Improving My High School Study Skills Carroll County Schools Advisement

FROM: 4 Ways Disorganization Affects Your Grades & How To Fix It By Avianne Tan in APPLYING TO COLLEGE Posted Feb 26 2014 - 12:00am

Organization If you work well with technology, use organizer software on a computer, a smartphone or tablet. Retype your class notes and save them (with dates and course titles) on your computer. You can email them to yourself for easy access or use file-sharing software like Google Drive. Write reminders on sticky notes or keep list pads around your room, by your desk, in your notebooks, and even by your bedside to write down things as your think of them. Be sure to collect these notes and consolidate all of the reminders on a single “to-do” list every day. There are also plenty of smartphone apps that provide digital sticky notes. Use these when you’re on the go or all the time if digital sticky notes are easier to compile than their paper counterparts. Divide your notebooks into sections for each subject. Hole punch and insert handouts or assignments in the appropriate notebook sections. Be sure to use dividers, and consider using different colored tabs for each subject.

Organization Continued… If you tend to lose papers, try using a zipper binder to keep track of homework assignments. Create a system for tracking papers. A file cabinet might work well, or you can find a cardboard box large enough to fit file folders, label a folder for each subject, and insert papers in the appropriate file folders in the box. Keep keys on a big ring so that you can find them easily, or use a brightly- colored key chain. If you store homework assignments and other important papers digitally, you can transfer these documents onto a USB device that can attach to your keychain. Try a dry-erase calendar board if you want more space (and like using markers!) to keep track of daily tasks and events. Make a daily list (on paper or on a smartphone) of everything you need for classes, labs or meetings. Include reminders for money, transportation and food. Check the list every morning before leaving your room so that you know what you have to do.

Study Tips for Auditory and Visual Learners Auditory learners process and remember information when they hear it and repeat it. Visual learners need to SEE the information in a variety of ways. Learning strategies: Read aloud and repeat—highlight key concepts as you read and then read the highlighted material aloud several times. Record and review (with permission). Record lectures and then play them back. You can also record yourself reading a text and then play back. Discuss—explain new concepts to a family member or study partner Use audio books/texts when available Learning strategies Use color—buy a rainbow of pens and highlighters and when you take notes, use different colors for different concepts. Look at the pictures first—before you read a passage, look at illustrations to get an idea of the topic. Use flashcards Get it in writing—take notes on everything your teacher writes on the board or displays on the Promethean.

Improve Listening Critical listening is an important skill. Listen with the intention of understanding. To learn, you have to understand what the teacher is saying. Listening Strategies: Try to repeat what the teacher says in your mind. Ask yourself, Did that make sense? If not, ask for clarification. Nod. Moving your head in agreement can engage you, especially if you learn best through movement. Make connections between what the teacher says and what you already know. If you can't make a connection, ask the teacher to make one.

Take Better Notes Good note taking is one of the most important study skills students need to succeed in school. These studying tips will help you get more out of lectures and class handouts. If it's on the board, write it down. If it's on a handout, take notes in the margins. Don't rewrite information that's already been prepared for you in a handout. Write down definitions and examples. Don’t try to write down everything the teacher says. Make symbols and abbreviations. Review your notes—students who review their notes the same day they take them—even just for five minutes—remember more than students who do not look at their notes until they are studying for the test. Keep track of your notes—put the date on every page.

Read Smarter You've got to have a clear understanding of material you read for school to succeed at high school academics. These studying tips will help you understand and remember what you read in textbooks. Preview the book. Read the contents page. Look at the titles. Turn to the assigned chapter. What is the title? What can you learn from the headings? View illustrations. What are you SUPPOSED to learn? Preview any assignment sheets, read any questions from your teacher, review any worksheets. Take notes. Paraphrase key concepts as you read and summarize main ideas. STOP if you do not get it! If you do not understand a passage, re-read it and take notes. Adjust your speed. Of the material is difficult to understand, SLOW DOWN. After you finish reading, ask yourself questions. Try these: What point is the author trying to make? What is the overall message? What did I learn that I did not know before?

Be Test Wise To reduce test anxiety, add these strategies to your high school study skills. Review your notes for about five-ten minutes every night. Take notes on all assigned readings. Use mnemonic devices. Ask questions about format. Multiple choice? Short answer? Essay? Bring everything you need to the test. Read test directions carefully. Answer the easy questions first. Ask for help.