You study for a test, you think you know your stuff, you take the test, and then you fail the test. Does this situation sound familiar? Do you ever think to yourself Ugh, what the heck ⊠I swore I knew this stuff! Reality check: …
How to not zone out while reading: 6 strategies that good readers use
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. 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 …
8 time management tips for students
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. 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. Also, when you’re done, you definitely want to come back and learn about the …
How to avoid distractions while studying: 7 tips for better focus
Itâs funny how we can watch Netflix for 3 hours straight without blinking. But when we sit down to do something âhard,â like study, we are suddenly distracted by every little teeny tiny thing. Many of my clients and students come to me complaining that …
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 youâre studying. But this post isnât about  how to use those study techniques. Instead, itâs …
The study hack that top students know
I love hacks. Who doesnât!? 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 thatâs why I started the SchoolHabits blog and YouTube channel.) In general, we should vary …
4 backpack organization tips to tame the chaos
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. We treat our backpacks like garbage disposals: we throw everything in there from granola bar wrappers to dried-out pens, old papers to dead calculator batteries. Iâve even seen things as odd as a bungee cord and a camping canteen. (Yes, the …
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 Iâm still asked this question all the time. While the minimalist in me is internally shouting âThrow them all …
What to do when you zone out in class: 4 emergency strategies
I am a super-focused person. I know what I want, I figure out how to get it, and then I take care of business. While I call it âfocusâ because I want to be nice to myself, those who know me well might choose …
When to take notes in class: 7 clues you should be writing it down
By Katie Azevedo, M.Ed. One of the most common questions I get from students is âHow do I know when to take notes in class?â I get it. Note-taking can seem hard and mysterious and complicated — especially if weâve never been taught how or …
