High School Study Skills
Motivation
Get Motivated
Stay Motivated

Monitoring Input
Listening
Note Taking
Reading
Class Participation
Managing Process
Self Management
Time Management
Concentration
Managing Your Learning
Managing Your Memory
Class Participation
Test Preparation
Mastering Output
Test Taking
Dealing with Test Anxiety
Learning from Tests
Preparing Written Reports
Preparing Oral Reports
Class Participation

 

Self Management

Managing Your Academic Environment

To accomplish your academic goals, it is essential to develop detailed methods for managing four major areas in the academic setting:

  1. Your expectations and effort

  2. Your study space

  3. Your study materials

  4. Your time

Expectations and Effort

The most important resource you possess is your own determination.  In order to get straight A's, you must expect to get straight A's.  But, your expectations must be accompanied by effort on your part.  You must be willing to expend time and energy to accomplish your goals.  MOREOVER, you must hustle--you must put forth more effort than is required before it is due.  Hustle means exceeding the minimum requirements.  If you want A's, then you must expect to exceed the minimum requirements your teacher sets.

Study Space

Finding a good place to study is very important.  An appropriate place for study is free of visual and auditory distractions.  A well decorated desk with pictures of your friends, souvenirs, and other favorite possessions, is the perfect place to IM your friends on the computer, but the last place you need to try to study.  Set up a study space that really works for you, with as few visual and auditory distractions as possible.  An empty table facing a blank wall is ideal.  Nothing should be on top of the desk except a light, your book or notes, something to write with, and paper.  Keep a clock in sight so you can keep track of time.  Your study sessions should be limited to 20 to 30 minutes at a time with 5 to 10 minute breaks in between.  You should be comfortable, but not too cozy.  Use a sturdy chair that is reasonably comfortable.  Leave the deluxe recliner for your leisure time.
Materials for study
A good worker maintains excellent tools for study.  The following materials should be readily available at all times:
  1. Textbooks
  2. Paper products--notebook paper, legal pads, manila folders, index cards, graph paper, sticky notes, etc.
  3. File cabinet or file drawer--Maintain a separate file for each course, and keep all study material organized and filed appropriately for ease of access.
  4. Pens and pencils, colored pens, highlighters
  5. Reference materials -- a dictionary, thesaurus, a book of quotes, a list of MHS online databases
  6. Desk and lighting--Remember your desk should be free of clutter and have adequate lighting.
  7. Computer

Time Use

It is to your advantage to have a time-use plan.  You should commit an hour to two hours of each day to  study time.   You can break your time into several shorter sessions if necessary, but you should plan one to two hours as a constant.  During this time, you should focus on four major components:
  1. Review your notes from the day's classes.  Spend 5 to 10 minutes with your notes from each class.  For each class try to identify questions you expect the instructor to ask on the next test.
  2. Prepare to listen to the following day's classes.  Preview and skim upcoming chapters in your texts or look up relevant information on the internet.
  3. Make study cards for the details and definitions covered in your notes, in your classes, and in your reading.  Make a plan for learning them.
  4. Review any old notes.  If you do this on a daily basis, semester exams will be a breeze.