Teaching Study Skills
Poor performance on exams and assignments has compelled teachers to come up with creative ways to help their students acquire proper study habits. Recently, three veteran educators have come up with their own game plans to win the battle against academic mediocrity; they have devised ingenious methods in teaching study skills, methods that have proven to work so far.
The Breakfast Club
Kelly Dekmar of the Brooklawn Dale Middle School of Parsippany, New Jersey had employed every strategy she knew to get her students to develop some semblance of study skills; she used the lunch period and after school hours to meet but her study sessions couldn’t compete with extra-curricular activities or family responsibilities. By process of elimination, she offered to meet her students during mornings; add some pancakes and a catchy name – the Breakfast Club was born.
Defining Good Study Habits
Linda Bryan, a teacher at the Maplewood Middle School in Minnesota, noticed that her students believed in urban study myths such as the amount of time spent studying is directly proportional to comprehension; good grades depend on the teacher’s good graces, and plain simple luck. Instead of dispelling the myths head on; she came up with creative suggestions that rival the urban myths in terms of the interest factor but teaching the student how to study: study while waiting in the lobby; while setting hair or applying make-up; and taping a review sheet on the bathroom to be read while shaving, brushing teeth and so on.
Coming Attractions
Patricia Meloy, a Spanish teacher at Barrington (Illinois) High School, developed coming attractions as some sort of equalizer for the slower students to catch up with the class braniacs. By previewing future lessons and materials, the students developed confidence and initiative; knowing that they can catch up or even be ahead of the class lessons simply by turning one page further.
The three teachers advise those who plan to come up with similar study skill building programs to not be discouraged if participation level is low at the start; after all, every great journey begins with a single step.
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Effective Study Skills Lesson Plan
Students thrive on your recognition of their classroom efforts! Encourage them to keep up the good work by periodically handing out little rewards. Below are a few ideas:
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