Creative Study Tips

Today I met with a few students to figure out ways they could improve study skills. Here are some of the suggestions I made. These tips are specific to unique learning needs and go beyond the standard approach of read, take notes, recite and review. They are creative ways to make life as student more successful and less stressful! If you need to spiff up your approach to study, experiment with any strategies here that appeal to you.

For the Hands-On Learner
For the person who considers herself a very "hands-on" learner and has a hard time with abstract concepts, I said find an example of the idea and then imagine it very vividly. Make it as real in your imagination as if you were experiencing it in your life. For instance, if you are learning about ADHD, imagine what it would be like to have your mind racing in high gear all the time, to feel fidgety, to keep switching from one task to another, to do many things at once, and to feel irritable and edgy because no one understands why you can't sit still. See if you can imagine yourself in the skin of someone with all the symptoms you are reading about. Think of people you know who might have a diagnosis of ADHD and reflect on how their behavior fits with what you are reading. Does this match with what you imagined?

For the Sleep-Deprived
One student works a night shift and doesn't get enough good sleep, so tends to drift off every time she sits to read the textbook. I suggested she stand up to read her text. Put a box on a counter to lift the text to a convenient reading height, and make notes in a notebook or on index cards. Read for ten minutes, take a break and do a simple chore or just stretch and move for a minute or two. Then read and take notes for ten more minutes. Take a longer break when needed, but keep coming back to the text for more short reading sessions.

Zoning in on Key Words
One student had overwhelmed herself trying to memorize the entire definition of each new term highlighted in the text. I told her to figure out the key words in the definition and only highlight or take notes on those. In addition, write down a brief example that illustrates the idea, in her notebook or on flash cards.

Looking up Unknown Words
A number of students were skipping over words they didn't really understand, trying to make sense of the text in a general way. I strongly suggested using a dictionary to clarify. It will take more time at first, but they will quickly enrich their vocabularies and find studying gets easier. Not to mention, they will actually understand what they are studying!

Supplementing the Text
Another student wanted more interactive learning tools but didn't want to spring for the fee for materials available with our textbook. For him, searching on-line for a video related to his interesting or puzzling topic could be useful. For instance, curious about biological clocks and circadian rhythms, he could Google "video circadian rhythms," or "psychology video biological clocks."

Hope these tips are helpful. Good luck with your classes!

Frugal Times Tips

Usually when I'm washing dishes, I think of living skills I'd love to share with my students as they struggle to make ends meet financially, but these tidbits don't fit neatly in the boundaries of a psychology class!

We lived for a while in the beautiful state of Vermont where Yankee thrift is a virtue. An old New England saying is, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Along those lines . . .

Plastic Tubes and Squeeze Bottles
Did you know that plastic squeeze bottles -- anything from mustard to toiletries -- may be convenient but can rip you off? If you throw them out when you can't squeeze any more goo, you may be losing as much as ten percent of your purchase. Of course, the manufacturer is happy because you'll be buying a replacement!

Instead, use sturdy scissors or a serrated knife to cut the tube or bottle in half. Scoop out the remaining mustard or ketchup for your recipe. With tubes of moisturizers, you may find another week's worth of product clinging to the sides. With clean fingers, scoop what you need and put one cut end of the tube over the other, forming a cap to keep the rest clean until you use it up.

Found Money
Go through your house room by room, drawer by drawer, on a money search. You may find odd change and bills tucked in random pockets, boxes, books, etc. Also round up items you meant to return for a refund, bottles to recycle for cash, etc. Go get your money back on these things. In the search process, are you finding items you could sell on Craig's List or at a garage sale? Get busy! Now do something smart or fun with your stash of cash! Save it for your favorite goal, buy groceries, or treat yourself to something special.

Tightwad Gazette
For the homemaker who wants to be smartly frugal, I highly recommend Amy Dacyzn's three book series, The Tightwad Gazette. She published a newsletter in the early nineties, before email was big, and compiled her own ideas and many reader responses into the books, which are a treasure trove of helpful ideas for saving. Even though I don't have children, I got inspired to adapt and try a number of her ideas. Get these books at your local library or invest in used ones from Amazon.com. You'll never think of frugality as a dreaded necessity again!

Overcoming Student Discouragement

Tonight I've been puzzling over how best to help my students (Introduction to Psychology) learn more effectively. At this point, almost everyone in my class seems to want to do well, but many are not well prepared for college level work. They sincerely want to improve their lives via a college education, and it is a shock when they get test grades in my class.

As in any group, there are unique versions of needs for study skill improvement. Some students have been laid off in the downturned economy and are aiming to change careers. Some struggle to understand abstract concepts. Some don't grasp all the vocabulary and are not accustomed to grabbing a dictionary for help. Some procrastinate. Some work and raise families and have little time for study. Some tell me they need hands on learning activities. Many are of the first generation in their families to attend college. Others are immigrants struggling with English as a second language. In this class, I have one tenth grader and a few middled aged adults as well as a group of traditional college-age students.

My message today as I went over the grading procedure in more detail was, "Don't give up. Hang in there and attendance and the term paper will likely help to pull test scores up for the final average."

If you stick with this class, show up and do the work to the best of your ability, you are likely to surprise yourself with results. My philosophy is that test scores are not the only way to measure learning. Participation, self-reflection papers and the self-nurturing project/critical thinking term paper are all ways to demonstrate learning of many of the principles we are studying -- in a more hands on way.

Your persistence will pay off in other ways. You'll work hard in this class, but you will apply the learning to your own life. You'll discover the value of choosing education as a priority and letting go of some other activities so you can dig in and do the learning. You may actually find your own best new methods of studying. You will internalize ideas that will serve you for a lifetime, helping you to understand yourself and others.

Keep turning the pages, keep making notes. Stay awake in class. Be present physically and mentally. Ask questions. Take care of yourself. Use everything for your learning and growth!