Study Skills: Getting Organized!

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Organizational skills do not come naturally; they are a learned ability that can help your students in their academic and personal lives. With large class sizes and demanding curricula, most teachers barely have enough time to teach coursework, let alone study skills.

If your child is smart but scattered, they may be forgetting to do homework or assignments which seriously impacts their grades. Not being able to prioritize tasks and organize activities means they don’t leave enough time to study or do their assignments. When this happens, bad grades and a feeling of being overwhelmed can cause damage to confidence and self-esteem.

Roadmap to success

One of the biggest problems for school children is simply forgetting upcoming tests, assignments and homework. Get your student a diary or workbook where they can record each and every task that they need to do and when it is due.

For example, the Tutor Doctor’s X-Skills program provides students with a workbook where they record every tasks that needs to be done. They start by jotting down the task quickly in class as the teacher assigns it. Then, every day when they get home, they mark the task into their study schedule. Tutors help them to determine how much time it will take and then they block off time in their workbooks to complete the task.

Students must check their workbooks every night to see what books, tasks and homework to take so that they are organized for their next school day.

Prioritizing tasks

One of the biggest obstacles to being organized is an inability to prioritize. If your child is falling behind, evaluate their after-school activities to see if they aren’t overloaded. If social or extra-mural activities are taking up study time, it may be time to reconsider.

Another important aspect is to say no to social interactions during study time. This means no texting or calling during times marked off for studying. Students don’t always have to say ‘no’ to social invitations, but they must learn to say ‘not now’.

The right environment

Creating an organized, quiet, well-lit and comfortable study area is imperative. If you want your student to be focused and to make the most of their study time, then provide them with a space that is free from distractions, noisy siblings and TV. If your home cannot accommodate this space, consider the library, a neighbor’s house or even a quiet coffee shop.

Get a tutor

Tutors will help your child to catch up, but they can also teach study and organizational skills so that your child becomes a successful independent learner. Opt for an organization that has an academic game plan in place. Here your child should be assessed to see exactly what their academic needs are so that you and your student have an accurate idea of the gaps that need to be filled. Realistic, attainable goals should then be set with a road map of how those goals will be achieved. This helps your child to understand how to set long and short-term goals.

Teaching your child the fundamental skills they need to succeed academically is the first step in better learning and a better life.