IMO a lot of young people never learn how to study appropriately. I think that my parents actually sent me to an afterschool program so I could learn how to study effectively and efficiently. This is what I attribute most of my scholastic success to. I learned the SQ3R studying method when I was quite young and I applied in in school with lost of success.
It also helped me coast through college without ever acutally attending class and still somehow earn a relatively good GPA.
hate to be a party-pooper, but those kinds of habits are ingrained when they're smaller, according to the parents I know.
however, there ARE ways to encourage good studying: make sure the student has a dedicated area for studying, one that's free from distractions like the phone and TV; set up a specific time for studying (after dinner for an hour, etc); if you're going to school yourself, let your child see you make studying a priority. This last one is something my boss told me. He takes a couple of credit hours each semester to delay paying on his student loan because he's had a housefull of kids, and when they were growing up, they always saw their dad studying and that put it in their heads that it was something important. Of course, the flip side to that, he said, is that he was not allowed to watch the Cowboys unless his homework was done, or the girls would start nagging him about it!!!
since you've got a teenager, maybe it might help if you set aside certain activities for her/his study time (paying bills comes to mind) and you sit at the table with your kiddo while he or she is studying. Kinda like when kids work in a library – others around them are also doing the same thing, so they keep on task.
__________________
We don’t all have to do great big, huge, impressive things. The little things, if done with love and a heart willing to serve, are every bit as important.
hate to be a party-pooper, but those kinds of habits are ingrained when they're smaller, according to the parents I know.
The thing is is that I never had a problem with my daughter's grades before she entered sixth grade. She got A's, B's, and C's. She never cracked a book.
Now, that she is in middle school. She is getting B's, C's, and D's.
since you've got a teenager, maybe it might help if you set aside certain activities for her/his study time (paying bills comes to mind) and you sit at the table with your kiddo while he or she is studying. Kinda like when kids work in a library – others around them are also doing the same thing, so they keep on task.
My son has a reading disability, he has always needed help with his studies. I help him read. He'll stay after school till 4:00 everyday to make sure he gets his homework done. He enjoys it. He always comes home after school happy that he got his homework all done.
My daughter is at that rebellious stage. She took an IQ test the other day at her therapist. She is very smart. Just not applying herself.
I think tonight I will put the extra leaf in the table. Have one kid on one side of the table, one kid on the other. For at least...an hour? If not, then no TV or computer!! I think the problem is too many distractions when they get home from school. Too much other more interesting things to do.
she sounds like my boss's one daughter. Smart as a whip, but relied on that to get her through school instead of developing good study habits, so she ended up flunking out of a prestigious school she was given a full scholarship to. Not that she isn't a great kid, but she didn't realize that with a little mental elbow grease, she could have gotten through college just fine.
however, yours is still young enough to work with, not 20-something! the program that otter talked about might be something worth looking into, or something similar to it. Also, talk with her teachers to see what they advise – one might have a diffferent approach to learning or studying that makes complete sense to your child, and you can use that to help her create good habits.
another thought is that your girl is at that dreaded stage of life: junior high. Kids become more socially aware and school work tends to take a nosedive, you know?
~~~~
thanks, that's my boy, in his "rapper dogg" outfit!
another thought is that your girl is at that dreaded stage of life: junior high. Kids become more socially aware and school work tends to take a nosedive, you know?
Yes, Blind_Otter had a good idea. That works for my son. However, my daughter goes to a school in a different town. She catches the bus home. If she stayed after school everyday, I would need to leave work and drive a half an hour everyday to get her and bring her home.
I don't think my boss would be too thrilled.
There are going to be 2 brand new computers in our home in a month. I am going to use those as leverage. Also, might even go as far as implementing a Gold Star program with her at home. Study an hour a night, get a star...end of the week get her something for her hard work.
Please note: The suggestions and advice offered on this web site are opinions only and are not to be used in the place of professional psychological counseling or medical advice. If you or someone close to you is currently in crisis or in an emergency situation, contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency number.
Linear Mode
