Eight ways to help kids hone their homework habits by Brandpoint (ARA) Sponsored Content
To help you succeed throughout the school year, it’s important for you to develop positive study habits, organizational skills, and concentration.
Give yourself space – Create a dedicated space for homework and study. This underscores the importance of homework. If you don’t have room for a homework desk, consider keeping all homework and study tools in a bin or box you can take out and use every day. Keep all essentials in one place to help avoid time wasted looking for the dictionary, ruler, calculator or other tools.
Create a routine – Choose a time that works best for you to do homework, then stick to that time every day. A set and predictable schedule helps minimize homework battles. “Work before play” can motivate you to get your homework done, but if you play sports or have other after-school commitments, doing homework after dinner may be the best option.
Use smart tools and study aids – Just as a mechanic can’t fix a car without the right tools, it’s hard for you to do homework without the proper tools. Choose tools like the new Post-it Study collection (www.Post-it.com), which is designed to help you stay organized and use time efficiently. For example, Post-it Study Message Flags are restickable flags that feature helpful reminders like “Study,” “To Do” and “On Test” that help you highlight material that needs additional attention. Note Tabs, Page Markers, Flags and other products in this collection by Post-it Brand stick securely to papers, notebooks, textbooks and more – yet remove cleanly – to help you organize information during homework and study time.
Avoid distractions – Establish a technology-free zone for homework and studying. Turn off TVs, stop text messaging and ensure you are using their PC for research, rather than Facebook. This measure may seem obvious to you, but remember – you are so tied to tech these days that they may be surprised to find out you can more efficiently use your time without the distractions of technology.
Map out assignments – Plot homework on a schedule so you have simple reminders of daily, weekly or long-term assignments. Include other engagements like sports or music lessons to help you have a clearer picture of your own schedule. This can help build basic time management skills, like working on a long-term project every day over time, or avoiding a late-night cramming session for a big test.
Lessons in planning and prioritizing – Make lists of what you need to do each night in order of priority. As you accomplish each item, cross it off the list. If you have difficulty staying on task, breaking large projects into smaller, more manageable tasks can help. Do the hardest homework first to help relieve the pressure of a long to-do list.
Put in the effort – Perseverance and effort in a task helps you work longer and harder, because you recognize your success is based on how hard you work. Instead of thinking “What score did you get?” think “How hard are you working?”
Effective study habits – Spreading out study sessions and practice testing are the two most-effective learning tactics, according to a recent report by the Association for Psychological Science. Both techniques involve strong time management skills. Think of study sessions or pieces of a larger project as daily to-dos, and just as important as the homework assignment that may be due tomorrow.