I've had this idea for a blog post in my mind for a while now, and I figured with the start of school fast approaching (or already here for some) it was a good time to throw this out here.
Because of my prior experience as a teacher I can feel very confident it sharing with you all,
Most kids (even high school students) have no idea how to study. None.
I taught both middle school and high school students and they really have no clue. High school Juniors who have either never had to study (because things came naturally easy) or never really tried would be absolutely stunned when they scored poorly on a test... "But I read over the study guide before class, while listening to my music on high volume on my earbuds" - - Sigh - - Or never even looked at the study guide provided.
I vowed to make sure my own kids learn how to study.
Up until last year Jackie, my oldest, hasn't needed to study much at home. Elementary school typically provides opportunities to study at school with a class game and study guide. Jackie hasn't really been challenged to need the extra study time at home. That changed when she started 6th grade. Her science teacher was/is tough.
This is a GOOD thing. Our kids need to learn how to struggle through something, they need to learn that they are capable of hard things, and sometimes they need to fail (or get a D) to realize that they need to do more. I am so thankful that Jackie had these opportunities last year because she learned so much more than her science curriculum.
I'm going to share that story with you, and then I'm going to give you our method for studying for her science tests (this will work for any subject).
Her science teacher really did give the students what they needed to succeed, and helped parents stay informed. Students knew a week (at the beginning of the year) and at minimum 3 days in advance of a test. They did vocabulary flip charts (or notecards), had a review sheet, and did a quiz bowl study game the day before. When it came time for Jackie's first test, I told her what I recommended she do to prepare. She was adamant that she was "fine" and could study her own way.
So I said ok.
The results of that test were less than stellar. She did her best to try and "pretty it up" but crap painted gold is still crap. We had a good discussion about expectations and how we should want to set ourselves up to do the best we can.
This was a slippery slope that I attempted to navigate carefully. I have seen how too much pressure and the expectation of "A's" all the time can impact the stress and anxiety of teens. But I needed her to understand that we expected her to do her best each time, and that she had missed the mark on this one. We do not expect straight A's from any of our kids...learning is key. Learning both content and skills. Jackie was now required to study with me and do things my way, until she was able to identify how she studies best.
Here's what that was.
#1: If her teacher allowed (which she did), Jackie was to make vocabulary notecards not that flipchart thing. I don't like those to study with...they are fine as an assignment, but as a study tool, not great. From that point on, it was notecards. - - I am VERY Thankful for her teacher allowing this, even though Jackie chose to phrase it as "my mom hates those things" (eyeroll)
#2: Paper/Pencil study guide. NOT online. She had the option. The teacher printed off copies and had the guide online to complete there and students were given the choice of which one to complete. Jackie was not allowed to do the online version. It had to be paper pencil. - - People, kids will pick the easiest option if given the chance. You know what they do with online study guides? Copy/Paste. Unless you are physically sitting there watching them, that's what they do. Paper/Pencil (ESPECIALLY as middle schooler.) - - She was required to be done with the study guide and know her notecards by the final day left to study. So if the test was Thursday, she had to know the information by Wednesday. This was usually not a problem because she had to have the guide done by a certain day for class.
#3: Videos on YouTube. There is an immense amount of information online. Using that to our advantage was helpful. I would search the main topic of their unit and video for 6th grade. An Example: "Weather Systems for 6th grade" - - Then I would pick 3-4 short videos.... I would briefly preview them looking for key words from her study guide. Jackie would watch each video and then rank them in order of best to worst (not in "entertainment" factor but how well the video explained the information from her unit) and then she had to tell me why. - - This would happen usually two days before a test. HINT...adding "for kids" at the end of a video search will find content explained in simpler terms. Very beneficial for more confusing topics.
#4: GOOGLE! This is where my teacher skills come in handy. I am a very good "Google-er" - - I would search for science tests of that topic. (I want to be clear. I was not looking for her teacher's test...she makes it herself anyway I think...I was looking for examples of higher-lever test questions on the topic.) You would be amazed at what you can find. Complete tests, sample questions, diagrams to label, and photos or graphs to analyze. Again, using the study guide I would find a few to make Jackie sit down and complete. Sometimes the answers were provided for me, sometimes we had to discuss it together....either way, the point was to get her thinking about the topic on a deeper level. More than just recalling the vocab definition. Teacher Pay Teacher is a good option here as well. I never paid for any, but you can find free tests and preview some to get question examples. This was by far, our most valuable study night before the day of the exam. Then I would usually tell her to watch the best video one more time before class the next day.
I know this may seem like a lot, but in reality what I am trying to teach my kids is to spread out the work. Do a little each night rather than cramming the day (or hour) before. Look at the material in a variety of ways, read it, watch it, play a game, answer discussion questions...just interact with the material differently. Your brain will like it! It took much longer the first few times we did it than it did in April, at that point she knew the routine.
By the end of the school year, she was consistently earning B's on her tests and finished the year with her best score ever. This, not only left her feeling confident for the rest of middle school (with the same teacher), but also found her admitting that once she figured out the system it was much easier!
Translation: Mom was right! :)
Remember. Every kid is different, they all have strengths and weaknesses...how can we help the figure out how to use those strengths and talents to overcome or improve their weakness? This method may not work for everyone, or even each of my kids...but I know that we'll keep trying to figure it out as we go.
