Study Tips for Teens and Their Parents

Studying isn’t something most teenagers look forward to. If you are a parent of a teenager, you probably don’t look forward to it either. There are many nights when parents want to tear their hair out just trying to get their teen to study. Maybe the problem isn’t the teenager maybe the problem is the way he or she is trying to study. Did you know that there are ways to improve study habits, thus making studying easier? There are a lot of little secrets that we teachers (and ex-teachers) know regarding how to improve study habits and skills.

1. Study in a Quiet Environment: This should be a no-brainer, but there are many teenagers who study with the television blaring or in the middle of the family room floor. That can be very distracting and the student will not retain much of what he or she is studying, especially if the television is on or if family members keep coming and going. If you must have noise in the background when you are studying, try a soft-playing radio. Nothing to look at besides your homework, but the background noise is still there if you need it. Make sure the student has all the supplies he or she needs and adequate lighting.

2. Rewrite Your Notes: Often times during class, the student is in a rush to keep up with note taking. A great way to study the information given, is to rewrite any notes from class. Include pictures, or diagrams of things that may help you to remember the notes better.

3. Know What Kind of Learner You Are: There are three main types of learning that can occur. Knowing which one you are can help. Do you learning best by hearing what is being taught? Do you retain information better by just hearing it out loud? Then you are an Auditory Learner. If this is the way you learn best, try saying everything you are studying out loud. It may seem crazy, but it works! Do you learn best by seeing pictures of items or having things written on an overhead or chalkboard? Then you are a Visual Learner. Try creating pictures in your mind of things you are studying. Visual Learners learn best by seeing the item. Do you learn best when things are hands on, when you can actually touch things or manipulate them? Then you are a Kinesthetic/Tactile learner. When you are studying, try using manipulative’s for what you are studying, or make a project that can help you as you are studying. Simply knowing what kind of a learner you are and changing the way you study to focus on that type of learning, can make a world of difference.

4. Quiz Yourself: Sounds interesting, huh? Try taking information from what you are studying and write it on a note card. On the other side of the note card, write the answer. After you have written various questions over your study topic, ask the questions on your note card to yourself, or have a family member do it. The answer will be right there on the back of the card. If you miss the question, go back and review it and then try the question again.

5. Use Acronyms: When studying for something that requires memorization of a list or different topics, try an acronym. An acronym is words or phrases made from the first letter of each word you must remember. Let me give an example of what I mean. Let’s say you need to remember the names of the planets in order. You would start by naming the planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, etc) then you would take the first letter of each of those and make a funny saying, one that is easily remembered by you. An example of a funny saying could be, “Matt very easily made, etc,, etcâÂ?¦” This is an easy way to memorize lists of things that need to go in a specific order.

Studying can be stressful, but it doesn’t always have to be. Try incorporating some of the strategies and tips from this article. See what happens. It may just make life easier for the student in your house!