STUDY SKILLS TIP FOR JANUARY: NEW SCHOOL YEAR RESOLUTIONS
Just like many people set new year’s resolutions, it is a great idea to set some clear targets for school this year. Here’s what you do.
Brainstorm ideas on what you could do this year at school or at home to improve your learning, to make yourself more effective or to improve your results this year. Let all the ideas flow unrestricted.
Ask your parents and family and friends for ideas. It might be things like ‘do study notes at the end of each topic’, or ‘work in half hour blocks with no social media during that time’. Once you have lots of ideas, it is time to focus. Cross out the ones that aren’t that great – there will be a few. Now read through what is left. Choose the top 3 ideas that if you implemented them would make the biggest difference for you. But no point just circling these, you need to take action!
- Write the 3 things you are going to try and do and focus on this year on a big piece of paper or whiteboard and place it somewhere in the house where you will see it every day – like your mirror! Or the fridge! Or the toilet!
- Tell at least 3 people what you are aiming to achieve this year. Maybe a friend, a family member and a teacher.
- Put reminders in as many places as possible, if you have an iPhone you could create a reminder that pops up each week. Write it in your school diary, in your books.
- Aim to have a regular time each week where you assess how you are going with these actions.
- At the end of the term, think about how you are going. If you have them under control, what else could you try. If they are not under control, what could you do differently?
