Time flies when you’re having fun… or studying. It seems like the sessions you need to last forever, end in the blink of an eye. If only you had a few more minutes or one more day to review, you know that your student would score perfectly on their upcoming exam! Unfortunately, that’s not always possible. So, we developed a few tips to help you and your students make the most of the time you have together!
- Set specific and realistic goals. The more specific your goals are, the easier it is to determine the steps needed to achieve them. The more realistic they are, the more likely it is you will achieve them.
- Prioritize. Awareness of a task’s importance forces you to plan enough time to complete it.
- Learn your student’s study habits. Knowing your student’s best habits and patterns for studying allows you to plan a more effective session.
- Encourage your student to use small blocks of time effectively. “In-between” times (ex. on the bus, in-between classes, etc…) are excellent for reviewing class notes or flash cards and chipping away at reading.
- Take study breaks when necessary. Be aware of how long your student can study before needing a break and where reasonable breaks occur within a task. Plan your sessions with these chunks in mind.
- Establish clear expectations at the end of each study session. Noting what you expect your student to have accomplished for the next session saves time and helps maintain focus.
- Review course material. Encourage your student to review lecture notes right after class and fill in the gaps while the material is still fresh.
- Work towards excellence rather than perfection. Perfection creates unnecessary stress and disappointment. Instead, have you students strive for personal excellence and pride in their work!