Study Skills Night: Organization and Basic Study Techniques
Alison Lepard, Peggy Morley– Westland MS
Topic 1: Organization
Are you organized enough?
If you are getting all you work done in time and done well, if you don’t lose
papers, than you are doing well. If these things are not true, read on…
Here’s how to stay or get organized: Organization is a habit. You must
work at developing this habit just like you had to learn to brush your teeth
each day.
1) In school:
a. Your binder needs a place for each subject.
b. PUT THOSE PAPERS IN THEIR PLACE RIGHT AWAY, before
class ends. Do not wait until later!
i. Put newest papers on top so papers are arranged
chronologically
c. Hw: Check the Teacher’s board – check this first thing upon
entering the classroom, write down any homework right at the
beginning of class. See how to use the planbook (separate
handout)
d. If your binder is full, take out old papers and keep them in a
labeled folder at home. Don’t recycle anything until you ask your
teacher.
e. Don’t like binders? Folder systems can work, too. The rules are
the same: have a separate folder for each subject and put papers in
the folder in order before the end of each class.
2) When you get home: How do you know what your homework is?
a. Check your planner first
b. Check Edline – not just your grades! Check for assignments. Check
calendar view for the most complete list.
c. Flip through your binder to see if there are blank papers – if you
have a blank paper and can’t remember what you should be doing
with it, call a friend, then ask your teacher the next day. (You can
also email your teacher but probably won’t get a response until the
next day)
d. Do all 3 of the above steps every day. Never be so sure you know
what to do that you don’t check. Those will be the days you forget.
Always check to be sure you are right
Study Skills Night: Organization and Basic Study Techniques
Alison Lepard, Peggy Morley– Westland MS
Topic 2: Keeping up with your Work:
1) Think before you start: What do I have to do? How long will it take
me?
This includes long term assignments – don’t keep putting them
off – do a bit whenever you can. If you can’t work on that long
term assignment today, pick out a day soon when you can. Plan
ahead.
There is no magic rule about what needs to be done first, but do
not leave the longest most difficult thing for last – you will be tired
and may underestimate the amount of time it will take.
2) USE YOUR Resources! Refer back to the work you have done in
class when you need help doing your work.
 Going back and looking at papers you did in class gives you a
chance to see if you understood it.
 Your homework is almost certainly based on what you have done in
class.
 Check the book for help even if you didn’t read that book in class.
Use the index to find pages that might help.
 Read directions.
3) Start Early: Do not wait until the night before something is due to
begin. If your teacher gave you a lot of time that means the assignment
takes time.
Study Skills Night: Organization and Basic Study Techniques
Alison Lepard, Peggy Morley – Westland MS
Topic 3: How to study
Studying is essential and it is a skill. You have to practice it to get better.
1. Studying needs to be active. Just looking over or reading something
is not the same as studying.
2. Start by figuring out what you know
 If you have a study guide, consider doing it as a practice test –
fill in everything you know without looking at your notes Then
check your work using your notes (papers done in class).
Anything you got wrong or left blank is something you need to
study.
 If you don’t have a study guide, use your recent papers as a
study guide – could you fill them out/ answer the questions
without help? Cover the answers and re-write new answers on a
piece of paper or say them out loud.
3. Once you know what you need to study – how to study:
 Locate all your resources (things that will help you study).
 Your papers from class are most important. Why? Because
you know this is exactly what the teacher wants you to know.
Your book is also helpful.
 You must DO something – that is, write something down or
talk out loud – Here is a list of possible activities. You will never
need them all for one test – but should probably use more than
one:
1. Make flash cards; Put a word or concept on one side,
facts about the concept on the other side. Study them
several times; alternate which side you read and which
side you test yourself on
2. Make a practice test. Write a list of words and
questions, put away your notes and fill in your answers.
Correct your practice test
3. Make labeled drawings for each of the words or
concepts
4. Go to the section of the book (NOT the glossary) that
deals with the topic. Read it. Make an outline of the
section.
5. Teach someone else the concepts you are having
trouble with. Teaching others is a great learning tool! You
will remember it much better once you have explained it
out loud.
6. Come up with analogies – write them down.
Study Skills Night: Organization and Basic Study Techniques
Alison Lepard, Peggy Morley – Westland MS
Topic 4: What to do if you are having problems
Keep in mind that your teachers want you to succeed! Always ask for
help whether you are confused a little or a lot. How can you get help
and help yourself?
1) Helping yourself:
 Make sure you are doing all your homework
 Do your best to pay attention in class. If your seat is distracting, ask for
a different seat and explain why. Your teachers will keep what you say
confidential. Be honest.
 Ask your parents for advice. They probably studied this once. Even if
they don’t know the exact material they probably know how to study.
 If you keep studying a lot but don’t do well on tests, study differently.
Change the place, turn off the music, sit up, start earlier, talk to your
counselor or teacher.
 Ask for help. Don’t think that you can’t do it or that the next topic will be
easier. Get help now.
2) Getting Help – Remember that no adult can read your mind – only you know
what you need more help with.
 Ask questions as soon as you are confused. If you forget to ask in
class, send your teacher an email. If you don’t have or use your own
email, ask to use your parent’s. Be sure to use correct grammar and
sign your name.
 Make STAR and lunch appointments. If you have a low B or lower in a
class, you should have regular STAR appointments until the grade
improves. If that means you see a teacher 3 days a week, that’s o.k.
 Don’t be afraid to say you are confused. It really helps teachers when
we know students are having trouble. It lets us know what we might
need to review. Your comments help us improve our teaching.
Study Skills Night: Organization and Basic Study Techniques
Alison Lepard, Peggy Morley – Westland MS
For Parents Only
So parents, how can you help your child be a better student, love learning and
learn well? The long term goal is to help your child have the skills to work and
learn independently. How quickly your child will get there will depend on your
child.
1. Set limits: A big part of our role as adults is to provide those things that kids
don’t yet have on their own, including self-control and perspective. You can
help your child by putting limits on those things that are major distractors:
electronics, computers, phones. Even habits we love to see our kids doing,
like reading or sports, can interfere with academics if not kept in perspective.
 If your child is struggling to get his work done, start by sitting down
with your child to go over how he spends his free time and what
needs to be changed.
 Invite your child to be part of the problem solving, but you have the
last word. If your child’s solution does is not practical or is not
working, set up a solution that will work better and stick to it.
2. Check Edline and the Planbook together: Set aside regular time to review
edline together. Review both grades and assignments. Doing this together
lets you discuss the good and bad grades you see. You can hear about what
went well and what did not. It also ensures that your child is looking at Edline
and doing so thoroughly.
 Similarly, periodically checking your child’s binder will let you know
if she is staying organized and using her planbook. It lets you see
what work your child is doing and by reading her work you get an
idea of what and how well she is learning.
3. Be involved. How much should you be involved?
This question has no easy answer. Know your child and respect your child for
who he is. If he is easily distracted, he will need many reminders to re-focus. He
also needs you to help him train himself to re-focus.
If your child protests at your involvement, back off and give your child a chance
to succeed on his own but don’t back off so much that you don’t know what his
grades and major assignments are.
Your child’s growth towards independence is not a linear process. As children
take on more difficult work they will need more help to manage it. By keeping
tabs on how your child is doing, you will know when to offer more help and new
strategies - and when to relax and offer congratulations on a job well done.