How To Teach Students Time Management and Study Skills

Difficulty: Very Easy

Are your students not handling their time well? Do their study skills seem unsatisfactory? There are things that teachers can do to incorporate teaching students how to manage their time appropriately, and how to improve study habits.

Time Management:

Teaching a student how to manage her time can easily be incorporated into a teacher's daily classroom schedule. First, teachers must make a specific time each day, such as the first thing in the morning, to offer a tip about time management, and to go over that skill with the students. Doing this type of small lesson daily is a great idea for teaching time management skills. The lesson should be brief, no more than 10 minutes long.
Once you have designated a given time for teaching time management, you must think about what specific areas of time management that your students need improvement on. Write down every topic that you think the class needs to work on and begin your lessons with what you believe to be the most essential. Make sure you always write the skill on the overhead or the chalkboard, and require that the students write it down also. Keep the skill and any "tips" that are associated with that specific skill posted somewhere in the classroom for students to see.
Teach a new time management skill Mondays through Thursdays and leave Fridays for review of the skills you have previously taught. Once you have taught every skill you believe needed to be covered, it is important to continue to review the skills and make sure the students are incorporating these skills into their daily lives.
Some examples of time management skills that should be covered with students are setting aside a study time, setting goals for assignments, using agendas to ensure work is completed on time, making a list of things that need to be completed, and keeping a balance between school and other activities. These are general ideas that may help get you started in teaching time management skills to students.

Teaching students proper study skills can be done in much the same way as time management skills. It is up to the teacher to determine a daily time to go over a different study skill. A good time to teach study skills is at the end of the day, perhaps during a study hall. This type of mini lesson should take no more than 10 minutes to introduce, go over and practice with students. The following are important study skills that all students should know how to do:

Study Skills:

Set aside a designated study spot in your home, something with no distractions.
Make a designated study time for homework completion to occur daily, such as 4:00-5:00.
Fill out homework assignments in agendas for each class.
How to make a graphic organizer to study with.
How to highlight class notes.
Read notes aloud to help with memorization.
Make flashcards with important information from class on each.
Ask someone to quiz you.
Complete a study guide correctly.
Draw a picture of something you must remember.
Know their own learning style, which can help tremendously in studying.
Use mnemonic devices.