Effective_Studies_Skills

Effective study skill “OMG I’m gonna fail, I know it!” doesn’t this sound all too familiar to you' It’s known as the “I’m not good enough” syndrome. Everyone has fears. It’s quite natural. The great American industrialist Henry Ford said “if you think you can, or think you can’t – you are right!” what he was saying is that intention and expectation shape our actions. Good morning everybody, firstly I would like to welcome you to the senior year of study that will round off your secondary school. It is the year that will lead either to further study or to the learning experiences of the workplace. I believe many of you, by this time you should have set up your personal goal. In order to achieve your goal, you firstly need to overcome your fears and you attain effective study skills. Thinking positively is the first step towards success. Here is a simple ABC formula you can use to overcome your fears. A for action! Nothing can be done without action, so get started now! B is for belief. It’s terribly important to have the sense that you are capable of doing what it is your desire. So yeah, I guess you can practise saying “I can do it and I will” for ten times everyday until the words become as much a habit as breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of your eyelids! C for commitment, it is the “stick at it” or “never say die” factor. Keep in mind the famous quote by Thomas Edison “genius is ten per cent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. Ok, so if you are one of those confident students who believe that if you try hard you can achieve whatever you want, then you are very lucky! What you need now are some effective study skills. When friends ask me what makes for effective study, I tell them -- four things. You must have a right place, a time, a plan and a tidy approach. You need to have a special place for your study that’s completely free of distractions. That means, don’t study with your TV or msn on and make up excuses for yourself such as, I’m not gonna watch it, and I won’t chat! That’s right, if you not gonna use them, TURN IT OFF! I’m sure your mum will be very please that you have helped to reduce the energy bill! Set up your room with a big table so you can spread out, and adjust the light so it strong enough to read but not too bright. Put up a noticeboard so can stick up all your maths formulas. It is vital to have your room arranged so it’s comfortable, not too hot (or you’ll go to sleep), not too cold (or you will be distracted by shivering) make sure that the chair you sit on is padded, and upright. No lounge chairs please! Obviously, you need to have regular hours set aside every day for study and nothing else. I’m going to advice you that 10 hours per week of dedicated homework is absolute minimum for year 12. more than that is better, though beyond 20 hours you should be very careful indeed of the danger of “burnout”. Less then 10 hours you are asking for trouble. If you are an “early bird” you can rise at 6 and put in two hours before school, if you are a night owl study in the evening is best. It doesn’t matter when to study, as long as the time suits your personal rhythms of activities and concentration. Now how many of you uses a diary here'' Then you need to plan your study! A year planner is a great idea. This is a map of the whole year, with spaces for everyday. On it you write in all the projects, essays, exams and other events that will be parts of your year. A diary is a must; this has to go with you to school everyday. Whenever a teacher sets a deadline, you write it in your diary. The type of diary you buy is up to entirely, you don’t need to get the ugly school diary, but you just need to have one! (You can talk about time management as organising things, you can actually combine them into one paragraph) It’s no good having your own room, your own desk, your own computer etc – and allowing them to get into a mess. Make sure your bookshelf is divided up by subjects. Mix the books and I guarantee you will lose them. Each subject must have its own folder, which stays together securely. That subject folder should be orderly, each section of the course with its own section. You might like to colour code each subject, for easier identification. Whenever you add anything new, it must go into the proper place. Then you’ll have no trouble finding your notes! Remember that it’s your life. You can make choices and follow then. You can set goals, motivate yourself, study effectively, without being stressed out of your brain. If you follow the simple rules I have just talked about, I’m sure you can survive year 12! Nothing changes until we do. That I can promise! So good luck!