ONLINE CSR/RPR PREP COURSE

For all of my fellow court reporting students who are getting ready to take the CSR and/or RPR test soon and need a refresher on the WKT (written knowledge test) portion of the exam, have I great news to share with you!  Cerritos College’s Court Reporting Program has an online prep course for the CSR/RPR's WKT!  The class is called CRCC 185 | CSR/RPR Exam Preparation (was formerly BUSC 185).

The online class runs from January 9th through March 9th (9 weeks), is 1.5 units that are transferable, and cost only $80.00 (for California residents).  What a deal!

No books are required for the class, however, it is highly recommended that you purchase the 2011 Freelance and Official Compendiums, which are compilations of all the rules and regulations that govern both the freelance and official worlds of court reporting respectively.  You can purchase them at www.cal-ccra.org/compendium for $35.00 each for CCRA Members or $45.00 each for non-members.

Lastly, you can take this course up to 3 times if you think you need a go-around for any reason.

Each week you will focus on a topic that will be in the WKT, then take a quiz on that same topic.  Here are the topics for this 9-week class:

Week 1 =  Spelling, Punctuation, and Capitalization
Week 2 =  Grammar
Week 3 =  Vocabulary
Week 4 =  Homonyms
Week 5 =  Midterm
Week 6 =  Medical
Week 7 =  Legal/Court and Depo
Week 8 =  Codes
Week 9 =  Final Exam

If you are interested in enrolling, go to www.Cerritos.edu and first register to the college as a student.  The instructor, Mary Balmages, via email informed me that it would be helpful to sign up as a student with previous college (or  sophomore) to bypass all the assessment tests (not necessary for this class).

Once you’re registered, read your confirmation email carefully, which will contain your new Student ID number as well as the appointment date for when you can go back online to officially enroll for the class.  Once your date comes up, go back to www.Cerritos.edu, click on the "My Cerritos" logo, log in, and enroll for Class #22580.

For more info on this class, contact the instructor Mary Balmages at mbalmages@cerritos.edu.  

Happy Studying! :)

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP!

Yesterday I missed my 200 4V at 10 minutes test by only 21 points!!! So far, this is the closest I've come to passing this test. I was on a high when I made a beeline from the classroom to the lab in order to type up the possible pass. However, that elation slowly deflated as I was marking my errors on my typed-up transcript against the audio tape. Sigh.

I was feeling sad and frustrated (so close but not close enough!), but thankfully, my biggest supporter, my husband, lifted me up. He congratulated me to being so close to a pass. He said that I'm "just knocking at the door" and that it's "only a matter of time." With his help, I was able to lift my head up, smile, and tell myself, "Wow! You did so great! You are inches away from passing this test! It truly is ONLY a matter of time now, thank GOD!"

I just have to keep practicing diligently, keep believing, and every day transcribe all my tests... even the ones I know are not even close to a pass. Why?! Because there are so many valuable learning moments when you transcribe and grade your tests... but only if you do it CONSTRUCTIVELY. I urge you, fellow students, don't just "go through the motions." Look for those small victories in each typed-up test and celebrate those!  It will motivate you and give you the valuable info you need on how to improve your steno test-taking skills!

Here's a handful of what I look out for when I transcribe my tests:

• I take note of how many errors I get on each page. If the error margin on each page is getting smaller as the days go by, I remind myself that that's a great accomplishment!
• I take note if I have certain finger errors or if I'm forgetting a brief. If I am, then I make sure to practice those certain finger drill(s) and/or brief(s) that I'm messing up on and work to make them solid.
• I take note of when I'm making my most errors. Are they in the beginning, middle, or last part of the 10-minute test? I figure that out, then at the next test, I make an extra effort to concentrate especially hard at the portion where I got the most errors.
• I take note of what kind of errors I'm making. Are they clean drops? If they are, then I know it's just a matter of time to train my fingers to become fast enough, so I don't drop as much. Are they jumbled up strokes? If they are, then I know that I'm letting my nerves get the better of me, and I need to work on concentrating on the speakers only, not my internal voice that's screaming, "Oh, no! You missed that word! Go back and correct it!" ...or some other silly demand like that! :P Um, can't do that... I'm taking a test and trying to pass it! :)

So I urge you, fellow steno students, to transcribe ALL your tests and ANALYZE those tests! Then start working EVERY DAY in correcting those pesky mistakes that keep coming up. How do you know what kind of mistakes you keep making unless you actually look for them in your test, understand them, and record them diligently? Only once you do that will you know how to improve in your weak spots, right? Doing this will keep you motivated, and you'll inch closer and closer to that PASS!

