Nichole and Patricia Kumse of Blount County, Tennessee, are sisters who earned their GED diplomas, becoming the first high school graduates in their family. Both women are mothers. Patricia Kumse is a mother of three, while Nichole Kumse is a mother of two, all between 3 and 10 years old.

The two mothers, like many GED students, were motivated to earn a GED diploma by their families, and particularly their children. Every parent wants their children to have all the opportunities the world can offer, and in today’s world, education is the key to opportunity. Parents want to set an example for their children, and getting the GED is a first step for many parents to show their children how important education is.

At the same time, the GED opens doors to provide a better life for a family. Nichole and Patricia Kumse both passed the GED with high enough scores to qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship toward higher education. Patricia Kumse plans to study business, while Nichole Kumse plans to study holistic nutrition and writing.

Just as family can inspire adults to earn their GED, family can help greatly during the GED process. By studying for the GED together, Nichole and Patricia Kumse were able to provide each other support, with studying, homework, and motivation. By involving family or friends who can provide help and support, adult learners can achieve more in their educational experience, from the GED to the highest levels of post-secondary achievement.

By Leonard Williams

One of the biggest challenges for GED students is finding time to study, or developing a daily study routine, especially if you’re a student managing a self-guided program to get ready for the GED test.

For adult students who attend GED classes regularly, studying is often easier. Classes help create a routine, and involve learning and applying the material candidates need to know to earn the General Education Development credential. Or, students in class find it easier to get into a study routine because they�re preparing for classes or completing homework assignments. Or, they may form small study groups and just meeting together creates study routines and motivation.

But sometimes, even GED students who attend classes need help developing study habits and a regular study routine. Often students who haven�t succeeded in classrooms find class learning boring or tedious, and they�ll have little motivation to study.

The best study routine involves daily study, especially if the knowledge learned is new. Using new knowledge every day is the key to owning it; and this learning method is completely different from memorization. Whether students are in a classroom, using an online GED program or managing their own GED preparation, daily study works.

So how do busy adults with lots of job and family obligations find time to study? Here are some 10-minute study tips that have proven successful for PassGED students:

10-Minute Study Tips

1. Study a problem or read a book, newspaper or magazine first thing in the morning, even if you only have 10 minutes. You can use a problem from a GED practice test or a short section from your GED test prep materials. Or, you might choose a short passage such as a newspaper article, editorial or a magazine insight piece. Don�t worry about finishing the problem or passage; just concentrating on something for 10 minutes is the trick.

2. During the day, spend 10 minutes thinking about what you read or studied in the morning. If it�s something you read, think about the words and the feelings those words create. Consider how the passage or words apply to something else, or another situation. If it�s a math problem, try writing it down and working on it in different ways. Don�t worry if you can�t remember the problem or words exactly. The key is to use the new knowledge; just get into the mind of the problem or the words for 10 minutes.

3. Late in the day, spend 5 minutes really thinking about what you read or studied again, and you�ll suddenly see and understand the knowledge more clearly. Make sure you spend a minute or two thinking about why it�s clear � this is key!

4. At the end of the day, spend 5 minutes reviewing or reworking the problem, and determine what you learned from the study activity. Then tell yourself how smart you are, how much you accomplished and give yourself a reward.

At day�s end, you�ve managed to study for 30 minutes, despite a busy schedule and life�s demands. More importantly, the time spent isn�t just about studying � it�s about learning. You�ll learn since using knowledge means owning knowledge. And that�s what it takes to pass the GED test.

Additional Resources
? Author Leonard Williams and virtual passGED students have developed a movie that answers the most common questions about the GED. The movie also spotlights how students really �get into the mind� of material, a good study tip. The movie is about eight minutes � Click on GED Video listed in the Blogroll.

? Need Word help? Follow this link for an online dictionary and reference site. www.dictionary.com

? Project Connect provides online information and lessons for ESL students. Sponsored by PBS.

? Adult Learning offers free interactive activities to improve reading skills, offered by California Distance Learning Project. http://www.cdlponline.org/

Study hard, and good luck on your GED!