Introduction
The complexity of the studies is accentuated to the extent that our children advance from one educational level to another. In this sense, parents and educators know that school success is achieved by instilling in our children the great importance of their academic education with a positive vision of their professional training.
The journey from their academic training to their professional training should take them on a pleasant journey throughout the course of their studies. This implies that, throughout their study process, they should know that while they are studying, they are doing something positive. They must be mentalized that their efforts provide them with knowledge, favoring their self-discipline, which can provide them with a valuable academic qualification upon entering the labor market.
Being successful students will depend on the application of highly effective study techniques that have a logical impact on their school performance.
Although a good learning of the study techniques requires more extension than we can dedicate in the present study, we will summarize some tips that will be useful to study better.
Sharing a real situation.
Mario, a pre-university student, studies two hours a day and gets excellent grades. His partner Daniel, who has a similar capacity, studies intensely for almost four hours each day and, on the other hand, does not achieve results as good as Mario. The difference is that different study methods apply.
In view of the situation, we will review some tips that will be effective to obtain a better school performance.
Planning
To achieve a better performance in the studies, a detailed analysis of the time available each day of the week is necessary. The time of study and work outside the classroom must be carefully programmed. Trying not to eliminate recreational activities, which are fundamental, we must establish a period of daily study in advance. A simple and simple schedule will not only make each student lose time, but it will also help him establish the habit of studying.
The study session.
When the study period has been limited, the student needs a clear structure of what has to happen in the two or three hours that the session lasts. Here are some suggestions for your maximum benefit:
- It is convenient to leave the tasks easier and more pleasant for the end of the session, starting with the activities that are more difficult or of medium difficulty.
- It is necessary to maintain a positive attitude: study and knowledge result in a high level of personal satisfaction, as well as good results in exams.
- You have to set aside small moments of rest (about 10 minutes) every hour.
- Regularity makes the task easier. The study must be done at the same time and in the same place.
- The study session should be away from meals and violent exercises.
The environmental conditions.
Study time with the TV at full volume in the next room, or with a general disorganization, is not profitable. When the atmosphere is calm, the temperature is pleasant, the study table is tidy, there is enough light, and so, the performance will be higher.
In spite of everything, there are young people who seem to study better with some music, with food around and lying down instead of sitting down. If the results are satisfactory, there is no reason to intimidate the student with methods that do not work for him or her.
The underline
When the student carefully emphasizes the textbooks, he maintains his concentration, chooses what is really important and prepares the way to study it and review it more easily.
How to emphasize?
- Previously, make a quick reading of the text.
- Start by underlining the main ideas with a certain color.
- Mark the secondary ideas in another color, without abusing the underline.
- Keywords can be framed.
- Circles, images, arrows, asterisks, etc., are advanced underline elements.
The scheme.
When the student elaborates a scheme, he is forced to understand the content, extract the most important one and order it in a coherent way. The schemes offer at a glance all the material in synthetic form and can be stored in the memory for much longer than a conventional text. In fact, it is an indispensable tool for exam preparation.
The summary.
It is a good writing exercise that includes only the most important, at this time, in which a summary of a lesson previously underlined is made. To make a good summary it is necessary to underline and make a scheme. Next it is about reciting out loud the general thread of ideas. On the basis of this "history", the summary is written: brief, grammatically complete and following the order of the outline. Finally, it is read aloud and the last corrections are made.
The exams.
According to my experience as an educator, I have found students who, having studied well, can not grasp what they know in the exam. Nerves and lack of ability to face an exam spoil the effort made.
The complexity of secondary studies reaches a level where study techniques are required. Study techniques are important to achieve school success. If as parents and educators we guide our children and students in the importance of these resources, we will motivate them to become winners of life and future high-level professionals, both academic and cultural.
