Feb 18 2008
Successful Study Skills for the Home School Student
Although a home school education is different than traditional schooling in many ways, there is a similar strategy employed in the area of study skills. By remembering these three key points, students can develop successful habits that will benefit them in their current studies, and will also create a lasting mindset that will help them in their future careers.
Purpose of Study
To properly encourage successful home school study skills, a student needs to look at their motivating factors. Perhaps the first reason they need to study is to be obedient to their parents, yet this objective alone won’t supply the necessary incentive to personally achieve. The study skills of home school students need a foundational principle on which to rest.
Since many families choose this method of education for religious reasons, a student may look at their time of studying as a God-given privilege; it’s a time for them to recognize and nurture the gifts and talents given to them by their Creator. Studying in a home school environment also allows freedom to focus on specific areas of interest, which adds an atmosphere of excitement to the daily lessons. Having a vision of a future career in a certain field is another excellent motivating force in developing sensible home school study skills.
Place to Study
Even though the home school student is in a more relaxed and comfortable setting than students in a traditional school, the basic principles of studying still apply. Oftentimes, studying is viewed as a lonely activity, but once the motivating forces are in place, this aspect of learning can become a time of enjoyable intellectual stimulation. The first step to encourage profitable study skills in the home school is to find a suitable place with few distractions.
Concentration isn’t possible with the television on, music playing or phone calls interrupting the student. The place to study should be comfortable, but lounging in bed or sprawled out on the sofa may negatively affect their thinking and make the student drowsy. A desk in their bedroom, proper lighting and access to reference books or the computer provides the essentials to practice good study skills in the home school.
Planning to Study
The successful development of home school study skills needs a plan that will help the student maximize their time of study. A calendar is necessary to mark the days in which reports are due or projects need to be finished. Once that is established, the student can then calculate the time needed for these subjects and work out a daily timetable for their completion.
Having a separate notebook and folder for every subject is important and will make organizing notes and worksheets easier. Lastly, scheduling well-earned breaks contribute to a sense of refreshment and accomplishment.
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