Study Skills: Five Essential Habits Every Child and Parent Should Develop

By Michelle Tucker
©2010 Michelle Tucker

     By this early date in the school year, you know if your child's has good study skills.  If he doesn't, I have some simple advice.  First, get some kind of planner.  Most people are visual.  So, having a planner really helps your child see the whole week and month to plan for projects and tests.  You're going to have to check up on your child, first, to see that he put the assignments on the appropriate days.  Second, check that your child is looking at the planner every afternoon before a school day.  Also, you check the planner (with your child) every day they come home from school.  It may take at least ten days of you checking in on your child's planner use.  (You know they say, "after 10 times, it becomes a habit").  Follow these 5 simple things, and I guarantee you, that your child will get better grades!  Here is a list of Study Skills to work on with your child:

• Use a planner
• Have a homework folder(s)- on the left pocket write "In"  (homework is put in), and on the right pocket write "Out/Done" (the child grabs these finished papers out of the "Out/Done" pocket and turns them in to his teacher or teacher's bin.
• Have a quiet place at home (without distractions, and yes, even a computer can be a distraction if the child is temped to play computer games), where your child can focus on homework and study.
• Have a consistent time when the child does homework-  The child comes home and has a snack.  Then, hits the books.  After homework and studying are done, he may do something else (chores/free time/outside play).  Key-stick with a consistent study time.
• Ask to see what your child has finished- When the child says that he's finished his homework, don't just take his word for it.  Understand that you don't have to check the accuracy of every sentence and every Math problem.  Just scan the homework and check it against the planner to make sure your child didn't overlook doing a part of his homework.

     I challenge you to implement this plan for the next two school weeks.  By following these 5 suggested habits, I know your child will develop good study skills.  For more information, these may be helpful: