Marist College Ashgrove Newsletter

Teaching and Learning News

Mrs Angela Simpson

Term 1 is in full swing and in a perfect world, all our boys should be settling into a routine that helps them achieve academic growth and success.  Adolescent boys sometimes find it difficult to establish a balanced routine that works for them, but there are some general tips that can be useful.

  1. Create a study timetable.  Understand what commitments you may have over the course of a week; work, family time, training, rehearsals, performances, games, socialising. Your study time is just as, if not more, important than all of the other activities that you commit to.  Commit to blocks of time where you will study.
  2. Set a goal/s for each session.  These goals should be task-based and not time-based. For example, ‘I will write an essay outline and the best introduction paragraph I can’, rather than ‘I will spend 30 minutes on English’.  Time goals can lead to time-wasting.
  3. Focus intently for short periods of time and reward yourself with a short break before starting again.  The reward should be brief, 1-2 minutes, get a drink, pat your dog. This helps prevent study fatigue, refreshes your mind and improves creativity and motivation.  It is important to note that interacting with social media during these breaks has been shown to increase stress levels and reduce the ability to learn effectively.
  4. Avoid distractions. There are many obvious distractions in any household but the most difficult one to remove is a mobile phone. According to recent research (Brain Drain, Ward et al) the mere presence of a mobile phone, even if turned off, reduces available cognitive capacity. Mobile phones should be completely removed from the room for the most effective study to occur.
  5. Start with the most difficult topics first.  It can be tempting to start with the subjects you are confident in but in doing this you run the risk of tackling the challenging subject when you are more fatigued or worse, run out of time altogether.

By being organised and focussed in your studies, you are able to keep on top of the workload and reduce the stress that often accompanies assessment time.  Good habits, great sleep, social contact (not social media contact!), exercise and a healthy diet pave the way to success.