Study tips for for the final stretch

The Ides of March have passed. The last few months of school are upon us and if your student has not mastered study skills this school year, now is the perfect time to prepare for the final stretch and to start focusing on performance – beginning with a homework routine that your student can follow for the rest of this year and beyond.

The experts at Sylvan say that by concentrating on three important life skills – Organizing, Taking Action, and Communicating, students can simplify their life and develop habits that will help them later in school, at work, and in life. Learn to master these skills early in life, and you’ll be all set for success for years to come!

Organize – Have a routine. Set up your own personal routine for homework that follows your preference. Have a time that’s just for homework. Routines are important, and the ones that help you succeed in school are particularly valuable.

Have a place for your homework. You don’t need to have your own room, just a regular place that’s yours for the time it takes to complete your homework. It should be quiet and conducive to your work.

Organize your supplies. Put your pens, calculator, laptop and other tools in a convenient place. Don’t waste your precious time looking for stuff. If you have your own desk, organize it. If you don’t have your own desk, that’s okay. Keep your supplies in a designated area, so everything will be at your fingertips each evening. The last step in your homework routine is to make sure everything is ready for the next day. It is also useful to review your materials from each course and make sure you have everything you need to review – if you missed classes, ask a friend or your teacher for any materials you may need.

Take Action — Set goals. It’s your life, take control of it. At this point in the school year, assess your performance in each subject and set realistic goals about what you’d like to accomplish in the remaining time. Improve that science grade? Resubmit an assignment? Decide what you need to do and then each week, review those goals to see if you’re on track.

Pace yourself. You may have some long-range assignments that will be due before the end of the year. Start now, and break up the big job into mini-jobs. This will seem much less overwhelming. Plus, it’ll eliminate the awful feeling you get when you know something’s due and you haven’t even started it yet!

Eliminate distractions. Yes, you need music. You need your phone. You need to have the TV on, “just for background noise.” But… it is important to “focus” without any distractions. Multi-tasking does not work for everyone and you may need to put aside the distractions when working on assignments that need your complete focus.

Communicate — Speak up. Participate in class. Ask questions when you’re puzzled. From your homework, make a list of questions to ask tomorrow in class. In class, make comments when you see connections to other things you’ve learned in this class or, better yet, in other classes. Learning how and when to speak up is a skill you’ll value and will take you far. If you need help, ask for it. Get it early. At this stage of the year, if you have learned concepts that you do not fully understand, now is the time to go back and review them – and ask for help.

Review. Go over your assignments on a regular basis with a “study buddy,” a friend who’s as motivated as you are. Keep each other on track by clarifying assignments, studying together, supporting one another’s goals. Keep track of your grades, so you’ll know how you’re doing. Success in school is as much a team effort as success on the athletic field.

If you need additional assistance with preparation for a great end to the year, Sylvan has Study Skills, Math, Reading and other programs to help. Sylvan creates personalized plans based on homework needs, including help catching up on missed skills, instruction in class material and concepts, improved study habits, a dedicated place and time where trained teachers help with assignments and targeted, engaging activities using an iPad. Sylvan also offers Robotics and Coding workshops for elementary students. For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit www.SylvanLearning.com or call 902-422-7323 or email [email protected].