Effective study habits are often the reason behind students’ success in school. But, what are effective study habits exactly? Well, they’re a series of choices that are organised as a study routine that help students improve their studying. By having good study habits, students essentially lay out the path to academic success! Of course, students need to first develop good study habits to make them effective. And if you don’t form those habits with the right foundation, then it will be all for naught. This is extra challenging for young children, since they don’t know enough to form these study habits on their own. So, it’s up to parents and guardians to help them out! In this article, we’ll guide you through five fundamental principles that will help you help your kids develop effective study habits and improve their academic performance! Knowing these five guidelines will help you support your child’s academic journey even more.
Know How Your Child Learns
The first principle is to know how your child learns best. Children can learn in all sorts of ways and not every method works for every child. So, instead of forcing habits that won’t work, you need to know how your child personally prefers to learn. This first step is crucial because it affects how you will approach the rest of the process. If you don’t know how to start, you can use these questions as a guide to find out how your child learns best!
- Does your child prefer learning (memorising) or doing (understanding)?
- When do they prefer to study?
- What environment works best for them?
- Do they work best alone or with friends?
- Are they a deadline oriented or do they plan ahead?
Form A Study Plan
Now that you know how your child learns best, the next step is to make a study plan suited for them. Imagine yourself building a staircase between two floors. Knowing how your child learns is the foundation of the first floor, but your end destination is to form good study habits – the second floor. So, you need to have a set of stairs to reach them. Making a study plan for your child is one of those steps. This plan will not only help your child know what to do while studying, but also when, how, and why they should do it. The study plan can involve:
- Setting up a schedule: Find out what time your child prefers to learn, such as during afternoons or weekends, and schedule their studying time around it.
- Listing some study goals: Some children need to know what goal they’re reaching to get studying done. Start with something simple, such as to finish 30 minutes of studying or to get a good grade for the next test.
- Getting the right study materials: Make sure to prep your child with the materials they need, such as stationary and school books, to do their studying right!
Set The Scene Right
Once you have a study plan, you need to find the right study ambience for your child. The right environment can make or break children’s studying experience. Finding the right ambience mostly depends on your child’s way of learning. Do they prefer a quiet and isolated space, such as their room or a library? Do they work best with some background noise, like in a cafe or with a study group? Or do they prefer a combination of both? When you’re considering your child’s study space, take note of these two guidelines!
- The space needs to have minimal distractions: Make sure that there aren’t any TVs, game consoles, or any other possible distractions around your child. If they study with a tablet, child-locking the entertainment apps is a good idea.
- It should also be a safe and healthy environment: If your child prefers to study outside the house, choose a trusted area and accompany them while they’re studying. Of course, make sure to stay away from unhealthy spots, such as smoking areas and bars.
Socialize
Another important principle is to remind your child to socialise with their peers, teachers, and family members. You might wonder why this is important. After all, children can go from studying to playing in a heartbeat. But what most people don’t realize is that studying involves teamwork. Even if your child prefers to study alone, they would still need support from others. Here are several ways socialising can help support your child’s studying!
- Your child can ask for help whenever they’re stuck on a problem
- Your child can teach others to better understand a problem
- Your child can do both and have some company while studying with study groups
Practice Self-Care
Finally, the last yet most crucial principle to remember is to practice self-care. No matter what or why your child is studying, their health and well-being comes first. Practicing self-care doesn’t necessarily mean stopping your child from studying or taking frequent long breaks. What matters is protecting your child from the stress, burnout, and exhaustion that often comes from studying. There are several ways you can practice this principle, such as:
- Taking effective breaks: Don’t let your child study for hours on end without stopping. But at the same time, don’t let them rest for too long. Find a middle ground that works best for your child’s health and brain.
- Using a rewards system: Studying can be exhausting, so you should try to respect and congratulate your child’s efforts to do so. Something as simple as having a bar of chocolate every time they finish a subject can boost your child’s energy and motivation to study!
Build your child’s good study habits with Practicle!
Good study habits don’t form on their own. They need time, effort, and constant care. With these five principles, you can start helping your child build the study habits they need to succeed in school! You can also build these habits at home by supervising your child’s studying. One way to do that is through Practicle’s Math AI app. Our daily quizzes and fun challenges allow children to learn math on their own outside of school – perfect for practicing effective study habits! If you’re interested, use our 7-day free trial to test out whether this works for your child!
So true. Without this, no study habit will work.