Seventh and Eighth Grade Success: Tips and tools for a great year!

THIS IS A STUDY TIP GUIDE TO HELP YOU ALONG THE WAY,   READ IT AND USE IT EVERYDAY

1. First of all, get organized.

2. Use a study guide.

3. If the teacher does not have a ready-made study guide, ask "What should I know for the test?" - write down whatever they say!

4. Review/organize/rewrite your notes. Take a look at your notes since the last test. Are they neat? Do they make sense? Is there a better way to organize them? For example, can you group certain ideas together? Rewrite your notes neatly.

5. Review/organize/rewrite handouts /slides from the teacher. If the teacher took the time to copy or create something, she thinks you need to know it. Take a look at all of the handouts the teacher gave you. Do you understand them? Please don't recreate all the handouts! Think about creating one page with the most important information from all of them.

6. Know the definition of all vocabulary words, but more importantly how to use them in a sentence, concepts, ideas, people, etc. that have been introduced since the last test.  Sometimes, there will be a list of "important words" or "people to know." Write down all of these words and be sure to include any word that your teacher takes the time to define for you, as well.

7. Memorize. You will be amazed at how much information you know after organizing your notes and looking for important words. Still, sometimes you must buckle down and commit things to memory.

8.  Acronyms  - Create your own names or words to help you understand a concept or definition.

9.  Apply - Understand the concepts and know how to apply them when needed.

HOMEWORK HABITS - 6 TIPS FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS TO HELP ALONG THE WAY!

1. Designate a Quiet Study Space for Your Child

Setting aside a dedicated space for children to concentrate and work in can really help them focus on their homework assignments. This space should have all the supplies they need (pens, calculators, highlighters, etc.), have good lighting, and be comfortable for doing schoolwork. Ideally, it should be an area with few distractions, so it should be away from areas where lots of people are coming and going.

2. Set a Schedule; Help With Time Management

Help your child establish a “homework time” so that they have a regular routine of doing homework, like right after school. 

Setting time limits can be useful. Try not to spend more than 20 minutes working on an assignment. Any time spent longer than that results in greater frustration for you and your child, which will not be helpful. Instead, take a break, go outside for a walk, play a game, and have a mental reset before tackling the problem again.

For larger assignments or projects, assist your child in breaking them down into manageable pieces. Together, you can develop a schedule for completing each part, reinforcing positive homework habits and ensuring that they stay organized and focused.
 

3. Limit Tech and Media Exposure

Model for your child turning off the phone, social media, and the TV in order to maximize focus and productivity. Engaging with these distractions while your child is doing homework can undermine their efforts to develop effective homework habits, so keep in mind what you are doing while they are working on assignments. 

Notifications and alerts can break concentration and focus, so it’s best to teach your child how to minimize distractions by just turning those things off.

4. Do Your "Homework" At The Same Time

While your child is working on homework, try to work on some of your own “homework” assignments, like balancing the checkbook, paying bills, finishing a take-home project from work, or simply reading quietly. 

Modeling concentration-based tasks like this will help your child focus during homework time. This strategy is even more effective if you can tie your own “homework” to your child’s assignment, helping them see the real-world value of what they are learning.

5. Be An Adviser and a Consultant

Although some assignments do specifically call on students to enlist their parents, the point of homework in general is to provide practice for the student. 

When your child comes to you for homework help, offer strategies to help guide them in the right direction, and model your thought process aloud. This is to help your child feel confident following the same steps independently. 

Hold back on giving too much guidance, though, especially in situations where you know the answer but don’t understand the teacher’s directions yourself. For example, you may be given a math problem that you know how to solve, but you don’t understand the teacher’s methodology. In this case, it may be more helpful to coach your child to remember what the teacher said rather than showing your way of solving it. That may end up confusing your child even more.

Additionally, if you come across a homework problem that you can’t answer, it's okay to admit that you don't know how to solve it. Being able to admit to your child that you don't know is more helpful than trying to do the problem without knowing what's going on. Even acknowledging and empathizing with your child will help alleviate the stress they may feel from their homework.

6. Make a "Phone-a-Friend" List - HOMEWORK BUDDY

Many children will experience confusion on the details of an assignment or mix up due dates at some point. When this happens, calling on a friend from class can be a lifesaver. 

STUDY TIPS

How To Study With Flash Cards

Write the word on one side, the definition on the other, and test yourself. For example, write Simile on one side of the flash card  " a figure of speech that draws a comparison between two different things, especially a phrase containing the word "like" or "as," e.g. "as white as a sheet. "

Say "simile," then flip the card over and say " a figure of speech that draws a comparison between two different things, especially a phrase containing the word "like" or "as," e.g. "as white as a sheet"  Do this over and over until you can repeat the definition without looking at it.

After you have learned all of the cards, start with the definitions and see if you remember the word before turning over the flash card. Speak up! Move around! You will learn faster if you hear the words out loud.

When you think you know all of the words and definitions, ask someone else to test you. Missed any? Go back and memorize them; do this until you know every word.

How To Study With Folded Paper

Fold a regular piece of lined binder paper in half the long way. In the left column, write the words you need to memorize. In the right column, write down the definitions. Think of the paper as a bunch of attached flash cards. Keep the paper folded and flip it back and forth as you learn each word and definition. Follow the same routine as with the flash cards: memorize, test yourself, get tested.

Start this process a few days before the test. So after you finish your regular homework, study for a half-hour or so. Don't wait until the last minute and try to cram everything into your head. Put a little information in each night, and it will stick. Additionally, by studying this way, you will still have time for a life outside of homework, and you will feel relaxed and confident about the test.

Finally, right before the test, review your notes (read them out loud if you can) and run through your flash cards or folded paper study sheets. You are ready to ace the test!

Learning how to study is not difficult at all. And the best part is that once you learn how to do it, you're set.

Concentration

¨      Find a place to study and keep it for study only.

¨      Control noise level and the visual environment to acceptable levels.

¨      Avoid relaxing while working; create a work atmosphere.

When to Study

¨      During the day and early evening.

¨      Best when there are the fewest competing activities in progress.

¨      Best when adequate rest periods are provided.

¨      Stop studying when you are tired or lack of attention occurs.

How to Study and Concentrate

¨      When distracters are present, become intensely involved.

¨      Keep a pad of paper handy to jot down thoughts that do not have anything to do with your notes that cross your mind while studying, get them out of your mind and on to paper.

¨      Set study goals before you begin each period of study (i.e. number of pages)

¨      Design rewards after specified goals are attained, talk to your parents about this one, maybe it is a healthy snack or time on a computer.

¨      Break-up the content of study by mixing up subjects and building in variety and interest and removing boredom.

¨      Make the most of rest periods-do something quite different.

¨      Don't try to mix work and playing games.

¨      Start with short study periods and build to longer periods only as fast as you maintain concentration.

Knowing how to study is actually a skill you can use for the rest of your life.

Create a sheet that lists all of your classes. (See example below or sheet above). 

Post this sheet somewhere you will see it. (If you have a phone set reminders).

Week of October 23

Subject                                                 Assignment                                                     Due Date                                                

Period 1 - Language Arts

Period 2 - Art

Period 3 - Civics

Period 4 - Physical Education

Period 5 - Science

Period 6 - Math

I do not understand my homework?

Ask questions during class.

It is important to have a homework buddy.

Most important, take the time to review your homework days before class (if it is posted).

DO NOT MAKE A HABIT of completing your homework last minute.