<p>As wise parents with experience, what advice and tips can you give to students regarding time management and getting all the homework done while having time for extracurriculars, etc.?<br>
Thanks. :)</p>
<ol>
<li> Study everyday. Don’t postpone your studies and then cram.</li>
<li> Find a quiet place to study. No distractions, no cell phones, no radios. Concentrate as intensely as possible.</li>
<li> Keep ahead in each class. If the teacher follows a textbook, read ahead. Try to give this at least 10-15 minutes, not just a few minutes waiting for class to begin.</li>
<li> Listen in class!!! Attend class with the intention of learning the material at that time. Don’t plan on taking notes and then studying the notes and learning the material at a later time. Take minimal notes. There is no reason to re-write the textbook or write out the entire lecture. Notes should highlight important points and material not covered in the texts. Reading ahead will help prevent taking excessive notes and will also make it easier to understand what you should be learning in class.</li>
<li> Don’t waste time rewriting notes. Keep good, concise notes. If you need to doodle, use a separate piece of paper.</li>
<li> Find study techniques which fit the way you learn and also fit specific types of courses. For a course like biology, I used to make a vocabulary list. I would put two or three columns on a single page and use the listings like flash cards. I used to make cheatsheets. I tried to guess what might appear on exams. Then I would very concisely write out all those important facts, forumulae, and concepts. This helped me learn and was a great study aid. You may find better techniques. You want to use those that are most efficient for you.</li>
</ol>
<p>Mostly, I agree with edad.</p>
<p>Go to class and listen actively (as you would in a conversation with a friend that you wanted to interact with) --don’t just absorb the info but try to mentally respond to it and process it-put a question mark in your notes next to anything that was unclear, confusing, or seemingly contradictory. Follow up on those question marks–by further reading, conversation with classmates or asking the prof.</p>
<p>Get to class early enough that you can sit in the front third of the classroom and focus on what is being said–not only by your prof but also by classmates who contribute. In my teaching experience, those who sit in the back tend to tune out and be thinking about how to make a quick (or unobserved) get away. </p>
<p>For some people (like me) taking notes in detail helps to fix the info in memory–even if you never look at the notes again. If you tend to take copious notes–also on your readings-- go over them again and use a highlighter for the really essential stuff to look at again before exams.</p>
<p>For time management help: keep a record of everything you do, every minute of the day, for a couple of days that are typical for you. Examine your record and see where useful “time saving” or “time re-alllocation” might have been worthwhile—how do you typically waste time? See if you can reform yourself. Make yourself accomplish a given task before allowing yourself your next personal indulgence or distraction or e-mail checking.</p>
<p>Try hard to like your courses and find some personal connection to what you are learning–emotional engagement makes learning easier and more successful. Don’t say “I will never need to know this again,” try to find some way “into” the material.</p>