By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. “Nobody does that.” That’s what many students say at the start of work together. When I start talking about managing homework outside of Google Classroom, taking notes in class, and starting study sessions days before the test instead of the night …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Most students have heard of the concept of time management. Maybe you’re good at it, or maybe you think it’s something you need to get better at. Either way, you’ve heard of the concept of managing time. What’s less well known …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. College and graduate students often have breaks between classes, unlike the back-to-back schedule typical in high school. While many students slide into their seats with 11 seconds to spare, top students operate differently — and with a little less chaos. By …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. With some rare exceptions, the primary reason for bad test grades is that you didn’t know the material well enough. Before you shut me down, please hear me out. I know the test was hard. I know the teacher is mean. …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Required summer reading often involves the same challenging books as school-year reading, but without all the teacher support and guidance along the way. For this reason, some middle and high school students who succeed with school-year reading will struggle to independently …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Not every child (or adult!) likes to read. Does that bum me out? Yep. But similarly, not everyone likes to swim or cook or watch scary movies. The challenge for many parents is when a child doesn’t want to read when …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. When the last bell rings before summer vacation, most students slam their devices closed and chuck their backpacks in a closet until September. I get it. I did that too. But there are some simple things that students should do before …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Adults and children with ADHD have fascinating strengths, including creativity curiosity and empathy. But people with ADHD also have a slew of challenges that can make daily life seem nearly impossible to manage. These challenges primarily involve the executive functions, which …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. While the human brain is unfathomably amazing, it’s not meant to store large amounts of unconnected information. That’s why we have lists. Lists externally store non-urgent data for future reference. Using lists can reduce stress, increase the accessibility of information, help …
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. Open-book exams have a complicated reputation, as there are pros and cons to this type of test: Pro: You have to memorize less information. Con: Open-book exams offer a false sense of security, fooling you into thinking the answers will just …