Basic Skills GED Preparation - Columbia College

1 Basic Skills GED Preparation SKLDV 700 Section 2388 Location/Time: Columbia College Campus, Manzanita Building Room 18-2 Academic Achievement Center Monday and Wednesday nights, 6 to 8 Starts September 9, 2013 and last class is December 9, 2013 Instructor: Penny Kesterson e-mail address: 11600 Columbia College Drive, Sonora, CA 95370 This class is a lab format and is designed to prepare students to take the GED exam. The General Education Development or GED examination offers a way to earn a High School Equivalency Certificate.

2 This is the equivalent of a high school diploma, and it is necessary for those students who want to continue their education, as well as being very important for getting a good job. Students work on an individualized plan of study , and students are encouraged to develop study Skills outside of the classroom. Expectations for student performance: Classroom activities are designed around soft Skills needed to obtain employment and to keep the job. This means that coming to class on time, being prepared to learn new Skills and maintaining regular attendance are important.

3 Maintaining a good attitude and being considerate of co-workers is equally important, as well as being productive in class to get the job done, not disturbing your fellow classmates by talking and leaving early, and striving to come to each class. High self-motivation and self-discipline are required. Cell phones are to be turned off before entering the classroom. This class also strives to model a College -bound student. Students will be dropped from the class after missing three or more sessions.

4 Students anticipating missing three or more sessions because of an emergency should talk to the instructor before or when this occurs. Subject material will be reviewed by the instructor and suggestions made to increase each student s progress. Self-motivation, goal setting, study Skills and test taking strategies will be covered. The class will focus on the five GED test areas: 1. Language Arts, Writing 2. Social Studies 3. Science 4. Language Arts, Reading 5.

5 Mathematics and Calculator Skills NOTE: September 6 is the last day to drop a class to receive a refund. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Penny before or after the class or by e-mail: Textbooks/materials: It is highly recommended to purchase Barron s How to Prepare for the GED edition 15, which is a study guide available at the bookstore or online.

6 Worksheets and other practical materials will be provided as needed. Barron s ged study guide will walk you through the material needed to pass and it has been written to help you prepare to take the GED exam. It contains reviews of the subject matter, practice exercises and practice tests that will familiarize you with the content and format of the actual examination. Grading policies and procedures: This class is a non-credit course only; students can register after the semester starts and finish early without any penalties.

7 It is offered as an open entry/open exit format. The five tests are designed to measure the Skills a student should have acquired after four years of high school. On the GED test, even though the questions may involve a specific area of study such as science, you don t have to memorize specific facts, details, dates or even exact definitions. Much of this information is given to you on the test itself. You have to be able to read and understand the material that is presented and then answer questions about it.

8 With the exception of the essay part of the Writing Skills and the part of the Math test, the entire GED examination is multiple-choice. Instructor will cover a topic each night starting at 7:45. There will be no breaks since class is less than three hours long. Suggestions for a successful semester: Parking costs $ per day, or for $ you can buy a permit for unlimited parking for the semester. Register before the first class and pay the class fee with the Admissions & Records Office Hours are Monday-Thursday 8:00 to 5:30 , and Friday 9:00 to 4:30 No class on holidays: November 6 - Veterans Day, November 28 -Thanksgiving Holiday.

9 We will meet the week of finals on December 10 our last class. Bring pencils, scratch paper and a good attitude to class and be prepared to work. Tutors are available free of charge through programs at the Academic Achievement Center or at the County Library: Note: Appointments are necessary - call first. Columbia College Academic Achievement Center (ACC) provides tutoring and learning assistance to all students free of charge at Manzanita 18-2.

10 Appointments are necessary call: Calaveras County: Calaveras Adult Tutoring, , located in the Main Library, 891 Mountain Ranch Road, San Andreas. Tuolumne County: Reading Plus, , located in the Main Library, 480 Greenley Road, Sonora. Columbia College adheres to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that stipulates that no student shall be denied the benefits of an education, ..solely on the basis of disability. Disabilities covered by Section 504 and the American Disabilities Act include but are not limited to learning disabilities, hearing, sight, or mobility impairments.