There is a lot of debate about the best way to take notes. There are some studies that show that paper note taking is better for long term retention than computer-based notes. I do not think that the conclusions of these studies are not as clear as suggested. But they do highlight some important points to consider when picking a note taking strategy. 1- Paper can be easier to draw on that most software. This is very helpful for classes…
When I work with college students I notice that a lot of the stuff getting in the way is the small life stuff. These tasks have very little to do with direct school achievement, but they dramatically reduce their ability to be productive. Here is a video explaining the small skills that every college freshman should know before they leave home. Like 0
While most of us lean towards procrastination there is a subset of the population who are pre-crastinators. These individuals feel a deep desire to finish their work as quickly as possible. For more background information please see this video on the differences between pre-crastination and procrastination. Because pre-crastinators need to finish their work they are willing to start immediately but often rush through their work they need a different type of work routine. Watch the video below to see a cleaver way pre-crastinators can use…
Do you ever feel like you are studying for tests and doing all of your homework but not getting the scores that you want? This is an incredibly frustrating situation and often the advice is to “study harder” or to “study longer” but these approaches do not always work. Watch the video below to explore why some classes are harder to study for and what you can do about it. Like 0
When students get an assessment back it is very common for parents and teachers to help them analyze their work. This process can help students critically examine their work, effort, and approach. I explain how we can modify this process and help students become more self-reflective and open to critical feedback. When students can pinpoint what went well they can start to build mental models and study habits around their success. Many students have never been asked to reflect on what…
I often hear my students repeat a pervasive myth about achieving in school. They believe that if they want to get more stuff done, they need to find more motivation. As a result, they often spend a lot of time and effort trying to find such a secret and elusive motivator. However, the secret that productive people know is that you can’t count on motivation, because it is unpredictable and fleeting. I teach my students that the key to getting…
What is the difference between studying and homework? We often use “homework” and “studying” interchangeably when they discuss school work. I define homework as the compulsory assignments that are given to students by a teacher. Homework is generally graded or checked in class. I define studying as the strategic work that students choose to do on their own to master material. Studying can often look and feel a lot like traditional homework assignments such as reading, creating flashcards, or taking…