Many parents feel like there are not enough hours in the day. We work hard from morning until night, just to go to bed remembering all the tasks we have yet to accomplish. For many parents, it is hard to find the extra time to help our children and students perform better in school. Here are a few ways we can help our children perform better in school, without wasting time.
Homework
1. No cell phones.
Optimize homework time by putting away the cell phone. With less distraction, your child will be able to finish homework faster.
2. Create a study zone.
A study zone is an area where your child can work on schoolwork or study. By creating a study zone, your child’s brain will recognize the area as a place to work, which results in more focus, less distraction, and shorter time spent on school assignments.
3. Break it down
For bigger projects and essay’s, break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks, and work on a small portion at a time. Trying to tackle the whole project at once can become overwhelming and time consuming.
4. Start early
Start early, and spread the work out to complete a little each day, or a little each week. Starting early can prevent procrastination, and poor work by completing tasks last minute.
While students work on homework, schoolwork, or class assignments, we, as parents, can help them become more efficient with their time. By creating greater efficiency, they will be able to perform better on homework, and be faster, with less time wasted on distractions.
Studying
1. Set a timer.
Students can focus better on school work assignments or studying when they are allowed scheduled breaks. Set a timer for 30 minutes for studying, then set 15 minutes for a break. If your student is 6th through 12th grade, set the timer intervals for 50 minutes of study, and 10 to 15 minutes for break. Students tend to focus better on the task at hand when they know the break time is coming soon.
2. Read out loud.
Reading the study notes out loud can increase memory retention when students are studying. So instead of reading notes over and over, students can cut the time in half by reading out loud. This is especially important for audio learners.
3. Skim the middle.
If your child or student is short on time to study a textbook, have them read the first and last paragraphs and skim the middle.
4. Prepare the night before.
The best time to study or review, for most students, is early in the morning before school. So instead of waking up an hour earlier, and losing an hour of sleep, make all morning preparations the night before to give you the extra time to study. This includes setting out clothes, packing a lunch, packing their bag, so that everything is ready to go.
Studying for weekly test can take a lot of time, but you can save time with these quick hacks, and by reviewing notes daily.
Review
1. 10 minutes at the end of the school day.
Reviewing school notes and reading material daily will make studying for big tests much easier, and takes less time. By reviewing notes within 24 hours, your child is 60% more likely to have memory retention.
2. 10 minutes in the morning.
Have your child wake up 10 minutes earlier to review notes in the morning before school.
3. Or 10 minutes before bed.
If your child is not an early bird, then have them substitute the morning review for a review just before bed. (Although morning is best, since their brains are refreshed from sleep).
4. Bus or car ride.
This time should not be wasted! Have your child utilize the time on the bus or car ride by reviewing notes, or class work, or finishing the final touches of an assignment.
By breaking down your child’s review time into smaller, 10 minute segments, your child will have better memory retention, and require less time for studying for the big exams. Additionally, it is much easier to find an extra 10 minutes here and there, then to squeeze in an hour in a busy, hectic day.
Rachael is the epic educator behind The Experienced Graduate. She provides free resources for parents of teens that are struggling in school. Rachael believes every teen has the capability to earn academic success on their own. You can connect with Rachael through Facebook or Twitter.
