Phil C
12-20-2007, 05:12 PM
Feel free to add your advice and experiences. This is my experience. What works for me may not work for you.
When I was a sophomore in high school I was a struggling student in biology with trying to get a B instead of a C. Quite by accident early in the second semester I discovered a better way of studying and learning. I am sure I was adviced how to do it before but I didn't pay attention or didn't grasp it.
Before I memorized notes as put on the board and discussed by the teacher Mr. Garza ( a great chemistry and biology teacher). I was really mainly memorizing for the tests and then at six weeks test and mid-semester it was memory again. But I discovered something that worked for me all through the rest of high school and college.
I started to read my notes five times when I was studying at night. I would also then read everything we had covered up to that test time. By spending about ten minutes a day rather than waiting till the night before the test and memorizing I was actually learning the material instead of memorizing. I would do that and study like that before the test. Bare in mind I was reading and not memorizing but when I took the tests it seemed like the answers were flowing to my mind. I went from a struggling student between a C and B- to a solid A student. It was easier to get ready for six week exams and finals with this method and when I studied for those tests the information came back more complete and quickly rather than memorizing. I had been told by counselors that I was as good a student as some of those that were making better grades than me. I found out I was and I was a top student the rest of the high school career and those that had been doing better than me came to me for help in chemistry and math.
When I was a sophomore in high school I was a struggling student in biology with trying to get a B instead of a C. Quite by accident early in the second semester I discovered a better way of studying and learning. I am sure I was adviced how to do it before but I didn't pay attention or didn't grasp it.
Before I memorized notes as put on the board and discussed by the teacher Mr. Garza ( a great chemistry and biology teacher). I was really mainly memorizing for the tests and then at six weeks test and mid-semester it was memory again. But I discovered something that worked for me all through the rest of high school and college.
I started to read my notes five times when I was studying at night. I would also then read everything we had covered up to that test time. By spending about ten minutes a day rather than waiting till the night before the test and memorizing I was actually learning the material instead of memorizing. I would do that and study like that before the test. Bare in mind I was reading and not memorizing but when I took the tests it seemed like the answers were flowing to my mind. I went from a struggling student between a C and B- to a solid A student. It was easier to get ready for six week exams and finals with this method and when I studied for those tests the information came back more complete and quickly rather than memorizing. I had been told by counselors that I was as good a student as some of those that were making better grades than me. I found out I was and I was a top student the rest of the high school career and those that had been doing better than me came to me for help in chemistry and math.