I've been on YouTube lately watching videos about how to become successful. One of my favorite channels is by Dr. Henry Cloud, who is a clinical psychologist. Here are 2 great videos from him that you got to check out!

http://www.youtube.com/user/DrHenryCloud#p/u/8/Z7IZ30vvbgI
This is called "Ridge of Resistance." In it, Dr. Cloud teaches us how to get over the inevitable hump or wall of frustration that we all face when we're trying to reach our goal.

http://youtu.be/Fnr44OzI_pE
This is called "It's All Small." In it, Dr. Cloud teaches us how to focus on the every day little steps we are making to get from Point A to Point Z, from where we are to where we want to be -- at the finish line of our goal! For me, that would be graduation and a CSR and RPR certificate!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILtDs0MmRHE
Lastly, check out this YouTube video. This is for all of us who need to be reminded to get our head up and continue to be positive! The song is by Andy Grammer, and the song is called "Keep Your Head Up."




P.S. If you have people in your life who have no idea how difficult your tests are to pass, why not send them this YouTube video of a court reporting test -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7k9GLnZUwQ?  This happens to be the test I'm trying to pass (except right now it's done by 1 teacher, not a live 4 panel) -- 200 WPM, 4-voice, 10 minutes.  Let's see if they can even repeat what's being said in their brain at 97.5% accuracy!  I don't think so!

Don't let ANYONE GET YOU DOWN!!!  What we do -- machine stenography -- is TRULY AMAZING!!!  Only a small, small, small percentage of the population have the skills we have, and that makes us UNIQUE, VALUABLE, and EXTRAORDINARY! :)

NEW GOALS

I hope you all had a very...

Ours was great.  We have SO MUCH to be thankful for! :D

We only had 2 days of school last week because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Honestly, I wasn't on my machine at all during the break, haha!  Hubby and I spent lots of quality time with the family as well as with each other, just relaxing and recharging.  Sometimes you just need that. :)

So going back to school tomorrow, I've decided I need a new routine in order to pass my 200 WPM 4-voice 10-minute test.  Here's what I will do:

• Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes... for clarity and soundness of both mind and body
• Practice at 225-240 WPM daily for at least 30 minutes... for speed
• Practice finger drills for at least 15 minutes... for accuracy
• Practice briefs for at least 15 minutes... for speed

To be honest, I was disappointed and saddened to find out that I couldn't take the February CSR Exam... but I am now all the more fired up to be ready to take and pass the CSR Exam in Summer 2012, AS WELL AS the RPR Exam!  I know it's an intimidating thought, especially for me who has been in the court reporting program MUCH LONGER than I care to admit.  So what am I going to do with that intimidating thought???  This: I REFUSE to allow ANY NEGATIVE TALK ENTER MY MIND!!!  I can... and WILL... with GOD'S help... accomplish ALL my court reporting goals that I set out to conquer in 2012!!!

I found 2 great motivational videos on YouTube that talks about goal setting and achieving those set goals.  I want to share them with you now and hope you too will be inspired to properly set yourself up for success!  Here they are:

The Secret of Goal Setting by Earl Nightingale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=_sJzcWc3Dwc

Success is the progressive realization toward a worthy ideal.


The opposite of success is conformity.


95% of people don't succeed because he conforms.


A person succeeds because he knows where he's going.


The key to success and the key to failure: We become what we think about.


Don't worry.  Worry brings fear, and fear is crippling.


Keep calm and cheerful.  


You'll get back what you put out.


As you believe, so shall it be done unto you.

&

Common Mistakes in Goal Setting by Ed Reiner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=qpmUYa1f_5Q


Fantasy - "C" - What I Want
Plan - "B" - What I Think I Can Do
Know - "A" - Present Results


Live in Level "C" to achieve your goals!  You must fantasize to realize your goals!


