The Tribune

By ALICIA WALLACE

The new school year has already started for some and will open for others in the coming weeks. The month of August is usually full of preparation, from uniforms and school supplies to paying the balance on fees and figuring out transportation. It is easy to get caught up in these tasks because they are expensive and time-consuming, but there also needs to be investment in the students returning to school and increasing their readiness for the year ahead. Especially for high school students, it is important to be equipped with good practices. Children are sent or dropped to school and expected to simply do well. There is more we can do to prepare them for the high school environment and what it requires of them.

Here are eight tips to share with the high school students in your life—especially those entering grades seven through ten.

Get restful sleep every night. 

Between the ages of 13 and 18, you need eight to ten hours of sleep per day. The teenage years are a time of mental, physical, and social changes. It can be difficult for you to regulate your emotions and make good decisions, and not getting enough sleep can make it more difficult to make the best possible decisions. For the best quality of sleep, set a bedtime routine that can reasonably be followed on a consistent basis. Your bedtime routine should be relaxing and signal your brain and body that it is time to rest. Phones, tablets, and other blue light devices should be avoided close to bedtime because they affect the production of melatonin which signals the body to sleep, and it is prompted by darkness. Your bedtime routine should involve ending the use of blue light devices.

It can be helpful to talk to other people about what helps them to relax and fall asleep easily. Baths or showers, stretching, prayer or meditation, reading (excluding on blue light devices), taking prescribed medication, playing soothing music, and settling into bed with a favorite pillow or blanket can all form a part of the bedtime routine. It may take some time to find the right components and the best order, so start testing it out tonight. Once you find the one that is right for you, be consistent in starting it at the same time each night. Also try to end the routine at the same time, in bed and positioned for sleep.

Have breakfast. 

A big, hearty breakfast may not be possible or even desirable every day, but it is important to eat before leaving that house for a full day of school. Whether you are having eggs and bacon, grits and tuna, or cold cereal and fruit, ensure that you are putting something in your body. Not only is breakfast important for meeting nutritional needs of the body, but it is also fuel for the brain. A study over more than 4,600 students at 97 schools in Nevada, US, found that students who ate breakfast every day were 72 percent more likely to get As and Bs.

Pay attention in class. 

This phrase is repeated often, by parents, friends of the family, principals, and many others, and it seems obvious. It is good advice. Still, it can benefit from some elaboration. Paying attention in class is more than just sitting and looking at the teacher. It is about being fully engaged. When you are attentive, you are not only hearing the teacher’s voice, but listening to what they say. This becomes more important when the teacher is speaking while doing something else, or expecting you to do something else. For example, the teacher may give an explanation while writing on the board. The students’ instinct may be to immediately copy what the teacher is writing on the board, assuming that it is the most important thing, but they may focus entirely on the act of copying from the board rather than listening to the explanation of what is there. Listen to understand what is being said.

Take clear notes. 

Whether notes are dictated, written on the board, or entirely produced by you based on what the teacher is saying or what is taking place in class, it is important to take notes in a way that helps you to understand them later, when you are alone with your notebook and there is no one to explain or demonstrate anything. Find systems that work for you. This may mean the notes you write in class are a draft, and you later rewrite them in a format that makes sense to you, even including diagrams, key points, and questions that come up as you rewrite. Remember that every important note may not be given to you in writing or in dictation. Think for yourself. Process the information being shared as you record it in your notebook.

Review notes daily. 

Review the notes you take in all of your classes at the end of the day. You may be surprised to see what you wrote, what you did not write, and what does not make sense when you read it later, outside of the classroom. You may remember pieces of information that you can add to your notes to give them some context. You may also find yourself confused. In that case, make note of the places in your notes where there seems to be missing information. Write down any questions that come to mind. When you go to school the next day, you may want to check with classmates to see if anyone else has the information you need, but it is a good idea to check with the teacher. Take your notebook, let them know that you were reviewing your notes, and show them the part where you were confused and ask your questions. Not only should this help you to get the clarifying information you need to improve your notes and make it easier for you to complete assignments and study when there is a test coming up, but it also shows your teacher that you care about your education and you have the confidence to ask for help.

Ask clarifying questions. 

You may sometimes find that the textbook and your notes are not quite enough. You may even find contradictions between the two. Before approaching the teacher, write your questions down. Make note of what you thought, or continue to think, is the case, and what other information makes you question it. If you are missing a connection between two pieces of information, try to make it for yourself using the information you already have. Are there context clues? What can you assume? You can also try to find information online, but try not to do this until you have used all of the knowledge you already have. When you go to your teacher, share your thought process and ask whether or not you are on the track. Do as much as you can with what you have. This will help you to develop critical thinking skills, and it will demonstrate to the teacher that you are willing and able to think for yourself, and that you are invested in learning.

Take notes as you read your text and your own notes. 

This is a good exercise for improving note-taking skills which becomes more important later in high school, in university, and in the world of work. Test your understanding of what you read. Test your understanding of what you wrote earlier. Write it in your own words. Check the textbook or your class notes to see if your version is accurate and has enough detail. It is important to make these notes in the way that you would speak or write without prompting. This will ensure that you have a set of notes to read that make sense to you and is in your natural voice. It will be easier for you to write short answers and essays when you sharpen the skill of writing in your own words. It will also make studying a smoother process because you will be reading notes in the language you use instead of the language of a textbook or teacher. In addition, it can help you to avoid plagiarism.

Start working on homework the day it is assigned. 

When an assignment is due one week later, it is tempting to wait. You may be more excited about other activities and want to put the homework aside. This means the homework stays on your list of things to do and your time to do it gets shorter and shorter every day. It is usually not a good idea to put off tasks that can be done now. The earlier you do your homework, the more likely it is that you retained the information shared in class, and this usually means you can finish it faster.

When you put more time between the lesson and when you do the homework, you have to refer to your textbooks and notebook much more. Doing it earlier gives you the opportunity to finish it in less time. It also gives you time to ask clarifying question if any part of the assignment is confusing. Asking a question about the homework one day before it is due is usually not very well-received by teachers, parents, or other who can help you. Even if you do not finish it all at once, read the instructions and start working on the assignment, whether it is doing a few of the math problems, writing an outline for the essay, or making a list of the supplies you need for the project. Give yourself time to ask for help, to get stuck, to fix a problem, and to start over.