Good study habits require early intervention and planning.

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High School Study Habits...Get Going!

When did you start developing your study habits? Was it high school? Before?

If you watch a typical high school student studying, it’s a comical sight. And at first glance, you might not be able to determine what it is they’re doing.

High School Study Techniques

High school kids are usually not sitting, more like slouching or laying down. Headphones from iPods are usually involved. Then there’s the cluster of friends and the constant chatter and laughter, and let’s not forget the television...oh and the cell phones and laptops constantly plugged into their Myspace or Facebook accounts.

It Doesn't Look Like Studying

Are they really trying to study? Where did they learn these study habits? We never studied like that! What’s the common theme here? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Truth is, that we learn study habits from our parents, at least initially. Then we morph what we learn by watching our older siblings, then friends and so on. If you’ve ever seen that chart of the evolution of man, starting with a monkey and progressing to humans, just think of this as the reverse of that poster...

High School is a Transition, and Kids Still Need Their Parents

The high school years are years of change for kids, and not just their study habits. Physically, emotionally and of course socially. High school is usually the time when parents begin to hear the dreaded phrase “your child is just too social”. Another way of saying your child talks too much (seems distracted, isn’t focused, doesn’t pay attention, is generally a teenager).

Kids need the supervision of adults...even when it comes to instilling the proper study habits, and high school study skills. In the hypothetical above, the kids are placing as many distractions as possible to make this a social event disguised as a study session.

Now, people do have different study styles, but one thing is certain, distractions won’t help anyone’s learning style. So how do we handle or limit distractions? Lets take a look.

First, you need a place to study. If you haven’t read it yet, here’s the link to "where to study."

Distractions or Study Tools?

Next, lets differentiate the distractions from the potentially helpful learning tools. First, lets turn off the television, shut down the Facebook and Myspace, and limit the use of the laptop to internet research. Let’s also reserve the cell phone for emergencies (real emergencies, not boyfriend or girlfriend emergencies). You can use these things as rewards for successful completion of a predetermined amount of study time.

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iPods

I find iPods to be beneficial when I’m studying alone. When I want to get rid of background noise, I like to listen to classical music.

Another reason I like iPods is the availability of thousands of books in downloadable format. Even books that are required reading for schools can be found on iTunes.

So lets keep the iPod around as a study device with one caveat. There are so many cool iPod applications, that they can easily become distractions, so be careful.

Friends

What about having friends over to study?

High school study habits require discipline. Discipline means inviting kids who are serious about studying, not socializing.

Friends are like the iPod applications...they can be really distracting. Maybe some ground rules would be in order if your kid wants to have a study group. If the kids are focused, a study group can be an excellent, and fun way to learn in high school.

Kids this age aren’t exactly blessed with good study habit(yet). They laugh and chat while they study, but as long as they work toward their goals, this is a great way to make studying fun. And making studying fun, is a great study habit to instill in your kids. But they really have to understand why they’re there. Gossiping and watching television aren’t study habits, so do it during a break or after you’re done.

Helping Your High School Kids Study

So...there’s no chance that you actually know more than your high school kid...at least in their eyes. But just in case you do, here are a few ground rules. You are the parent. You know more, you will always know more, they will never be as smart as you...get this through their heads. If you accomplish this, let me know how you did it.

Ground rule number two-set a schedule, and stick to it. Getting into a routine, or habit is hard, especially for teens. Studies show that it takes about three weeks for an action to become a habit, so you need to be consistent and persistent.

Once you’ve established the two ground rules, lets customize a plan and instill some good studying habits.

Some things I say have scientific backing, but a lot of what I say have absolutely no science that I’m aware of, but I can definitely say it works for me.

When and How to Study

A very simple study tip is to determine what time of day is the best time for you to study. I’m a morning person. I’m most awake (after a cup of coffee) and feel the most refreshed in the morning. I can study longer, comprehend more, and stay interested longer in the mornings. For me, learning occurs more quickly in the morning and less quickly at night. So mornings are best for me.

Most high school kids will tell you they learn better at night, but it’s hard to monitor. So once you decide what time of day to study you have to determine what you’re trying to accomplish.

Short Study Bursts

If I’m trying to memorize something, I study for short, bursts, maybe 10-15 minutes, and I do this in multiple sessions throughout the day. My attention span is short, and I find shorter, more intense sessions help me to retain interest in the subject, even though I hate rote memory tasks. So make it a study habit to do numerous, short sessions when you’re trying to memorize things.

Longer Bursts for Understanding

I study for longer periods if I’m trying to learn or understand something new. I feel when I’m learning something new, I need the extra time to keep the information from becoming too fragmented. Longer chunks of study time helps me assemble information and helps me see how things fit.

Re-Energizing Is Time Well Spent

But don’t get crazy. You really can’t effectively study for hours on end without giving yourself time to clear your mind. When I get groggy, I love to go run because it helps me think about what I just did and also helps to clear my head...funny that one study habit is knowing when to quit studying.

There is a law of diminishing returns here, so take productive breaks when you’re in a long study session.

Trouble Shooting

High school usually means more homework. If your kids aren’t used to the work load, or are just plain lazy, trouble looms in the horizon.

If your kid’s grade takes a sudden plummet, the first step is to determine if a certain study habit is causing the problem, or whether it’s just plain old laziness. Here’s your trouble shooting checklist:

Check their backpacks, cars, bedrooms or call teachers to find out if they’ve been turning in their homework. A couple of zeros for homework grades can bring an average down quickly. If you find missing assignments, check with the school to see if they can still turn it in for a lower grade. A fifty beats a zero. This has nothing to do with study habits...it’s just common sense.
Check to see if your kid has recently bombed a test (this does have something to do with study habits). Kids being kids, parents will be the last to know about a bombed exam. If the exam is fairly recent, ask the teacher if a re-test is possible. If so, get it scheduled.
Talk to your kids to see if there’s something bothering them. If you need help here’s the link to talking to your kids. Sometimes the smallest thing may be bugging the heck out of them. A wise voice may aid in a quick resolution. Sometimes it may be boyfriend problems, other times they might not like the teacher (again, nothing to do with study habits). Kids are finicky that way.
Watch your kids when they do homework. If you notice frustration, it’s a key indicator that there may be some issues in understanding the material. Your kid may be completely lost in a class, and have no idea how to dig herself out. Her perceived failure, may make her clam up about her problems. No one wants to feel like they’re the only ones who don’t get it.
If your kids are working with study groups, make sure the group is really studying. “Study groups” are a great excuse to stay out on a weeknight.
Even if your kid doesn’t exhibit any signs of academic problems, talk to them in a non threatening way to check on their progress. “How did that exam go yesterday?” “Did your teacher like your book report?” This can help you monitor, and take corrective measures early. The day before report cards is too late to take any corrective action.

Just remember that when grades start falling, it isn’t necessarily because there is a problem with study habits. Odds are, it may just as likely be a motivation or self discipline problem.

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