After spending thousands of hours with hundreds students from all walks of life, we have boiled down the traits of what makes a good student and how one can improve their chances of doing well.
1. Organisation
When you open your locker are you greeted with stacks of paper and food that looks like it could've been there since May 2011?
Good organisation is key as it effects all other habits. We will call organisation a 'domino habit'. That is, a habit that can have a domino effect and make all other habits easier to maintain. It can be as simple as setting up folders or binders for each class. This way you keep papers in order so that you can grab them at a moment’s notice. If you do your work on a computer, setting up a folder for each class helps in the same way. Although it might take a bit of time to set up (and a trip to the store!), maintaining a basic filing system not only helps you with your studies, but also develops useful skills that you can use for life.
As well as this, a daily or weekly planner is a valuable tool for recording due dates for exams, projects or events. Once again, you can use a calendar on an electronic device if you wish, the key is to get dates out of your head and into a system where they won't be lost.
“Never memorize something that you can look up.” - Albert Einstein
2. Thorough Study Habits
Study habits involve more than doing the homework that is assigned.
A successful student has prepared before they are taught something and are therefore ready to learn new material or skills. This might involve doing some pre-reading of the next chapter in the textbook or skimming the marking criteria of upcoming tests / assessments. If they don't have set homework they will revise old material regularly. This then makes it easier to remember things come exam time.
3. Positive Attitude and Willingness to Learn
A student who is willing to learn can take information that is being taught and apply it in ways that are meaningful to them, as well as expand upon the information to make it fit into their interests and surroundings. A successful student is one who learns for the enjoyment of learning, not just for their upcoming tests. A love of learning is an extremely valuable trait, no matter how old you are. The learning itself is far more important than a score on a test or feedback on an essay.
A successful student reframes difficult work as a challenge which they can overcome and be better for it.
4. Time Management
As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day. Many students have to juggle their studies, extracurricular activities and even part-time jobs. To keep on top of this, you need to make the most of your study time. Successful students set aside a small amount of time each day to go over their notes or readings from each class. Studying or reviewing class material a little each day helps you retain the information needed for upcoming exams or projects.
Unless you own a Time Turner like in the video above, your best bet is to learn proper time management skills!
If work is pre-read once in the days leading up to class, during class and then again after class, you have already seen the content 3 times and are well on your way to long-term remembering of the topic! This is in comparison to pulling an all-nighter and cramming in which only part of the information makes it into your short-term memory. You spend longer, it is worse for your health and you remember less by cramming! Regular study seems like a no brainer!
Using your calendar mentioned above, you should be pre-planning when you will do your study before the time comes (based on your commitments and upcoming school assessment schedule).
5. Learned Study Skills
We have spoken about the benefits of regular studying however there is more to success than that. The question is more than just 'when' you study. It is also, 'how' you study. We all know the feeling of putting hours into learning / remembering something and feeling like it was a waste of time!
Studying well includes the use of tools like flash cards and self made summary sheets. You could also break down the content into small chunks and use mind maps and mnemonics to create lasting associations in your brain.
Other key skills are;
- the ability to skim read and sift through what is important
- good note taking skills which involves taking down only the necessary details and cutting through the fluff
6. Social Involvement
An underrated part of being a successful student is getting involved and asking questions! By taking an active role in learning you will help clear up any concerns you might have about the content or gaps in your understanding (class time will go quicker as well!). This includes you helping / getting help from another student in a mindful and accepting way.
If the answers you receive from your teachers or peers still leave you without a clear understanding of a concept, then take the initiative to utilise any extra help your school offers or look into finding a tutor.
We can also get involved when we are working in groups of students on a joint assignment / study group. This is a hands on way of learning social awareness, agreeability, and the ability to fit into our surroundings. These skills will help you be successful at making friends as well as learn the ability to work in teams. The ability to interact successfully with people is arguably one of the most important life long skills. At any age, a person will need to work alongside others, specifically in the “real world".
We hope this post has helped you understand the makings of a successful student. As always, this post was written by an Indigo Education Tutor. If you have any questions or you wanted to make an inquiry please don't hesitate to contact us and we'll get back to you.
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