11 Surefire Tips to Improve Study Habits After Summer

Are your kids having trouble getting back into the study groove after summer vacation? After sleeping in and staying up late and very little time focused on the books, the stricter school schedule can be an adjustment.

Don’t worry though. There are plenty of tricks to make the adjustment less painful, especially when it comes to encouraging good study habits. Here are 11 surefire tips to improve study habits after summer.

1. Creating a Quiet Study Space

The one thing you definitely should help your kids with this school year is creating a quiet study space for them. It should be in an area of the house that is distraction-free, where they can sit comfortably for long hours and have room to spread out their work. If space in your house is at a premium, this might not be easy, so you will need to get creative in carving out the space.

2. Organize and Plan

It is hard to stay on top of all your tests, papers and projects if you do not have a calendar or planner to keep track of when everything is due. Teach your kids to always plan ahead how much time they will need to work on each assignment or test and jot everything down in their planner. Also encourage them to keep all your notes, books and supplies organized too. It will cut down on a lot of stress.

3. Set a Routine

Help your kids identify the best time of the day to do their school work and encourage them to stick to it. Whether it is right after they come home from school or after dinner, the most important thing is that they stick to their study routine every day. It will increase their efficiency and instill in them good habits.

4. Teach Them How to Actively Listen

To get the most of their class time, teach your kids how to actively listen. This means they concentrate on what is being said, ask questions about it and are able to remember what was said. This is leads to better critical thinking which is essential for academic success.

5. Review All Notes Every Day

Also get your kids in the habit of reviewing their notes for every subject every night. That way the night before the test or exam, they won’t be stressed out, cramming too much information in their brains in a very short amount of time.

6. Incorporate Stress Management Techniques

We all handle stress differently. If any of your kids seem to struggle a lot with it, help them manage better with techniques like deep breathing, long walks, meditation and even yoga. Also encourage them to get involved in fun after school activities where they can hang out with friends too.

7. Remind Them They Actually Have to Study

If things come easily to your child and they tend to ace tests with very little studying, they are going to grow complacent and assume that schoolwork will always come easily to them. And we, of course, know that is not true. They should learn as early as possible that at some point we all struggle in school and we don’t know when it will happen so best to practice good study habits every year of school. These are especially good study tips for high school students.

8. Do Assigned Readings

Too often students believe that there is not point doing the assigned reading when the teacher is just going to go over it the next day. But in actuality, it is a crucial part of the learning process. By reading the night before and coming to class with notes on the topic and questions at the ready, your students will be more engaged in what they are learning. Also, this way, what the teacher says in class becomes a strong reinforcement of what they already read the night before.

9. Pay Attention In Class

This goes part and parcel with the above. Remind your kids to not let the distractions of phones and their friends keep them from concentrating on the lesson going on at the front of the class. This will also help with study habits after summer.

10. Take Good Notes

And it goes without saying that your kids need to be taking good notes. The most important things are that they are neat, organized and complete. If your daughter or son has trouble writing fast, teach them a shorthand they will understand when they go back to study later. Also remind them to ask for any missed notes when they are sick and are out of school.

11. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

There is no such thing as a dumb question and it is important that your children know that. Teach them not to be afraid of asking questions if they don’t understand something. If they stay quiet, they might find themselves struggling when it comes to test time.

All of these are every effective study habits after summer to help your kids get back into the groove. If dental problems are a part of the distractions affecting your child, then schedule a consultation with our skilled orthodontists. Learn how braces work and how they can help your child achieve a healthier smile.