SLK Learning Center

Many students don’t like to study. In most cases, studying is never fun. Who wants to sit at a desk for hours flipping through a giant textbook? Unfortunately, it is a necessary evil if you want good grades for your child. So how do you get that child to sit in a quiet spot for hours, studying a topic that they don’t like? No, you can’t tie them to the table! 

Perhaps we can help. Most students don’t like studying because they are not studying properly.  Studying can prove to be more effective and less time consuming if you apply these basic steps.

• Create a suitable studying environment.  You should pick a generally quiet area which has as few distractions as possible. This means turning off the TV and logging off Facebook! 

  It is important that this location has any materials you may need, such as paper, pencils, notes, and textbooks. If you cannot create this space at home, try your local library. Younger students can often benefit from studying at the dining room table due to easy access to help from parents.

   

• Avoid “cram sessions” when studying. “cram sessions” are when a student will wait till the last moment to study and prefer a quick study session. Cramming is never a good study technique because you will usually forget more than you will remember. Tests are announced well in advance so take the opportunity to study over the course of several days. Don’t be a slacker and wait till the last minute! The longer the material is studied, the more it will sink in. 

   

• Remember to take study breaks. It is important to take short breaks here and there while studying. Attempting to study for a long period of time without a break will result in a student feeling “brain fried.” This makes the student tired and the overall studying will be less effective. If breaks are taken, brains won’t get fried and the student will be less likely to quit studying.

   

• Establish a studying routine. Pick a specific time and study at that designated time each day. Establishing a studying routine will help make studying an everyday part of your life. Use this specific time to study for a test or work on homework. After awhile you’ll find that studying will come naturally to you and you will be less likely to procrastinate.

   

• Tackle the hardest job first. Maintaining your mental stamina is an important aspect of studying. Just like how it is important to avoid becoming brain fried, you want to avoid running out of steam down the line. Plan out the material that you intend to study so that you will encounter your hardest assignment first. 

  Studying in such a manner will have you better focused and “fresh” when trying to learn what comes hardest to you. This is also a great way to help make your studying seem to go by faster. Once your hardest subject is out of the way, you’ll only have the easy assignments left, which you can finish quickly.

   

• Two heads are better than one. If it is a situation that will allow it, try studying with a fellow classmate. You may catch something they did not in the material and vice versa. Studying with a friend can also lighten the mood and add some extra energy to the study session. You’re also less likely to get lazy with another person looking over your shoulder.