The following is a reprint of an article I contributed to the Spring 2004 edition of the Collin County Kids newspaper.
Helping your Child Learn to Study
Think back to your college days for just a second. Do you recall the countless pages of notes from the never-ending lectures? What about the all-night study sessions, remember those? Now picture your child sitting in that dorm room, glassy-eyed, and obsessively repeating, "But what does it MEAN?"
This scenario may not be as far away as you think. Even if college is still years away, high school is right around the corner and middle school may be closer still. In fact, the honor roll student that currently lives in your home may soon morph into an entirely new being. This new creature is likely to be confused and full of self-doubt. She may face a daily battle to keep her head above water, and no, its not just the hormones.
In making the transition from elementary to middle school, many students are frustrated to find they lack the skills necessary to succeed. Certainly, we are all aware of the emphasis placed on standardized testing; nowhere is this more obvious than in the elementary schools. Educators are under such pressure to meet state mandates that the focus has shifted so far towards learning to how to test that it has virtually eliminated critical thinking and metacognition (learning how to learn). This leaves students ill-equipped to master the higher-order skills required in middle school. If they are unable to overcome the deficiency in middle school, high school will prove to be even more frustrating.
Homework has always been, and will probably always be, handouts, chapter questions, and rote repetition, with a project or two thrown in for good measure. Since we hone our skills by repetition, there is definitely a need for these activities. Remember, however, that homework is not the same thing as studying. Consider what happens when a student who has no trouble with homework is faced with a non-standardized test, one that requires understanding and application of a concept, not simply regurgitation of facts? He or she is lost. Our best hope of truly understanding a concept is to study it, think about it, critique it, and study it again. Learning how to study gives your child the tools to take the basic facts and apply, analyze, and evaluate them.
Critical thinking, like most things, doesn't just happen, it must be learned. For a skill to be learned, it must be taught. So, how do you help your child learn to think critically? The first step is helping him learn to study. To that end, there are countless strategies available. A few to get you started...
Read the chapter. This sounds obvious but you might be surprised how few students read an entire textbook chapter. If the homework assignment states, "Define the ten terms listed on page 110," guess what? Those ten sentences are likely to be the only ones read. Sure, it's an easy grade but does it help her understand the concept? Reading the chapter will improve her understanding of the subject matter and prepare her for related concepts later.
Take notes. It is astonishing to me how few teenagers know how to take notes, whether in outline format or otherwise. If your son gets in the habit of simply writing down major points as the teacher speaks, copying problems from the board, and drawing the occasional diagram, it will make a world of difference. Format and style may be addressed at a later date, just get him writing for now. Assure him that complete, grammatically correct sentences are not necessary and help him learn to use abbreviations. This skill will prove invaluable in college.
Review the notes. Have her read over the notes every evening and add to them as appropriate, thereby increasing retention and comprehension dramatically.
Consider learning styles. By now, you and your child probably have a good idea of his preferred learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. Help him use this knowledge by seeking out various media that accommodate his preferences and strengths. If he is a visual learner, encourage him to supplement his notes with diagrams. Musically-inclined students may do well to put their notes to music. Isn't this how we all learned the alphabet?
Use resources wisely. As proud members of the information age, we have access to a near-obscene amount of information. Encourage her to consider the source and be selective in the information she accepts as the truth. She may be inclined to chain herself to the computer, believing it the "be all and end all" of information. Remind her there are other valuable tools out there; teachers and libraries are my personal favorites.
Test Yourself. After reading the chapter, taking notes, and paying attention in class, he should have a good grasp of the subject matter. Have him develop a list of open-ended questions he would ask if he were the teacher. Make sure he is able to answer them thoroughly. Though this strategy will certainly be useful when the real test rolls around, the primary focus is for him to make sure he understands the concept, not just the facts.
Taken together, these study strategies should help your child build the foundation for metacognition and encourage her to think critically. Once armed with these skills, those pesky tests and homework problems will generally take care of themselves.
When you meet resistance, and you will, remind her that learning how to study now will help to ensure that she'll have more time for napping between classes in college. We ALL remember how important that was.