See It!
Believe It!
Do It!

ALMOST AT QUALIFIERS!

I am so happy to announce...

that I passed my 200 WPM 4-voice real-time 5-minutes test!  THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!


                           

So that means I need only ONE MORE TEST to get into Qualifiers... which is the 200 WPM 4-voice test at TEN minutes!  This test, plus the Qualifiers test (which is the exact same test except with a live panel instead of one teacher with the lightboard), is different from all the other tests from the past.  All the other tests leading up to this moment have been a length of FIVE minutes.  Now I need to DOUBLE my stamina and concentration in order to pass this next test and then the Qualifiers.  Easier said than done, but...

                                    

Here's my "Things To Do" before the end of this term, December 16th, at Downey Adult School:

1) Submit my intern hours, both official and freelance
2) Complete my Online Vocabulary Class
3) Pass my 200 4V at 10 minutes test

I met with the Court Reporting Director at my school last week to make sure I'm on track to get into Qualifiers without a hitch.  UNFORTUNATELY, I found out that EVEN if I do pass my 200 4V at 10 minutes test BEFORE the end of this term, I will NOT be able to advance to Qualifiers YET since my Online Vocabulary Class won't be finished until late December. :(

I just checked out the website of the Court Reporters Board of California found here.  The next CSR Exam will be held on February 3, 2012, and the last date of filing is January 4, 2012.  Then it hit me... I realize that I most likely will NOT have the chance to qualify for the February 2012 CSR Exam and will have to wait for the next exam sometime in July 2012.  It sadly makes sense that this is likely the reality I am faced with now... because I for sure will NOT be able to get into Qualifiers this year because of my pending last academic class, Vocab, PLUS our next term starts up in January 3, 2012 with the LAST date of filing for the February 2012 CSR Exam as the very NEXT day following the FIRST day back to school, January 4, 2012. :(

Oh well...

But you know what?!?!  I REFUSE to let this "setback" get me down!!!  I tell my husband that I am SO BLESSED that sometimes I look for any minutiae type of "setback" to complain about! :P What am I going to do instead?!?!  I'm going to practice and work hard and smart to make sure that FOR SURE I WILL qualify well in advance for the July 2012 CSR Exam... AND I'm going to look into taking the RPR Exam as well in 2012!

For my fellow court reporting students, here are some helpful links for you too as you figure out YOUR schedule to the CSR and/or RPR Exams:

Court Reporters Board of California CSR Exam Dates & Locations -- http://www.courtreportersboard.ca.gov/applicants/exam-dates.shtml

NCRA 2012 Exam Schedule for the RPR, RMR, RDR, CBC, CCP and CLVS --
http://www.ncra.org/Certifications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=8594&navItemNumber=11217

"Ways to Get to the CSR Exam" posted by Cerritos College Court Reporting Program
(I don't know exact date of publication of this and if this info is still current) --
http://www.cerritos.edu/vmorgan/Online_Theory_140b_141b/Lectures/L21_140b_ways_to_get_to_the_csr_exam.htm

ON HIATUS...

                                     

Can you believe it's already November 1st???  The days are going by so fast!  That means only 94 more days (13 weeks) until California's next CSR (Certified Shorthand Reporter) Exam, which is on February 3, 2012.  I'm gonna work my butt off to qualify for that exam!!!

To make that happen, I need to cut off any unnecessary distractions (that's a major reason why I deactivated my Facebook account several months ago).  So this post is to let you know that I won't be as active on this blog for the next 3 months.  I want to use all my spare time to practicing on my steno machine as well as studying for the written knowledge portion of the exam.

There are other great steno blogs out there, however, that you can reference.  Check this list out: http://stenonerd.blogspot.com/p/fave-steno-sites.html

Feel free to leave any comments to any previous blog post on Steno Nerd and/or email me directly regarding any questions related to court reporting (StenoNerd@gmail.com).  I'll talk about court reporting anytime! :)

Stay focused, fellow court reporting students!!!  We CAN do this!!! :D

I'll leave you with this awesome YouTube video:

When you don't give up, you cannot fail!!!