Improve Study Skills Over the Summer With These 5 Tips From a Costa Mesa Tutor
School kids are out and about enjoying their first taste of freedom for the summer. They need a break from all of the hard work they’ve been doing throughout the school year so they can enjoy a little bit of the sunshine and some time with friends and family. In most cases, the last thing kids are thinking about is how to improve their study skills but, summer is actually a great time to think about how to study more efficiently so that students can spend less time on busy work and more time achieving their goals while still having a work/life balance throughout the school year – our private Costa Mesa summer tutors are here to help you catch up and get ahead this break.
1. Search for keywords
One of the best things students in early and middle grades can do to cut down unnecessary study time is learn how to search for keywords. Many students read through an entire chapter to find the definition of a vocabulary word only to find that it was in the very last paragraph. This can be very frustrating and take up unnecessary time. Alternatively, students can look for keywords that give them a clue as to which particular paragraph or chapter might contain the desired information. One-on-one tutors are great at helping students develop this skill, which can save hours over the course of a term.
2. Organize math formulas
Students might think that, since it’s summer, they’re done with math forever when, in fact, they’re only done with math for a few weeks. If students are lucky, their classroom teacher will review formulas at the beginning of fall term, but the review may or may not be as extensive as is necessary. Students are encouraged to sit down with a parent or tutor and spend a couple of hours organizing all of the math formulas they learned throughout the year.
3. Experiment with concentration
Developing right concentration is not as easy as it might seem because there isn’t one particular strategy that works for every student. Summer is a great time to experiment with concentration and helps kids understand why they have difficulty focusing and what they need to do to improve. Students can practice by reading a chapter book or doing research that would take multiple hours from start to finish. Parents can observe how many minutes a student can focus until they start to become distracted and they can also look at what type of environment a kid focuses best in. For example, are they happier in the peace of their room or do they study better at the kitchen table?
4. Organize assignments
General organization is a key to success when it comes to effective study practices. One thing many younger students struggle with is keeping their homework assignments organized in a backpack or binder. Assignments, both finished and unfinished, tend to get lost in backpacks and students often can’t remember which chapters they were supposed to read because they forgot to write it down. Summer offers an ideal time for students to sit down and figure out a system that works for them and will keep things organized throughout the school year (READ: Costa Mesa Private Tutoring Tips: 4 Reasons to Multitask While Studying).
5. Motivation
Determining how best to motivate a younger student is one of the most difficult things a parent or educator will face. However, highly motivated students tend to study more often and more efficiently, so it’s worth taking some time to investigate the situation. Most commonly, students lose motivation because they’re overly tired, uninterested in a particular subject, or unable to figure out the practical applications of a particular topic. Because students don’t have academic obligations over the summer, it’s an ideal time to start figuring out what will help them be motivated to work toward success.
We have great news! You can have fun this summer AND stay on top of your academic studies. With the help of private Costa Mesa tutoring, you can catch up on a subject you didn’t do so well in, or prep for any upcoming tests (ACT, SAT, you name it). Call us today for more information.