The realm of study habits is an important one for students across a wide swath of age groups and programs, and may differ somewhat depending on the specific needs of the student, plus other factors. STEM subjects, in particular, are quite important for foundational skills, and utilizing quality study habits is vital for any student in these programs.
At Beehive Science & Technology Academy, we’re happy to offer the best STEM curriculum programs in Sandy, UT for a variety of age groups. Because study habits definitely evolve with time, we’re going to focus specifically on teens within our middle school and high school STEM programs — what are some quality habits for parents to help promote to their kids in these age groups? Let’s take a look in this two-part blog series.
Study Schedule
First and foremost, especially once students are reaching the teen age where they have multiple demands on their time and attention, it’s important to establish and maintain a regular study schedule. This can be tailored to each student’s unique needs, but should help them block out time each day or week for their STEM studies.
As an example, if a student has a science test coming up, they should study for that particular subject more frequently in the days and weeks leading up to the test. The key is to not wait until the last minute, but to schedule regular study time so that the material is fresh in their mind and they can be confident going into the test.
Of course, there will always be exceptions to this rule – life happens! – but in general, having a study schedule will help teens stay organized and on top of things.
Self-Quizzes
Especially within STEM subjects, it can be beneficial for students to create their own quizzes on material they’re learning. This not only helps them study and learn the material more effectively, but also gets them in the habit of thinking like a STEM professional.
Creating self-quizzes requires higher-level thinking and analysis, as students must decide what information is most important to include, and how to word questions in order to accurately test their own knowledge.
This is a great habit for STEM students of all ages to get into, as it will help them not only in their current studies but also in future coursework and even their careers.
Mix Study Programs Up
While there’s nothing wrong with finding some familiar study habits and staying with what’s comfortable, it’s also important to keep things fresh and mix things up from time to time.
This is especially important for STEM students, as the material they’re studying can be both difficult and dry. If they find themselves getting bored or frustrated with their current study methods, it’s time to switch things up!
There are a myriad of ways to do this, but some ideas include studying in short bursts, listening to audio recordings of the material, or even creating mnemonic devices to help remember key information. The important thing is to find what works best for each individual student – there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to studying.
In part two of our series, we’ll go over some further concepts here. For more on this, or to learn about any of our STEM charter school programs or services in Sandy, speak to the staff at Beehive Science & Technology today.
