Some students seem to develop good study habits as a matter of course as they progress through the grades. Others don’t pick this up automatically and therefore the skills must be taught. Often, teachers need to show students how to study in addition to showing them what to study.
Review Notes Nightly
Commit five minutes per day per subject to reviewing notes. Consider this part of your nightly homework during the week. Reread the current days’ notes, as well as looking over all notes from the current unit of study. Reviewing the content, even for a short time, on a nightly basis, rather than trying to cram it all in on the night before a test, is a more effective way to learn the material.
Even if you have five major classes, this only requires twenty-five minutes per night. You will find that the more you read over the material, the more of the material will be committed to memory.
Clarify Questions
Circle or highlight any material that you don’t understand while reviewing notes. If you don’t take complete notes, notes that may make sense during class may suddenly seem confusing during study time.
Get clarification from the teacher well in advance of test time. Don’t ignore notes that are confusing or misleading. This may cause you to misunderstand key concepts that will impact your performance on the test.
Test Prep Skills
Ideally, you should begin studying for tests as soon as they are announced. Many students make the mistake of waiting to study for tests until the last night. Again, reviewing the materials for shorter lengths of time over several nights is a better way to learn it.
You can also devise ways to create your own testing materials help gauge how much they have learned. Creating flash cards or practice tests, redoing math problems, and studying with a buddy are all ways of practicing the material over and over until it is mastered.
Study for twenty to thirty minutes each night during the days leading up to the test. The night before the test, the material should be learned well enough that a quick read through is all that will be necessary.
Get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast. Try to stay calm during the test. If you are well-prepared, this will be easier. Take your time, and be sure to read both directions and test questions carefully.
Skip over question you do not know and come back to them later. Spending too much time agonizing over a question you do not know will only increase your anxiety, which will make it harder to perform at your best.
Reviewing, clarifying, and practicing will help you improve your test-taking skills. Be sure to devote the time needed, and you should see a significant improvement in your test grades.
Susan Carney - I have been working as a middle school counselor with 6th and 7th grade students for the past thirteen years. I received a BA in ...
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