Think your kid needs a boost when it comes to their studying? Then make sure to share with them these 11 secrets of successful students!
1. No laptops or smartphones, write notes down by hand
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While laptops and smartphones might be more convenient, and are most commonly used by a lot of students nowadays, nothing still beats writing down notes by hand. Writing by hand activates more regions of the brain compared to simply typing, and can potentially help with memory recall. So make it a point to ask your child to write down their notes instead of typing it down.
2. No need for highlighters, use active recall
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According to a study, highlighting, underlining, and rereading are not that efficient when it comes to learning. A better method would be to use ‘active recall’ or a technique where your child tries to recall information from their memory, and then testing themselves to make sure the answer is correct. This helps stimulate the memory centers of their brain, and helps them learn better than simply reading and memorizing.
3. Study groups are good for motivation
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It’s best to study with a group instead of letting your child study on their own. Not only does this make studying more efficient, it also helps them improve their socializing and teamwork skills. Of course, your kids should study with other kids who can motivate them, instead of kids who might influence them to not study.
4. Don’t multi-task
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When your child is studying, make sure that it’s the only task that they’re focused on. Turn off their phones, no music, and no TV while they’re studying. Once they’re done studying, then they can relax, watch TV, listen to music, etc. Multi-tasking makes people less productive, and focusing on one task at a time makes things more efficient, and prone to less mistakes.
5. You are what you eat
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Giving your child healthy food will help their brains develop, and can thus help improve their memory. Of course, it’s also important for your kids to always be healthy!
6. Take breaks
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It’s not smart to study for hours on end without stopping. When it comes to studying, the quality of studying trumps the length of time you spend studying. It has been shown that breaking up studying into 25-minute chunks helps in memory recall and improves focus.
7. Ask them to take walks
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Instead of letting them take a nap or lie down to rest, why not ask your kid to take a leisurely walk to get some fresh air and keep them relaxed. Walking also helps them think of new ideas, and sharpens focus.
8. Posture is important
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If your kid is slouching or lying down on the bed when they’re studying, then it’s time to fix their posture. Sitting down properly, and having the proper posture when studying helps them learn more efficiently, and improves memory retention.
9. Get a good night’s sleep
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Sleep is very important to learning, as it helps with memory recall and retention, and lets your brain organize your thoughts better, and also lets them focus on their schoolwork. Getting enough sleep everyday can do a lot more to improve your child’s grades compared to studying for a long time and not getting enough sleep.
10. Exercise!
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A sound mind goes hand in hand with a sound body! So if your child is having some trouble studying, why not ask them to exercise every morning. Even 20-30 minutes of daily exercise can do wonders to their health, and can in turn make their minds sharper.
11. Ask questions
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Teach your children to not be afraid of asking questions, especially if they don’t understand something. Asking so that they can learn is better than pretending to know something. It also lets them make connections to things that might not always be obvious, and fosters curiosity in them.
Source: psychologytoday.com
This article is republished with permission from theAsianparent Philippines.