Study tips

Tips for success

One of the most important things you can do to improve your success is to be organized. It is a good idea to have an agenda and be sure to actually use it! Many of my students have so many responsibilities that it can be difficult to remember when everything needs to be done and to find the time to do it. Keeping an agenda and following these tips should help. If you have any great tips to share with other students, tell me in a comment at the bottom of this page!
  1. Keep an agenda – and actually use it! Try to write down everything you have to do in your agenda. If you don’t have homework in a specific subject write “No Homework” so that you know that you didn’t just forget to write it down.
  2. Check or cross off items as you complete them.
  3. Use dividers in your binders and clearly label your sections.
  4. Each time you receive a handout from your teacher, write your name and the date at the top and put it straight into your binder. 
  5. Put your name and the date at the top of all your assignments and notes and always keep them in the rings of your binder or duo-tang.
  6. Keep a small plastic folder for each of your subjects – This way you can easily take home your assignments and won’t have to worry about losing them, packing a huge binder home on the bus, or crumpling and tearing important notes. (Hint: This is also great as a temporary storage place for handouts that aren’t hole-punched yet.)
  7. Ask plenty of questions. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking up in class, you can always write your question on the side of your notes or in your agenda and approach your teacher at a quiet time.
  8. Talk to your teacher if you don’t think you will have an assignment finished on time. Sometimes the stress of sports, family, music lessons or other courses can make it difficult to get everything done. Many teachers are aware of the responsibilities our students have. If you speak to your teacher ahead of time and have a good reason for not being able to complete the assignment by the due date, you may get an extension and avoid unnecessary stress or docked marks.
  9. Become an expert on each of your teachers. Every teacher teaches in a different way and has different expectations of his or her students, the better you know your teacher’s expectations, the more successful you should be. Learning is not just about information, it is also about learning style and how you can show what you have learned.
  10. Keep your parents involved in your learning too. Even if your parents are constantly worried about your study habits, keeping them informed will reassure them that you are taking responsibility for your learning. If you keep an open dialogue with them, when you do experience difficulty, they will be better able to support you and it will be easier to speak to them about it.

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