By Alexandra Mayzler
When a student discusses what he is learning in school, it
often pertains to something tangible such as an English paper or a science lab.
If a student is struggling, he might report that he “got a bad grade” or
“forgot his homework.” We rarely discuss the important steps that should be
taken between the information taught in class and the final outcome,
grade-wise. Often, not until we dig deeper, do we hear students saying that
they “didn’t know how to study” or that they are struggling to start a project
because they do not know where to begin. The skills necessary to budget time,
prioritize, process information, and figure out the most effective study
methods come naturally to some students while other students struggle mightily.
Often, students who are perfectly capable of grasping concepts have a hard time
in class because they don’t know how to take notes, extrapolate information, or
study for exams. By teaching students the integral organizational, time
management, and study skills, we can help children become independent learners
and thinkers.
As parents, much can be done to model and foster the study
skills process. The first step in establishing a foundation for skills is to
understand your child’s strengths and weaknesses. Once a student knows what is
required of him, as a parent you can help implement the necessary study
tools. Remind your child to keep
the tools in mind and if he or she gets stuck, see if things need to be
reorganized or if time needs to be redistributed to be able to tackle all of
the assignments. Also, keep in
mind that adjusting to any new process takes time and will have an element of
trial and error. As a student
practices these skills, he or she will become a much more confident and
independent learner.
Start at the beginning and help your child establish a
systematic approach to her learning process. Here are some tips for parents and
children:
·
Create
and maintain an organizational system. One of the biggest time wasters is
looking for “stuff.” If your child spends half her study period looking for
materials, that probably means she needs a better system. Work with your child
to create a clean and organized study space that is free of clutter. Remove distractions such as Facebook
from the area. Once an area is dedicated to work set aside a weekly “check-up”
so that messiness doesn’t start taking over the space.
·
Think
about time. The most often heard complaint of any middle or high schooler
is that there is “no down time.” In reality, most students do have time in the
day to take a break from work but the time is wasted. Encourage your child to
be aware of time by using visual reminders such as calendars. Students should
plan out how and when they will complete work. That means writing in a planner
the day’s assignments as well as what part of a bigger project they will do and
also reviewing and studying for tests. By making a plan and sticking with it,
your child will find time to relax and be able to complete all her work feeling
in control of the process.
Learning
to learn. Study Skills is the actual learning of material. The most
important aspect of learning is remember that not much can be accomplished the
night before an exam with stress and anxiety hanging in the air. Students
should explore study strategies that work for them and then apply these methods
over time. It is useful to think about school work like laundry, you’ve got to
keep washing it, otherwise it’ll really pile up (and you won’t have any clean
underwear)! Help your child to set aside 5 minutes every day or 15 minutes once
a week to maintain his knowledge. Students should plan to spend time every day
doing “Daily Maintenance Work.” Not only will they be ready for pop quizzes but
they’ll also avoid the painful experience of cramming before tests.
Alexandra Mayzler is the author of Tutor
in a Book, a study skills manual for students, parents, and teachers, and
is the director of Thinking Caps.Alexandra spends her free time thinking about how to make studying
easier, more interesting, and above all, enjoyable for students.