Promoting A Good Study Setting





      Students must have a good study setting in order to do their best work!   Typically, students study on the bed, the floor, or "draped" across a comfortable chair.   They are surrounded by magazines, photographs, bulletin boards, and other personal items.   TV sets, radios, or tapeplayers blare in order to help them "concentrate".   Some students are interrupted by phone calls and visits from friends.   These distractions keep the child from focusing on schoolwork!


Encourage your child to follow these guidelines:

  1.      Study in a quiet place.  Turn off the radio, tapeplayer, or TV.  Ninety-nine percent of the population need a quiet      setting to do their best work!

  2.      Study in the same place daily (if possible).

  3.      Remove distractions from the study area.
          a.  Don't study under a bulletin board.
          b.  Don't keep magazines, tapeplayers, and other personal items in your study area.
          c.  Don't study in front of an open window. The sound and movement of traffic is distracting.

  4.      Don't take phone calls during study time.   Calls may be returned during study breaks.

  5.      Study on a flat surface, a desk or table is best.  Don't study on the floor, you may fall asleep!

  6.      Sit in a comfortable, straightbacked chair.

  7.      Keep the study area neat and clean.

  8.      Store school supplies in your study area.   Don't waste time searching for a pencil, paper, ruler, etc.

  9.      Good lighting is important, avoid glare.

  10.      Keep the temperature of the study area between 65-70 degrees if possible.   It is better to be too cold than too      warm!   Wear a sweater if need be.

  11.      Don't leave your study area until time for the scheduled break(s).  Be certain not to skip the breaks.

At times a child can't find a quiet place to study.  He doesn't have a flat surface, it's too hot or too cold, no one can answer the phone for him, a baby sister is crying!
If this is the case, tell your child to try one (or more) of the following ideas:
  • Use earplugs to help block the noise.
  • Study early in the morning before the family awakes.
  • Listen to soft music (no words) to block out the noise.   Wear a headset if possible.  No, TV is STILL not allowed!
  • Find a study setting away from home....Study at the public library,     the school library (before or after school), a relative's home,     a neighbor's home, a friend's home..STUDY, DON'T TALK!
If none of these suggestions work, consult your child's principle, counselor, or teacher.

Be a good role model for your child, allow him to learn from your example.   Read a book or balance your checkbook while your child studies. Schedule noisy activities for another time.  When there is more than one child at home, coordinate study sessions so that one child does not create noise while another attempts to study.  If you must watch TV, be considerate, lower the volume.

Students generally study best when they are alone.   This may not be the case when a child is easily distracted and/or has a short attention span.   If this is true for your child, one of the following suggestions may keep him on task:
  1. Tell your child to leave the door to his study area open.  Tell him that you will check on him from time to time.   If the child is listening to the radio, quietly turn it off.   If the child is daydreaming, softly touch his shoulder; encourage him to get back to work.   Don't lecture, nag, or preach.   Productive study does not occur if the child is emotionally stressed.   Be pleasant but firm.
  2. Ask the child to join you in a quiet area of the house (not the child's room).   Explain that you have some work to do and that being together may help you both concentrate.   Don't distract the child by rattling papers, moving about, etc.   You should not sit at the same table.   Don't look over his shoulder or quiz him without his permission.   Do let him know that you are available to clarify and/or review material.   Never do the work for him!   This begins as a "just this once" favor and soon becomes a destructive pattern.   Better for you to let the child fail and learn from the experience than to "cushion" the child from reality.   You won't always be there to help.   Allow your child to become an independent learner!

Students who make good grades (despite a poor study setting) will question the logic of changing their study habits!   Explain that academic demands will increase, and it is unlikely that they will continue to study successfully in a poor study setting.   In addition, despite their good grades, students who have poor study habits don't store information in their long-term memories.   They forget the material very quickly!

Encourage your child to break bad habits now!   To convince a child to change poor study habits is hard, but the results are worth the effort!


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