Developing Strong Organization and Study Skills

Organization, time management and study skills are key to a students’ success.  When students manage these areas well, it helps them stay on top of projects, tests, assignments and exams along with reducing their anxiety.  In particular, as students moves through middle school and into high school, these skills become increasingly important.

Below are some of our best practices we recommend for students: 

1) Use an Agenda/Planner:  Help your child get in the habit of writing down their homework for each subject and checking it off once completed.  There are also numerous apps for students to stay organized electronically.

2) Make a Schedule: With your child, plan the times they will work on their homework and the items they will cover.  Be sure to build in a buffer for extra time and breaks.  This will help teach your child time management and prioritizing their different assignments and homework.   Also plan for tests and exams in advance so studying is not left until the last minute.

3) Provide a Place to Study:  Select a spot with limited distractions, good lighting and an ability to focus on your work.

4) Develop a System to Track Important Papers / Materials:  Create a system with binders, folders for different subjects and materials.  Sometimes it can help to have a folder for items that need to be turned in and a folder for items that have been returned from the teacher.  That allows the student to stay on top of their notes while the information is fresh and prevents papers from becoming loose and ultimately lost.

5) Communicate with Your Child’s Teacher:  Understanding upcoming assignments is important to manage a students’ time.   Strong communication with a teacher is important to help manage their schedule and ensure their are focusing on the relevant items.

Finally, strong organization and study skills take time to develop and learn.  Practice makes perfect and we would encourage for students to continue to develop a structure and process that works best for them while utilizing best practices.