I teach all things English, so of course I know how to not zone out while reading. But I still do it anyways. Even I, a reading “expert” will sometimes get to the end of a page and have no idea what I just read. I …
8 time management tips for students
I know, I know. You have no time. Neither do I. Neither does anyone. So below are eight time-management tips for you. And for every student ever. Time management tips for students: 1. Don’t study, do homework, or work on school stuff for more than …
How to avoid distractions while studying: 7 tips for better focus
It’s funny how we can watch Netflix for 3 hours straight without blinking. But when we sit down to do something “hard,” like study, we are suddenly distracted by every little teeny tiny thing. Many of my clients and students come to me complaining that …
Study hack: How to study hard vocabulary words
I’ve written a number of blog posts and made several videos about various methods for studying vocabulary words. But this post is about how to study hard vocabulary words or concepts that you’re struggling to remember or understand, for whatever reason. It’s important to know …
Study skills: 3 things you must do BEFORE you study
I talk (and write) all the time about different study skills and the importance of using study methods that a) match you as a learner, and b) match the material you’re studying. But this post isn’t about how to use those study techniques. Instead, it’s …
How to study for exams: Time management tip
Wondering how to study for exams? I’ll give it to you plain and simple: It’s better to study in short, frequent increments (a little bit each day over a period of time) than to study in one large chunk (like a 4-hour study session). Actual …
The study hack that top students know
I love hacks. Who doesn’t!? As a student myself, I especially love study hacks, and as a teacher too, I especially love sharing a good study hack with others. (Obviously that’s why I started the SchoolHabits blog and YouTube channel.) In general, we should vary …
How to edit an essay: 6 tips for editing your own paper
We are our own worst critics. This is a universal truth that applies to most of us. However, when it comes to editing our own essays, this universal truth often gets chucked out the window! I see it all the time (as a teacher), and …
4 backpack organization tips to tame the chaos
Our poor backpacks get treated like garbage disposals: we throw everything in there from granola bar wrappers to dried out pens, old papers to dead calculator batteries. I’ve even seen things as odd as a bungee cord and a camping canteen. (Yes, the student was …
How to organize old school papers Part 2: Use a Limbo Folder
I wrote a blog post about how to organize old school papers a while ago (read that post – Part 1 – before this one!), but I’m still asked this question all the time. While the minimalist in me is internally shouting “Throw them all …