How to develop work ethic (a desperate student's plea)

Parents Forum
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<p>I'm posting in the parents' forum because I desperately need advice.</p>

<p>I'm a (mostly) good student with a natural aptitude for academics. I love learning, and I'm talented. For many years that was enough to warrant excellent grades despite minimal effort, but sophomore year has been a wake-up call for me, and I've come to two realizations:</p>

<p>1) I HAVE NO WORK ETHIC.</p>

<p>It's not lack of motivation, because I know I have more than enough of that. It's an utter inability to follow through with anything. I'm so used to never studying that even when I need to ... I just don't. I know that it's a problem and that I need to do something about it; I just can't put the thoughts into action.</p>

<p>2) I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STUDY.</p>

<p>This sound ridiculous, but it's related to the first problem. When I realized I didn't need to study to do well in class I just never bothered to learn how. The result? I lose points on tests because I haven't memorized the right facts. On a history test, I can write a lucid analysis of the symbolism present in Nazi propaganda, but I get deductions for not knowing Hitler's birthdate. I just can't distinguish what minor details are relevant.</p>

<p>To put things in perspective, my grades haven't slipped atrociously. I received my first B this year, and hope to raise it to at least an A- next term. I've maintained a low A average (6.2ish on a scale of 1 to 7) through high school. I panic now because I know that I'm not working to my full potential, and that the reasons for it are remediable.</p>

<p>To the actual question -- What are some study techniques that have worked for your child(ren)? Do you have suggestions for improving work ethic? </p>

<p>Anything is helpful, really. Thanks, and sorry for the long post!</p>

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<p>Okay, first, think about yourself...do you do better reading something and holding onto the information, do you do better hearing it, do you do better writing things down? Everyone has a different style. You sound like a reader, but you need to find if you learn better auditorilly, tactily, visually, some teachers teach to readers and expect everyone to learn by reading, but not everyone learns that way, so those of us that learn better by writing come up with different methods ...(once my daughter read aloud the most boring religion lesson into a tape recorder and listened to herself read it. Otherwise, she fell asleep!!)</p>

<p>Some things my Ds have done:</p>

<p>In Social Studies Science, Literature- the trick is to do something everynight- even with no "homework" if you spend sometime everynight, the work will be easy</p>

<p>Highlight the chapter, but read it first without highlighting. Usually each chapter will emphasize something different- dates, themes, people. The book makers like to do that.</p>

<p>Get 3x5 cards and make them for data, ie- names, dates, locations, etc. Read the chapter in its sections, then do the cards. Information may end up being written on several cards ie- relationships between countries. One trick my Ds did was go to the index and glossary and see what was important enough for them to note (you can tell by the page numbers). This was a good jumping off point. </p>

<p>Do an outline of the chapter, rewrite class notes, do all the questions in the book, even if not assigned. At least answer them in your head.</p>

<p>In science, look to the glossary, it would list all the words, definitions, etc and how the test makers wanted the deifinition to be written. </p>

<p>Teach someone else the lesson. I know it sounds silly, but it really works. </p>

<p>Also, look who makes up the test...if its the teacher, learn their style, you will see patterns. If it is the book makers, than everything you need to know will be in the chapter. Your essay, of course will need to include what the teacher discussed.</p>

<p>Find a study partner and discuss the work. Quiz each other, come up with questions for each other. If you have to work with someone else, you will learn you can't let them down.</p>

<p>Set up a schedule. Set aside time. Write up the schedule. It can be flexible, but not too flexible. </p>

<p>Each class is different, each teacher different, learn their styles, their ways of grading. Find ways to make it fun. Be sure and have all the supplies you need. </p>

<p>This is just some starting ideas. The first thing you need to do is figure out HOW you your self learns. Once you know that, try different things to see what works. Its good you are figuring this out now!!! Step one- learn thyself!!!!</p>

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<p>Here's what I sometimes do before a test. I sit down with my notes/books/handouts/whatever material I have, and make myself distill it into a 1 or 2 page (typed) outline/study guide. For most high school tests, you can probably get most of the info you need onto one page. I usually just use bullets for different topics. So, under one bullet, I might have biographical facts about Hitler, and under another, I might have info about Hitler youth. I don't use full sentences, just write basic facts in a condensed form. The key is to not let yourself go over 1 page (or whatever limit you've set). That way you are FORCED to think hard about whether a certain fact is important. Of course, you still have to be able to figure out what is important, but since you are academically talented I bet you can do it. By the time you've typed up your one page and read it over a few times, you will likely have much of the information memorized, because you've spent so much time with it.</p>

<p>This works for me because it is a concrete task-- I have to get ONE page, and I simply don't let myself get up from the computer until I've done it. Just telling yourself to sit down and "study" leaves a lot of room for procrastination.</p>

<p>Hope that helps!</p>

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<p>When you do an outline, if appropriate, do a timeline...</p>

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<p>Thanks for the suggestions! Irene, I like your idea precisely because of what you said -- it's concrete, which makes it more digestible. citygirlsmom, I remember things better if I write them down, so writing outlines seems like a good idea.</p>

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<p>We use a computer program in word that has a notebook kind of program, allows for tabbing, bullet points, etc. The 3x5 cards work well. They come in all size and colors. Have fun!!</p>

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<p>Humble suggestion: No IM !!</p>

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<p>Those ARE my study techniques. LOL. Great job. Truly wonderful posts.</p>

<p>Now, As to the work ethic part-keep your eye on the prize. Whatever you determine that prize to be. Visualize it. Make it real. Not what we or your mom or your teacher says it should be. Get it? Make it personal. Make it who you are, who you want to be. If it is just a grade or rank or result in the short term-easy to slough off on the work (because that single grade result or rank ain't that important). When you have to do it to become who you want to become, it's a lot harder to quit.</p>

<p>To be sure, set short-term goals but be aware also, if your goals are too concrete and short term-temporary setbacks become larger than they are.This is not a sprint-it's a marathon. Example-I want to make all A's this grading period. Well,you get caught out by the evil physics teacher and bomb a pop quiz. Well, no need in studying anymore this six-weeks. Don't get caught up in the little stuff. Good luck. And to the earlier posters,again outstanding job.</p>

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<p>SBmom -- Touch</p>

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<p>Ooh, it's my 200th post! /off-topic</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I don't know how to study

[/quote]
There is a book out there that you need, it explains exactly how to fix your problem. Its called What Smart Students Know by Adam Robinson, written by one of the founders of the test prep service Princeton Review. I have never seen a better explanation of the steps you need to follow to really <em>learn</em> the material, and if you read thru that book you will have no trouble understanding how to study a wide range of material since it explains how to read a book, study a math text, etc.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I have no work ethic

[/quote]
Sounds like procrastination; you know what you need to do, you just delay doing it. There are books about this, you might look into them. There is also an excellent article on the web about this topic -- see <a href="http://tinyurl.com/3vr8a%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://tinyurl.com/3vr8a&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Oh gosh.</p>

<p>Yes. If you don't know innately then you have to pretty much guess. You need to take notes on everything you read. And you need to make notes on everything factual. The fatual stuff, for the tests, note cards are right. It is about self-recognition. Me, I was the student who just knew and didn't study. Result in 1974?. Waitlist Yale, Harvard, accepted Princeton, Stanford, Reed. My D? Total studier. Results? Accepted, Princeton, Stanford, Cal. Accepted? harvard, yale.</p>

<p>So go figure.
And go study!!!</p>

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<p>oh dear god, thisyearsgirl..YOU ARE ME.</p>