At Calibre Academy, we want to set our students up for success! Success at school starts at home, that’s no surprise. Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, obesity, and lack of parental support can all be linked back to poor academic performance. Those studies also show that homes with regular routines, great communication, and healthy habits lead to higher test scores. Working smarter through the use of specific success strategies can have a profound influence on learning outcomes.
Tips for Students
- Come up with a study plan – Which study strategies have worked for you in the past? Which have not? How do you want to study for a particular course? Ask your teacher for feedback on your plan.
- Prepare for class – take a look at material to be covered ahead of time!
- Be engaged during class – Participate… not necessarily by raising your hand, but by staying awake, taking good notes, thinking through the material being presented, and making a note of material that’s confusing or any questions you have.
- Review notes frequently – taking a few days to review notes can help you to avoid hours of trying to relearn forgotten material right before a test.
- Meet with teachers – Let them see you as a motivated student! Give them the opportunity to see what you know and what you can do. Ask questions, seek out clarification, ask for study tips.
- Do not procrastinate! – “I’m too tired … I can get up early tomorrow morning and do it” or “It’s going to take me too long, I can’t start that tonight!”
- Study actively – Do something with new material. Read your notes out loud, reorganize them. Draw pictures, make charts. Do a problem or two. Teach the concept to someone else!
- Set small, hourly study goals – Break large assignments into smaller ones (read a long chapter by breaking it down into just a few pages at a time, for example)
- Take short frequent study breaks – Walk around or get a snack. When you come back, do a 3-minute review and then jump into new material.
- Prioritize – What’s most important? What’s most difficult? What do I need to spend the most time on? What do I need to start today? What needs to be done every day?
- Ask for help – And don’t wait until it’s too late! The earlier the better.
- Practice self-discipline & form habits – If you have to do math homework, set a time to do it, and then when that time comes, sit down and do it.
- Study in a distraction-free space – It doesn’t have to be the same space all the time as there is some evidence to suggest that changing locales might positively impact how you remember things – just be sure you can focus and that your work has your full attention!
- Keep a positive attitude – Be confident in your abilities and try to relax! Post positive and encouraging messages in your study space. If you are worried about something, write it down and set it aside to be taken care of later.
- Stay motivated – Remember your goals or set goals if you haven’t. (Why am I taking this class? How does it get me closer to my goal?) Make study fun – use color and draw pictures when taking or reviewing notes.
Tips for Parents
- Enforce Healthy Habits – When you don’t feel good, you can’t perform well. Make sure your child follows healthy habits at home to give her the best chance of succeeding in school. Set a bedtime for your child that will allow them to get enough sleep, and feed them a nutritious breakfast every morning. Encourage her to get some exercise and limit her time watching TV, playing video games, listening to music, or using the computer.
- Stick to a Routine – Routines that help them organize their days will be well received by most children who thrive on structure. For instance, in our house, my son gets dressed, makes his bed, and eats breakfast while I prepare his lunch and pack his school bag with completed homework and forms. I serve him a snack when he gets home in the afternoon, and he works on his homework while I prepare dinner. Your routines may differ, but the important thing is that they remain consistent every day so that your child knows what to expect.
- Create a “Launch Pad” – Every day, having a single place to put backpacks, jackets, shoes, lunchboxes, and school projects are crucial, as experienced parents know. It’s referred to as a “launch pad” by some and a “staging area” by others. By the back door, we have a hook.
- Find a place where your child can keep the items he needs for school each day and keep him organized. During the morning rush, you’ll know exactly where to look for everything.
- Designate a Work Area – Your child has a desk or table at school where she works. There’s plenty of light, plenty of supplies, and plenty of workspaces. Why not provide her with a similar environment in which to do her homework? Homework completion is often made easier and more enjoyable for children when they have a designated homework space. A desk is ideal, but a supply basket and a stretch of kitchen counter will suffice.
- Read, Again and Again – It is frequently stated that children spend the first several years of their lives learning to read and the rest of their lives reading to learn. The written word is a doorway to all kinds of learning, and the more you read to your child, the more likely he is to become a skilled and enthusiastic reader.
- Try to read a little bit with your child every day, give him plenty of opportunities to read aloud to you, and most importantly, have fun. While it is impossible to overstate the importance of reading with your child, it should not be a source of anxiety.
- Learn Always – Even if your child is no longer in preschool, home education is still an important part of his overall education. Barbara Frankowski, M.D., MPH, FAAP, a member of the AAP Council on School Health, says, “Some of the attitudes recently is that it’s up to the schools and teachers to figure it all out, to make sure children are learning and healthy and safe.” “Teachers are limited in their abilities. “At home, parents must fill in with good support.”
- Throughout the day, look for opportunities to teach your child. Cooking, for example, incorporates both math and science. Use the time you spend preparing dinner to read and follow instructions, talk about fractions, test hypotheses (“What will happen if I beat the egg whites?”), and evaluate results.
- Take the Lead – Children learn by watching their elders. Allow your children to “catch” you reading. Take the time to learn a new skill and share it with them. While your children are doing their schoolwork, sit down and pay bills or do other “homework.”
- If you have a strong work ethic and seek out new learning opportunities on a regular basis, your children will begin to emulate that behavior in their own lives.
- Talk Often – Do you know how your child feels about her teacher, classmates, and classroom? If you’re not sure, ask her. Discuss with her what she enjoys and dislikes at school. Allow her to express her fears, joys, and disappointments about each day, and continue to support and encourage her by praising her accomplishments and efforts.
- Show Interest – Don’t just give your child your support; extend it to her teachers as well. Meet the teachers and maintain regular contact with them via phone or email to address any concerns that may arise. It will not only allow you to ask questions, but it will also allow teachers to feel more comfortable calling you if they have concerns about your child.
- Expect Success – Expecting your child to succeed is perhaps the most important way you can support his efforts at school. That does not imply that you expect him to be the best student, athlete, or artist. Instead, tell him you expect him to do “his best” so he can be proud of what he can achieve.