on each week. I liked to print off the questions and write short notes next to each one as I came to that part of the reading. I also wrote down anything that was interesting, puzzling, or enlightening (or even just beautiful!). It is helpful to always write down the chapter and verse as it can be hard to find it again!
There is a lot of reading so be aware of what parts you can skim (like genealogies or long lists). Also be willing to put a lot of time into this class!
Class
Make sure you participate in class! When you try to respond to your teacher’s question, you are forced to think things through more thoroughly than you perhaps would on your own. I know from experience that connections make much more of an impact if the class arrived at them together rather than the teacher simply explaining it. It is also a lot more enjoyable for the teacher! I always make it a goal to talk at least once each class. Once you get started, it will be much easier to talk in class.
It is also a good idea to take notes during class. Writing down what your teacher and classmates say helps you learn better, and your notes will be a great resource when you are writing your post or studying for the exam.
The exams
The exams are hard to do because they are assigned along with the week’s normal reading, posting, and class discussion. However, it can be done! Instead of skimming through the many books of the Bible to prepare, I studied for the exam by reading back over my posts and my teacher’s notes, as well as the notes I took during class. The exams can be scary but the teachers make sure it is doable, so be sure to study and don’t worry too much.
Sacred Scripture is an amazing class! If you put time and effort into it, you will learn so much about Scripture and our Faith. It is challenging, but well worth the journey.”

Are you taking Catholic Doctrine? I have a few tips for you:
Write the answers to the questions in a notebook! Writing definitions and answers down should help them stick in your brain!
Take notes in class, even if the teacher takes notes. Catholic Doctrine is for juniors and seniors, and you will be going off to college soon. You will want to be able to take notes when you go to college, and you will want to form the habit in high school.
Read encyclicals with a friend to talk about it as you go! After you finish a paragraph, be sure to outline and write down the answer to the question if the paragraph has one.
I know it’s easy to get behind, but it is easier to catch up in Catholic Doctrine than you think! Talk to your teacher, consultant, and parents!

Madalyn, a senior, had some tips for students taking Sacred Doctrine:
“If you want to stay caught up in the reading, it can be very helpful to add up the total page count for the week, then divide it by how many days you plan on taking to complete it. It also has worked well for me to choose one particular day of the week to write the after-class post. The day after class is ideal, since then you can focus your mind afterwards on the reading for the next class.
“In order to not get bogged down with the daily reading, it’s important to get it done while your mind still is alert and not worn out for the day, otherwise it will take quite a while, and chances are you could forget much of it before class.
“Depending on the readings assigned for the week, it can be helpful to set yourself a repeating timer – one which lasts just long enough for you to quickly read a page of the material, then turn the page. It can force you to stay focused, but be careful or else it could also lead you to space out and not follow the arguments well.”