Many of todays' High School students are being pressed for time. Besides their studies, their time is being used for many extracurricular activities. Students today are swamped with sports, and responsibilities at home.
How does one find time to study, much less study efficiently?
The first thing you have to look at is what I call quality time. Quality time is a space in time where you can be the most receptive to the learning process. For example, let's look at lunch time. Many students like to study during lunch for their afternoon classes that are coming up. However, because of the noise and distractions that come with this time of the day, it is hard to concentrate. Because this time is limited, it also puts a student in a hurry up mode. Retention of material can be hard to do.
Quality time is different for each student. Some students like to study late into the evening. Others like to study right after school. Some students are forced to study whenever they can. The secret to quality time is finding that period of the day that works best for you. If you are forced to study at a time of day that is not conducive to good learning and retention, you will not do as well. Find what works best for you and then adapt your schedule.
Once you find your quality time, then you must eliminate all distractions. Turn off the cell phone, internet, televisions and any other distractions. Look for a well lighted and soundless area.
Although everyone likes to sit near their friends, this could be a bad idea. If your friend is a distraction, get away from them. You don't have to tell them why. You can still be friends. If you have a girl friend or boy friend, don't sit near them. It is too easy to get distracted. At this age your hormones are running wild. For many students this is hard to do. The fear or endangering their relationship controls their choices and decisions.
Studying with a friend or a group can be helpful or distracting. The more in the group can mean more chaos. Keep the group small. Try to have the serious ones in it. If you have a distraction, eliminate it. Some teachers are so dedicated that they might offer to stay after school and work with your group. This can be a powerful tool. If you don't understand a problem, seek help or explanation from others. Don't cheat. Just look for someone that understands it better than yourself.
Make sure you have access to a dictionary, calculator, and computer. These three tools can be very beneficial in the learning process.
Last and most important of all is to pay attention. Know what is going on around you all the time. Listening might be the most overlooked skill in the learning process. Some students hear but they don't listen. there is a difference between the two.
In todays fast moving world, High School students must plan ahead. Most of the ideas I just gave you are very simple. However, these ideas can be very affective.
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