I often get parents asking me how they can help their children with their study skills. We are all familiar with coming home the night before a test and studying to memorize how to calculate each math problem. But as an educator, I explain to parents that we would rather have children develop habits that generate long-term success and not cram the night before a test.
Your Child’s Success
Your child’s success in the classroom doesn’t come from any single thing. It’s about the right mix of effort, attitude, and habits. These habits are an important ingredient in this recipe, and they’re very much learned behaviour. Straight A students are not born, they’re made. Every child is capable of getting the grades they want by practicing positive daily habits. By managing emotions, staying away from distractions, and creating a straightforward plan, children can learn faster and enjoy their education while setting themselves up for success.
As a parent, you must help your child develop these habits they need to achieve academic success. You and your child will also see benefits beyond the classroom by sticking to a plan.
A Focused Workspace
Perhaps the most important part of developing a positive study habit is ensuring your child has their own desk or workspace in an area of the home that allows them to focus. It should be well lit and away from other distractions. Study supplies should be kept on hand in this area, such as sticky notes, a variety of pens and pencils, highlighters, and scrap paper.
Encourage your child to take ownership of this area and give them the freedom to decorate, organize, and clean up their desk each night to be ready to work when it comes time for their next study session.
Keeping Time
Time management can be an incredibly beneficial aspect of your child’s education. Show them how to keep a homework planner and have them write down important due dates for homework and projects. Teach them how important it is to stay on top of their assignments and how to prepare for important tests by making a schedule for reviewing material leading up to a test. This helps to avoid any late-night cramming the night before.
Show your child how you break down big projects by determining the smaller milestones and work with them to make a schedule for when they will have these components complete. This can help build confidence in your child by making their workload feel more manageable.
Reviewing Material
One of the greatest habits that can help generate success for your child is learning how to review content to understand mathematical concepts fully. Simply reviewing content the night before a test is not the best method for your child to gain a deep understanding of the material. Working with your child to review questions and having them provide explanations as to how they got to their answers can make sure they truly understand math operations. Try to encourage them to be more interactive by taking approaches such as completing practice tests or using flashcards.
It is well known that studying a little bit of a subject each day is much more effective for long-term retention than studying for a more extended period of time in a single day. Help your child structure a study schedule that can allow them to space out their studying, so they do not become overwhelmed. Even as little as 10 minutes of practice a day can help. For longer studying sessions, taking a 15-minute break once every hour can work wonders in keeping them focused and productive.
Ask For Help
Let your child know that it is OK to make mistakes and ask for help. Bringing up challenges early and asking for help can reduce frustration and math anxiety. It is also essential to teach your child how to build effective relationships with other students so that they can ask their peers for help or offer support to others who may struggle.
Cut Out Distractions
In today’s world, children live with 24-hour distractions. Getting distracted by devices or multitasking can take away from learning, so make sure your child has no distractions when reviewing their work. In an educational environment, it is essential that children stay focused on a single subject for a period of time before moving on to another subject.
Healthy Habits
Many habits can be developed to help generate your child’s success. However, a few often get overlooked but vital to their future success. A child needs essential vitamins and nutrients to help their brain grow and flourish. And, without proper sleep or rest, children may become unfocused, restless, and frustrated Ensuring that your child has healthy sleeping and eating habits can help to maximize their focus and make the most out of their time spent studying.
There is no shortage of strategies to help a child build solid habits that can help generate success. Whether your child struggles with math or excels, they may benefit from extra education. At Dropkick Math, all instructors are qualified Ontario Certified Teachers who can offer differentiated approaches, making it accessible for all learning needs.
Math tutoring is an excellent way to help your child get caught up on any gaps in learning. But, at Dropkick Math, we go even further than just tutoring your child. We are a lasting solution that provides your child with the tools to move forward and build their confidence, giving math the dropkick it deserves. Short fixes don’t always address the fundamental gaps in learning, but with Dropkick Math, you can rest assured that your child will master every building block of math learning. Learn more about our programs and get started with our FREE assessment today!
