All parents want their kids to do well in school, but some students need more guidance than others. If your child is struggling in school, you can make a difference by offering them encouragement at home and helping them learn these essential study tips.

Five Critical Study Tips 

Get on top of school work by getting organized. Students need to keep up-to-date records for their assignments and testing schedule. Encourage your child to use a day planner or a calendar to record the due date for projects and test days. Ask your kid to keep a record of everything they did during their study time each day. You can use this information to make sure your child is staying on track with his schoolwork.

Understand the requirements for each class. At the start of every school year, teachers usually hand out a syllabus which tells students what they need to know and how the teacher will grade them for the class. Students should keep the syllabus in the front of the binder they use for each class. Ensure your child understands the requirements for each assignment and encourage them to ask the teacher for clarification if they do not completely understand what the teacher expects them to accomplish. 

Do schoolwork in a designated study area. Kids need to have a space dedicated to doing their homework away from TVs, smartphones and other distractions. Besides the convenience of having a work space stocked with everything they need to complete their assignments easily available, it has been proven that distractions while doing homework can lower test scores and increase study time. 

Master reading comprehension. As a side effect of the constant stimulation of today's society, many students struggle with maintaining focus while reading long sections of text. It is helpful to ask your child questions about what they are reading and to encourage them to write a detailed outline containing the most important points of the text. Make sure to provide them with a dictionary, in book form, to let them look up unfamiliar words. 

It takes more than just great study habits to be a great student. Remind your child that being a good student is more than just studying hard at home. In order to become a good student, your child needs to be an active student in the classroom. That means taking good notes and asking teachers questions to clarify any confusion. A study session at home should always start by reviewing and revising the day's class notes.

Every late night study session needs a great desk lamp. Northern Lighting in Westerville has a large selection of desk lamps to make it easier for your child to cram for their next exam. Visit the showroom or give us a call at 614-891-7600 for more information.