Questions around study or the lack of study often come up in my session and the big question always is ‘How long should she/he be studying for’.  While, I am not an expert on study my view is the duration of study doesn’t count but what is more important is the engagement in effective study.

Indeed many students tell me they don’t know how to study or in some cases don’t know what they are studying for so this completely decreases their motivation.  I do my best to discuss this with the student and their parent and work with them on some strategies that may help their study time (however long or short) to be more effective.  

The big point I try and get across to them is they must TEST themselves on what they are studying (more about that below).  

Once a student realises the need for study or what they are studying towards it can help them to put the head down and just get on with it.

The following hints / tips are a combination of guidance from an educational psychologist, techniques that have worked for me when I returned to college later in life, and techniques that students have told me that work for them.  

A Plan:

Have a realistic study plan in placce so you know when, where and what duration you are going to give to study that day, week and month.  Know when school assessments / projects are due. This is particularly relevant for those with busy schedules including extra curriculum activities, working, or doing extra grinds or subjects outside of school. Make the plan SMART.

Specific:  (subject / topic to be covered)

Measureable: (knowing when you have covered the topic/ achieved your goal by testing yourself)

Achievable:  Ensure it is attainable within timeframe and that you are not going ahead of yourself study areas not even covered in school. Is it possible to do this when you have project, portfolios etc due.

Relevant:  Is the plan relevant for what you need to do know NOW and to reach deadlines for assignments and projects.

Time Bound: Will the time allocated allow you to reach your deadline or complete homework, project work and study combined. (Remember be realistic in your planning)

Guidance from my Educational Psychologist acquaintance: 

She suggests that students study for 25 minutes periods (don’t get excited), take a break for 3 to 5 minutes tops (do some jumping jacks to get the blood flowing) and then they must TEST themselves by using exam questions, homework questions or questions given by your teacher. If you know the topic; write up your flashcards or do a mind map of the key points (see below), and move on to a new topic and repeat this process again and again for all subjects being studied.  Breaking it down to 25 minute study periods makes it more psychological doable then thinking I have 2 hours ahead me.  I understand this is referred to as the ‘Pomodoro Technique’.

Homework:

Students ALWAYS do your homework; no excuses allowed. Yes, homework is a real pain and yes in some cases students are over loaded with it and yes, you would rather be out playing sport, etc., but it does serve a purposes particularly for the student who doesn’t do any extra study. At least by doing their homework they are learning something and it is reinforcing the learning from that school day.  So ALWAYS do your homework.

 ‘The Splurge’ or ‘Blurting’ approach works well for some. Thank you to my lovely clients Niamh and Abbie who demonstrated this technique for me. They describe it as reading from the book then writing everything they can recall about the topic on a white board or a mirror and then checking out relevant exam questions against the recorded information, erasing irrelevant information and adding more relevant information and then recording it into their permanent notes. A good technique to collate information to exam questions ensuring you actually answering the questions asked rather than blabbing on and wasting time.

The more creative cohort (visual learners) tell me that mind maps work best for them. Unfortunately they also tell me that they spend a lot of time making the mind maps look pretty rather than including relevant details!!!!!.   Mind maps can simplify a more challenging subject, break it down in to more manageable blocks and allows visualization of relationships between concepts. I find mind maps are great to stick in your notes at the front of the topic allowing for review and testing during revision when time is limited. If you know it you know so no need to spend time on this topic.

Audio Recording of Notes:

A technique that I always pass onto students (and feedback is very positive); is recording notes ‘dare I say it into their phone’. (Yes, I know the phone is a big distractions to us all) but this technique does work well. When the notes are recorded into the phone this means the student can listen to it anywhere, when they are in the car on the way to school, when they are out for a walk, in the gym etc etc. Play it at top volume when you are pacing the room during your study time.  Try it, it does work.  However, if using this technique please turn off notifications, put on do not disturb or temporarily put your apps asleep.

Students tell me they have also tried to listen to some podcasts for example on Leaving Certificate Geography but some say they find it confusing as it differs from what they have covered in school or how their teacher has taught them. Each to their own, it may work for some.

Flashcards:

Flashcards can work well for some but many students tell me they don’t work for them.  The feedback from many is flashcards allow for limited information and not really for elaboration on a topic. I see flashcards as a good resource to consolidate what the student knows in bullet point or key word format allowing for elaboration via retention of the relevant information. Flashcards I think work well when it comes to figuring out what needs deep revision rather than what needs a brief review.  

Active Study:

For some sitting at a desk studying just doesn’t work, so why not get more active in your study?  Pace the room while reciting your notes out loud. Hit the sliotar against the wall, make a cake, or squeeze a squashy ball while listening to your previously recorded notes.

Beginning:

Start your study time with the subject or topic that you dislike most, don’t put it off until the end because there is big chance you won’t attend to it. Get it over and done with and then you can look forward (as much as anyone can look forward to studying) to finishing on a high with a subject that you enjoy and on a more positive mind set encouraging more study in the future.

The need for breaks but also they need to engage:

If you are tired or feeling unwell take time out, you need and are entitled to a break. You are better to take a break and get back into your schedule refreshed rather than struggling on with fatigue. 

Yes, you have to study over the holidays particularly in 6^th year. If you don’t open a book and do something over the 6^th year holidays you lose momentum and fall significantly behind.

Resources:

There are many resources online that students report to me as being helpful for example @studyclix, @Leavingcertplus, @examrevison, etc, etc.,

Parents and Sanity of the Family Unit:

To parents; the fight about study is really not worth it.   If you have tried and bribed, gently coached given support and it is not working it really is time to step back (hard to do) but a must for your sanity and peace within the home. It is just not worth the disharmony. You can’t make them study or you can’t study on their behalf. Acceptance that you have done all you can and now the student must take responsibility for their efforts and consequences of these efforts makes life easier. Have the final conversation with them about it, obviously letting them know that you support them and love them; now let’s move on. Give yourself a break; you as a parent are doing the best you can.

The final and must important point is to START studying early in the school year using whatever technique or a mix of techniques that works for you. If you are struggling ask for help early in the struggles, don’t wait to see will things improve, or avoid the issues, address it asap.  As an older and wise gentleman once told me ‘we are responsible for the effort we put in not for the results on the day. 

The best of luck to all doing their best to take responsibility for their efforts, and to those winging it the best of luck also.

(2 AI gnerated images inlcuded in this blog: all text authors own words, nothing from CHAT GBT) ¹

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