So, you want your child to be a successful student, right? If the poor results and scores in your previous exams have discouraged him, do not let him be disheartened. He might only need to know about the educational strategies that will help him to achieve success. It is not always that your child will will lack in talent or capabilities. But, along with desire, dedication and hard work, a student also needs strategic planning that will always help in achieving success.
As a parent or guide, it is your responsibility that you help your child to plan his education time strategically. My son started to lose confidence in himself, when all his friends scored more than him in the maths test. I thought it was time I intervened into the matter and boost his confidence levels. But mental support alone cannot change your child’s confidence level. To make his educational life a successful and happy one, some strategies are really helpful. Here are 20 of them that I followed and got fast results.
- Use a planner:
The first strategy that every child or student must follow is to manage time. Procrastinate and delay in doing a task is the main reason why success is never achieved. For this, you can always make your child use a planner. He will be able to note down when he is supposed to do something and thus, not miss out on the task.
- Organize the syllabus and tasks for the day:
When your child has a number of assignments to complete, many lessons to read and learn and a huge syllabus to cover, you should help him plan and organize the tasks in a proper way. This will help him to complete tasks easily.
- Prioritize and be realistic:
Multiple tasks may be extremely confusing and cause you worry and tension. In that case, teach your child to prioritize the tasks that are more important and urgent than the others. Be realistic and start with the simpler tasks. This will help you to complete more tasks fast.
- Set study time aside:
Personal study time must not be missed due to other assignments. In that case, you must encourage your child to solve problems, complete lessons and research and gather more information to clear a concept.
- Take notes:
Taking notes is the best way to gather more information on what you are studying. The teachers always highlight and stress on the sections that are more important than the others. It will help you to clear your doubts and learn better. Make your child understand the importance of taking notes.
- Highlight your notes and books:
When the teacher says, “Now this is important,†trust me, it is indeed important! I keep reminding my son to highlight the sections that his teacher keeps repeating. It can be the class notes or the book. As a guide and tutor for your child, these clues and highlights can be really helpful.
- Create abbreviations:
I know children often miss out many things from the running notes as the teachers often speak fast. I have taught my son to use abbreviations of his own. The notes do not have to be long sentences. Just small words and indications can be enough. It is meant for your child to understand. As long as your child understands what he has written, it does not matter whether they are complete sentences or not!
- Rewrite the notes after class:
Always encourage your child to rewrite the class notes or the running notes after class or after they return home. It is likely that they will forget the abbreviations that they have used, after a few days. Hence, rewriting them in the form of a complete note is very useful. Make them do it as soon as possible.
- Read carefully:
Now that you have taken down the notes and have planned your reading, writing and assignment sessions, it is the time that you start reading your books and lessons and chapters – preferably aloud! Never stop at reading something just once. Repeat as many times as possible. Repetition is the best means to remember!
- Mark and make notes:
When my son reads his books, I tell him to underline the words that he doesn’t know the meaning of. He reads them time and again and tries to make out the meaning on his own. If he can’t, he consults a dictionary and notes down the meaning right next to the word. This must also be done to those words, lines, captions, definitions and information that you must remember.
- The right place and time:
Reading is an essential part of studying. When your child reads, he must do so in a quiet and calm place, cut off from any disturbance, distractions, the internet, cell phone, television and others. Also, reading should be done in a fresh mind. Never read with a heavy and tired mind or right before bed time.
- Break long reading times:
Do you struggle with long reading assignments? It can be quite difficult to read on for hours at a stretch. Break the session in smaller and more comfortable sections. This will also help you to remember the points.
- Read the highlights:
I always tell my son to read the headings and the subtitles first. Going through the diagrams, the pictures and the summary or introduction at the beginning will help the child to grow interested and visualize the concept in mind and make an idea of what he is about to read.
- Do not complicate:
If your lecture notes or class notes are already well explained, there is no need to take down or explain them further. Complicating the notes is absolutely unnecessary. Keep them simple, as they are easy to remember.
- Speed up:
In the initial stage, you may afford to go slow. But gradually, as your concept grows clear, try to speed up your pace. This will help you to complete faster.
- Time to take a test – make flashcards:
Now, your child’s preparation phase is over. He now needs to take a test. How? I tell my child to make flashcards. It is the easiest way to take tests. Tell your child to make flashcards. The topics will be written on one side and the definition, characteristics and other important factors on the other side.
- Solve papers:
There are mock papers available online, at the end of a chapter, or you can collect the papers from previous year students. Solve them and you will know where you lack.
- Make questions on your own and answer them:
This helps my son identify his problems.
- Study in groups:
Often, studying in a group is a great idea as the children get to share their ideas, clear their doubts and know more about a certain topic.
- Summarize:
Write down or chalk out in your mind, what you have learned. It will help you to memorize.
These educational strategies are the proven ones that have helped children achieve success in their academic career. However, there is no hard and fast rule that these are the only strategies that work. There can be others that your child is more comfortable with. As a parent or guide, you can try out new educational strategies for your child.