Blog

What are your current study habits? Do you read your notes and your textbook repeatedly, hoping something will stick? Do you find yourself staring at the pages in hopes the information will just jump in your brain long enough for you to retain it for your test? Do you find yourself so stressed out that you can’t even think straight the night before a big test?

We are not necessarily born with the knowledge to study effectively. Study habits, good and bad, are learned, and the importance of learning these habits is often overlooked. However, practicing effective study skills has been shown to take good students and turn them into great students. Effective studying makes it easier to learn and do well inside the classroom, as well as outside the classroom.

The leaves are beginning to change colors on the higher ridges of Buncombe, Haywood, and Madison counties. The colors will work their way down to the French Broad River Valley, where we’ll enjoy them here in west Asheville. It is the season for backyard campfires, football, pumpkins, and getting outdoors as much as possible before winter. 

It is also the season when we begin preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Soon, families throughout western North Carolina will be traveling to or welcoming relatives from all over the world. There is so much to do to prepare for the holiday season that it can be difficult to focus on the parts that really matter. 

Asheville, North Carolina, is arguably the most artistic city in the state. Located in the French Broad River Valley, surrounded by some of the tallest mountains on the East Coast, the setting itself is a work of art. 

Inspired by the unmatched beauty of the area, artists began relocating to the city and opening art galleries, especially in the old warehouses near the French Broad River. The River Arts District was born and is now considered a must-see among those who appreciate world-class art. 

It’s not just the visual arts; music and performing arts are an integral part of Appalachian culture. Since people settled in our area, storytelling, singing, writing music, performing plays, and the fine arts have been the lifeblood of people, especially when times were tough. Now, tourists visit Asheville specifically to see and hear the arts. 

For students in our area, studying the arts is an integral part of education. We realize that focusing on creativity in academics doesn’t have to be to the exclusion of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. However, there was a time when that sort of thinking was prevalent. S.T.E.A.M. is a system that reintroduces art back into S.T.E.M. 

Parents want the best for their children. You want to give them everything you didn’t have as a child, while also making sure they have every opportunity to grow in character and learn responsibility. You want them to mature while still being able to hold onto their childhood innocence for as long as possible. You are always trying to make the right decisions and answer a million questions correctly. 

One of the questions you have to answer is regarding the type of education that will be best for your child. You have broad categories such as public, charter, private, and homeschool that have their own sets of pros and cons. Then there are multiple options within each category. Some schools focus on math and science, while others center on the arts.