Back to School is All About Organization and Erasing Stress

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My kids go back to school this week and while I think they handle the routine better than I do, I’m sad that they barely had a summer break. They finish up school the beginning of June and then they go back mid-August. The good thing is that they don’t have too much time to fall back into bad work habits. Now that I have a middle schooler and a high schooler, it’s all about erasing stress for us. We do that by being super organized and having really great study habits.

I’m fortunate that my kids are good students, but it could have turned out very differently. We emphasized how important a good education was from birth and we love our public schools. I wasn’t the best student, mostly because I don’t think I ever really learned how to study and take notes. These tips from my own kids can help your kids start the year off right.

Study Tips

FOCUS - It sounds simplistic, but setting yourself up for success is absolutely necessary.

1. No TV or outside distractions. When I was younger I liked to study with some music in the background… it helped me focus more, but for many kids, any additional sounds are distracting. Things like siblings talking, dogs barking, cars honking… that’s why libraries are so great to study in. They are quiet. If you can’t get to a library, try and study in the quietest room in the house.
2. Be prepared with everything you need right from the start. Make sure you have your books, paper, and pens ready to go so you don’t have to interrupt yourself to find supplies. If you are looking for some great bargains for supplies, take a trip to Target. They have a special Back to School section of the store with everything you need to prepare your students for success.
3. Have a plan… and maybe even a stopwatch. Know what you are going to study, how many pages you are going to read, or how long you have (20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc.).

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? - When you have the subject that you will be studying, figure out WHAT you need to know.

1. Vocabulary - words are important. By the time you are in junior high and high school, vocabulary words are NOT just for English class. You will be tested on them in science, history, and even math! Always keep a list of important terms you will need to know.
2. Bold Text - anything in bold in your textbooks is probably something you will NEED to know. Those terms are a good starting point for you to organize your notes by topics. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be… most books give you the information you need right up front.
3. Listen carefully to your teacher and make a list of what material will be covered on the test.

HOW TO TAKE NOTES - These are a few different ways to take notes, depending on the information you need to know (above).

1. Bullet Points - these are a favorite because they get right to the point (no pun intended). You are basically making a list of the most important items you need to know. A bullet point list is easy to re-read over and over again.
2. Diagrams - things like timelines (history) and formulas (math) will need to be added to your notes so you become familiar with them. You may be asked to write these out on a test so know how to diagram without looking at the book. They are also easy ways to visualize what you are studying. Sometimes a picture sticks in your mind better than the written word.
3. Cornell Notes are the most common way of taking notes when studying. They are taught in my kids’ schools and have worked out really well for my girls.

Other Helpful Tips

1. Notes are great, but make sure they are well organized. Keep a notebook with the added notes you take for studying so you don’t have to re-do them again when you have mid-terms or finals at the end of the year. You’ll be able to just pull out your notes and study what you already have written down.
2. My girls used to take notes with pencils because they could be easily erased. The problem with pencil is that it smudges and after a long time pencil can fade. It doesn’t always lead to a neat and tidy paper. We’ve been using the Pilot FriXion Clicker erasable gel ink pens. That way, you can erase mistakes and still have the neat and tidy ink.
3. Break notes down by color. For instance, try writing notes in black ink. Vocabulary words that are important to know can be written in red ink. Special phrases or diagrams can be written in blue ink. It will help focus your eye on the extra important notes.

Note taking doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult. If you do it right from the start, studying your notes for test taking will be so much easier. I get it… going into junior high or high school for the first time can be scary, but if you have the right supplies… and the right attitude… you’ll be just fine.

 

 

Erasable pens are the way to go when taking notes for school. Get yourself organized and erase stress. #EraseStress #cbias #ad #backtoschool #FriXion #erasablepens #stress #school #organize #antibullying #target

A video posted by Carolyn West (@carolynrwest) on Aug 9, 2015 at 8:42pm PDT

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Between August 23 and August 29, you can receive 20% off the FriXion Clicker pen 3pk Assorted and FriXion Clicker pen 3pk Black. Shop Target for all your Back to School needs.

How do you erase your stress when the school year begins?