There are several urban legends floating in students, parents and even some educators about what it takes to be a “good” student. In this blog, we address a few of the most common myths and realities behind what it actually takes to be a good student.
- Long study sessions: Although you might think that studying for hours on end is the key, this system doesn’t work. The attention span for effective learning is 45 minutes or an hour at most. Beyond this, however much effort is poured into learning just ends up being in vain, which can be frustrating and off putting. Instead, try to spend a focussed hour on a topic and put those books away for a few minutes or even a few hours. Another useful technique is active recall, where you try to recall what you’ve studied without referring to the study material. This can be frustrating, but it boosts retentivity.
- A one-track mind is thekey: Keeping yourself immersed in books and leaving all other extra curricular activities out will not help in studying or scoring. Extra curricular activities help to refresh and rejuvenate the learning centres of your brain. They can help distract you, reset you and prepare you for another effective study session. Manage your time well. Enjoy your sports, dance, music or any other hobby, but dedicate time for each activity and focus on studying when you sit with your material.
- You need great memorizing skills: Repetitive and rote learning is a temporary solution. These techniques might help you to clear a test, but will not help in understanding or retaining any information longer than a couple of weeks. Discover which technique helps you to understand the concept. Ask yourself, your teachers or parents why something happens or how something works. This way, you develop a true interest and understanding of your material. This knowledge lasts a lifetime.
- Good students are born smarter: There are students with good grades who have a high IQ but also students who do poorly who have high IQs. The converse is also true. There is no relationship between the IQ of a student and their performance in school. What sets students with good scores from the rest is their learning technique. These students have put in a lot of effort to discover the way they learn well, a technique that works for them and have stuck to that technique. Some people like to learn by reading, some by experience, some by watching, while some others by listening! (Discover more about this here https://envisionhigh.in/learning-styles-auditory-and-visual-learners/) Find out what works for you and devise a strategy to conquer your subjects!
There is no easy way to become a good student, but good students aren’t born that way either. With the right focus and the right techniques, you can be a great student scoring well in school. Happy learning!