Poor Study Skills and Time Management –The Silent Grade Killers

Before a Club Z! Tutor ever begins tutoring a student in a specific subject, he or she works to uncover the truth about the student’s study skills. Students who possess good study skills and time management lay the foundation for success in all of the academic areas and even affect success in the future workplace. Because teachers do not give official grades for study skills or time management, many parents and students tend to overlook their development. Students suffering from poor grades across several subjects often struggle more from a lack of study skills than anything else. Without the mastery of essential study and organizational skills, it is hard for any student to make real and lasting progress in any subject area. The most central component of a study skills program is a suitable place to study.  Is your study place available to you whenever you need it?  If you are using a study place that you must share with others for any reason, work out a schedule so that you know when you can use it. Is your study place free from interruptions and distractions? Some people actually concentrate better with a little background noise.  If this applies, make sure to keep the volume low.  In addition, make sure your study place already contains the materials you need to help you complete assignments, such as a computer, pencils, paper, rulers, calculators, etc. Getting up to get these things during your study time will break your flow and lead to time wasted. Some other components to keep in mind when setting aside a suitable place to study is adequate lighting, desk surface area, chair comfort level, temperature, and adequate storage space. While setting aside a reliable location is vital to a student’s study plan, progress will never happen unless the child consistently uses that place to study.  Between school, participation in organized sports, family obligations, friends, after-school jobs, and chores, making time to study for upcoming tests and completing projects can be challenging. Here are some signs you may be overscheduled: • You rush from one event to another. • You resort to drastic short cuts to arrive on time, like eating dinner in the car. • You are often tired and cranky. • You feel like you have no down time. • You participate in so much that you can no longer enjoy any  single activity to the fullest. The key to staying balanced is to schedule events in some kind of an organizer, prioritize, and remember that everyone needs some down time.  This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and over-committed, while securing your sacred time to study at your designated study place.