Smart Kids Who Fail - Using Good Study Habits to Reach Your Goals
Hey, there! Are you a smart kid who is having a little trouble in high school? You're not the only one.
A lot of extremely bright young men and women have a hard time in high school because many of them are not suited to the "traditional" learning style.
Unfortunately, most of these teens don't have access to an environment that suits them better and, chances are, neither to you.
Not to fear! Using good study habits can help you make it through this tough time and on to college, where hopefully, you can find an environment better suited to your learning style.
Study Habit No.
1 - Eliminate Distractions If you are an intelligent young adult, chances are you are interested in many things and have many hobbies.
While having such an active curiosity is certainly a quality to be admired, it can get in the way of concentrating on the things that have to get done.
So, if you are having trouble staying focused, find a place to study where you are free of distractions like music, hobbies, and social networking.
Turn off your computer and your cell phone, and find a quiet place to study where you are not going to be disturbed.
Often, public libraries have study corrals for studying.
These are especially useful because you have instant access to a whole building full of resources that you can bring right to your desk.
Also, libraries are quiet and often have a no-cell-phones rule that can help you eliminate distractions like texts and Facebook updates.
Study Habit No.
2 - Buy a Planner Truly bright students can also tend to be disorganized, like an "absent-minded-professor.
" Buying a good academic planner can help you organize your schoolwork and become more efficient.
Many good planners have one week per page and have a different box for each subject in each day.
Writing down your homework the moment your teacher mentions it will increase the chance of your success and decrease the chance of you forgetting anything.
At the end of the school day, take out your planner and make sure you have all of the books you need before going home.
You don't want to get stuck with a major homework assignment due and no way to do it! Study Habit No.
3 - Start Assignments Early Many teachers will assign all the homework for the week (or even month) all at once.
Don't fail to take advantage of that! If you work on your homework during any spare time you have, rather than at the last minute, not only will you be more relaxed but you will also learn the material better by absorbing it little by little instead of rushing.
Study Habit No.
4 - Staying Organized You'll never be able to learn anything if your locker is nothing but a pile of crumpled paper! Take an hour a week to sort through your backpack, locker, notebooks, and binders.
Throw away unneeded papers, organize notes and tests chronologically, and separate them by subject.
Four pages of notes on the density of amorphous solids won't help you in Italian class, but they sure will in Chemistry.
Think about color coding your supplies.
Buy one binder (or notebook or folder) in the correct color for each subject.
A suggested system is: Math = Red Science = Green English = Purple/Maroon History = Blue Foreign Language = Yellow By using a color coded system, you can decrease the time you spend at you locker and ensure that you grab the correct binder for whatever class you are going to.
Study Habit No.
5 - Experiment With Note Taking and Studying Styles No two students learn the same way, so what may work for one student will actually be detrimental to another.
Experiment with different note taking styles until you find one that helps you think logically, clearly, and effectively.
The same goes for studying.
Some students learn better with flash cards, others by rewriting material, and still others by taking practice tests.
Try out all of the different methods for studying until you find one that works for you.
Some final thoughts: While no one can guarantee that perfect 4.
0, using these skills will help you reach your (reasonable) goals.
Remember, anyone is capable of success!
A lot of extremely bright young men and women have a hard time in high school because many of them are not suited to the "traditional" learning style.
Unfortunately, most of these teens don't have access to an environment that suits them better and, chances are, neither to you.
Not to fear! Using good study habits can help you make it through this tough time and on to college, where hopefully, you can find an environment better suited to your learning style.
Study Habit No.
1 - Eliminate Distractions If you are an intelligent young adult, chances are you are interested in many things and have many hobbies.
While having such an active curiosity is certainly a quality to be admired, it can get in the way of concentrating on the things that have to get done.
So, if you are having trouble staying focused, find a place to study where you are free of distractions like music, hobbies, and social networking.
Turn off your computer and your cell phone, and find a quiet place to study where you are not going to be disturbed.
Often, public libraries have study corrals for studying.
These are especially useful because you have instant access to a whole building full of resources that you can bring right to your desk.
Also, libraries are quiet and often have a no-cell-phones rule that can help you eliminate distractions like texts and Facebook updates.
Study Habit No.
2 - Buy a Planner Truly bright students can also tend to be disorganized, like an "absent-minded-professor.
" Buying a good academic planner can help you organize your schoolwork and become more efficient.
Many good planners have one week per page and have a different box for each subject in each day.
Writing down your homework the moment your teacher mentions it will increase the chance of your success and decrease the chance of you forgetting anything.
At the end of the school day, take out your planner and make sure you have all of the books you need before going home.
You don't want to get stuck with a major homework assignment due and no way to do it! Study Habit No.
3 - Start Assignments Early Many teachers will assign all the homework for the week (or even month) all at once.
Don't fail to take advantage of that! If you work on your homework during any spare time you have, rather than at the last minute, not only will you be more relaxed but you will also learn the material better by absorbing it little by little instead of rushing.
Study Habit No.
4 - Staying Organized You'll never be able to learn anything if your locker is nothing but a pile of crumpled paper! Take an hour a week to sort through your backpack, locker, notebooks, and binders.
Throw away unneeded papers, organize notes and tests chronologically, and separate them by subject.
Four pages of notes on the density of amorphous solids won't help you in Italian class, but they sure will in Chemistry.
Think about color coding your supplies.
Buy one binder (or notebook or folder) in the correct color for each subject.
A suggested system is: Math = Red Science = Green English = Purple/Maroon History = Blue Foreign Language = Yellow By using a color coded system, you can decrease the time you spend at you locker and ensure that you grab the correct binder for whatever class you are going to.
Study Habit No.
5 - Experiment With Note Taking and Studying Styles No two students learn the same way, so what may work for one student will actually be detrimental to another.
Experiment with different note taking styles until you find one that helps you think logically, clearly, and effectively.
The same goes for studying.
Some students learn better with flash cards, others by rewriting material, and still others by taking practice tests.
Try out all of the different methods for studying until you find one that works for you.
Some final thoughts: While no one can guarantee that perfect 4.
0, using these skills will help you reach your (reasonable) goals.
Remember, anyone is capable of success!
