Sylvan
Learning offers simple suggestions for better academic results in 2013
New
Year’s academic resolutions are pretty much off the list of most students. We
adults don’t set a better example either. Since the beginning of time, we have
been making and breaking New Year’s resolutions. Our well-intended resolutions
often don’t work because changing deeply ingrained habits is never easy, even
for the most determined among us.
So
if you want to secure a successful change in your student this year,
particularly with regards to academic performance, try a new tactic: The Anti-Resolution.
By
saying no, students can create some new, positive academic habits. Allow your student to brainstorm a few things
he or she will NOT do, in the pursuit of higher grades and a more positive
school experience.
Here
are 10 anti-resolution suggestions from Sylvan Learning to get your
student paving a path toward better academic results in 2013:
1. I will NOT start studying the night before a test.
Procrastination is one of the biggest grade-killers. Children who get into the
habit of studying earlier – or tackling a school project well ahead of its due
date -- will get the higher scores they were capable of achieving all along.
2. I will
NOT tune out in math class. For many students, all-important math and
algebra classes are the biggest challenge. Simply paying attention can pay
dividends.
3. I will NOT be afraid to raise
my hand in class. This is a big one. Asking questions is a key part of
learning. A teacher’s answer to a single question may clarify a student’s
understanding of an entire lesson.
4. I will NOT play video games
before I do my homework. Today’s children have an almost limitless variety
of electronic diversions that can lure them away from schoolwork. Students need
to get into the habit of making sure that schoolwork takes precedence.
5. I will
NOT miss out on reading for 20 minutes every day. Children cannot improve
reading skills or develop a love of reading if they don’t do it regularly. Twenty minutes per day is the bare minimum.
6. I will NOT
participate in social media during every spare minute. As useful and
entertaining as Facebook and Twitter can be, they also can be constant sources
of interruption during academic tasks, both in and out of class.
7. I will
NOT talk in class when I should be listening. Teachers often hear students
offer the excuse, “I guess I didn’t hear it.” Students need to realize that the
teacher’s job is to instruct; the student’s job is to pay attention.
8. I will NOT forget to write down my
assignments. A student can’t do
homework he or she doesn’t know about. Frantic last-minute calls to classmates
for homework assignments waste time and demonstrate a lack of discipline.
9. I will
NOT sit in the back of class.
Sitting closer to the front of the class encourages participation and
shows the teacher you’re interested.
10. I will
NOT forget how important school is to my future. The daily routine of
school may blunt a student’s perception of just how important academics are in
the grand scheme of things. Children should remain aware that how well they do
in school really matters.
There
you have it – 10 things for students not to do in 2013.
For additional information and educational resources,
visit us on the web at www.sylvanlearning.com or call us at (908) 806-4010.
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