Every parent is of course delighted to see their child studying, especially for a big test or exam, as well they should be. But what many parents – and kids – do not realize is that often the way they are studying, however many hours they might sit at their desk ‘cramming’ if they are making certain fundamental study ‘mistakes’ they just won’t be getting the most out of their time or achieve the best results.
One of the biggest mistakes children make, and it’s not one that is corrected by teachers that often either, is in the way they approach studying a larger volume of material over time, an entire textbook before an exam for example.
What is it that they are doing wrong, especially as it’s really hard to understand how any study of any kind can ever be wrong? Allow us to explain.
Joe’s Big Mistake
Let’s imagine that Joe is due to sit an exam in maths in several weeks, and it’s one of those exams that really is a pretty big deal. Joe knows that everything he needs to know is contained in the big text book he’s been lugging to school for last few months. With that knowledge he therefore assumes that studying is going to be easy. Open up the book, start on Page 1 and take it from there..
Reasonable thinking, but not actually the best way for him to go about. You see in study session one Joe studies Chapter 1. Then, to reinforce what he’s learned (he thinks) he does the same in the next session as well. Then he adds Chapter 2, as well as another look at Chapter 1 in the next two. Before he knows it he’s running out of time before test day and he’s only half way through the book. Panicking he zooms through the rest, but congratulates himself that at least he knows those first few chapters by heart now..
However, statistically, across all subjects, those first chapters are the least tested, so technically, Joe may be in a bit of trouble, as his knowledge of those later chapters simply isn’t as good as it should be.
Angela’s Awesome Study Plan
Now, let’s turn our attention to a student whose getting things right in the study department. Angela is actually taking the very same test as Joe, but 
her study plan went a little differently.
She actually began her study plan with a visit to her local stationery store. There she bought a big sheet of cardboard and a pack of felt tip pens. How did that help? because she used them to create a study timetable for her bedroom wall that was far more sensible than Joe’s.
In Angela’s plan the number of study sessions she could reasonably fit in before the test was the first thing she figured out. And by reasonable we mean not so little that she’d be scrambling as the test date drew closer but not so much that she fried her brain and had no time for a life.
This determined she then set material for each session. Chapters 1 and 2 she covered in session one, followed by chapters 3 and 4 in session two, chapters 5 and 6 in session three and finally chapters 7 and 8 in session four. Then rinse and repeat, right up to one last broad overview session the afternoon before the test (note we didn’t say the night before, that’s time when a nice R&R session will be far more conducive to success)
By breaking down her study and revision into sizable, and yet still manageable, chunks like this Angela’s brain was never overtaxed and she retained what she learned far better. And yes, she did better on the test than Joe.
It’s a very simple adjustment really, but this method of study really does make a difference, as you’ll find out if you have your child try it out the next time they have to study for a big test.
