Power Up Your Study Habits: Elementary School

By Rachel Becker

With this book, you’ll get help with basic study skills and develop habits that will last a lifetime. You’ll see ideas that come from 40 years of teaching and writing textbooks and tests (etc.). You'll get an insider's view, and the tips, tricks, and strategies to help you be a better student.
How about homework? When you start your homework, what should you do first? What are good questions to ask when you do homework? How can you best use your textbook? How can your parents really help you with homework?
What’s the best way to learn something? (teach it) How do you do that? Do you know how concept maps can help you learn? (Do you know how to draw one?) Why are vocabulary words so important? How (and when) do you review? Do you know your learning style? How about how to use it?
What about class? You'll get ideas for making the most of class--from taking notes to figuring out your teacher's verbal and physical cues (if you can read them, you’ll know what’ll be on tests). (By the way, what's the one word you should avoid when talking with a teacher?) You’ll get help for sharing more in class, finding the right seat, and paying attention even when you’re bored.
Test day doesn’t have to be a day of dread. This book tells you how to deal with test anxiety, how to prepare for a test, the best strategies for each type of question (including how to look for clues on multiple choice tests), what to do when you run into trouble, and what to do when you fail a test. (Tip: What’s the one item you should bring to a test that can save the day? a pocket pencil sharpener)
This book also helps you with your writing. It has lots of tips as well as help with proofreading. (You may want to teach the rule of threes to your parents.) And you’ll get help with using SQ3R when you read (if you don’t know what that is, you really need this book).
Do you need help with organizing? You’ll get it here. You’ll know how many calendars you need (and how to use them), how to schedule a long-term project, and even what to look for when buying a backpack.
This book is meant to stay with you and be easy to look at and use. If your parents also get the parent’s guide and use it, you should see more success in school—and in life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rachel Becker
• Release date: Apr 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476451244

Book preview

Power Up Your Study Habits: Elementary School

Rachel Becker

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 Rachel Becker

Discover other titles by Rachel Becker at Smashwords.com

Power Up Your Study Habits: Middle/High School (even College)

Power Up Your Child's Study Habits: A Parent's Guide

Tips for Tutors: Power Up Your Sessions

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal use only. This e-book must not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase a copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the author's work.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction and pep talk

Chapter 2: Self-assessment

Chapter 3: Learning styles

Chapter 4: Organizing--time, space, stuff, and ideas

Chapter 5: Making the most of your school day

Chapter 6: Listening in class

Chapter 7: Taking tests

Chapter 8: Coming home from school

Chapter 9: Doing your homework

Chapter 10: Using your textbook

Chapter 11: Reading

Chapter 12: Memorizing

Chapter 13: Writing

Chapter 14: Finding information you can use

Chapter 15: Talking with your teachers (and parents)

Chapter 16: Conclusion and second pep talk

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About this book

You're looking at this book because you want to be the best student you can be. You want good study habits that will stay with you all through your school years.

This book is meant to help you when you need it. Don't expect to read it as you would another book. This is more of a reference book. Also, you should use it with your parents. They can help you apply what you read. (This series has a book just for parents that helps them help you.)

Begin by looking at the list of chapters above to see what's in here. You want to know how this book can help you. Each chapter is pretty short.

About the author

Rachel Becker is not my real name. I'm using a pen name because I want to feel totally free to share with you what I've learned. I taught school for many years (elementary to college). I now work in the textbook industry writing materials for teachers, content for students, tests, lab books, etc. I've worked for just about every major textbook publisher in the country, as well as some minor ones. I once developed a how to study curriculum for a major university. It just seemed better to use a name that isn't associated with any school or publisher.

Note: You’ll see tips and notes throughout this book. Don’t skip them. This one says that I sometimes don't follow grammar rules exactly. (Sometimes I end a sentence with a preposition!) I wanted to use a style that made it easier for you to read. Besides, no one knows who I am.

Other books available

This series has three other books. One, mentioned above, is for your parents. It'd be a good idea for your parents to have this book. (It's called Power Up Your Child's Study Habits: A Parent's Guide.)

The other book is for middle school and older students. You should get that book when you go into grade 6 or 7. It's a lot like this one, but it contains more information. It helps you meet the greater demands of the higher grades. You won't lose anything from this book if you get the book for older students. And you'll learn some new skills. The title of that book is Power Up Your Study Habits: Middle/High School (even College).

The third book is for tutors. If you have a tutor, you might want to mention this book (Tips for Tutors: Power Up Your Sessions) to both your parents and the tutor.

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Chapter 1: Introduction and pep talk

Each school marking period brings a new beginning, but it also builds on the last one. If you're doing well, you'll want to keep those successful habits, make them better, and add some more. If you're not doing as well as you'd like, it’s time to do better. A little bit of effort, with the right coaching, can help you go a long way.

This book is your coach. It will help you become a more efficient learner.

What is an efficient learner?

Some students put in a lot of time and work very hard. But they see few good results. Efficient learners put in less time and see better results. Being more efficient means you can accomplish more with less effort and in less time.

What is success?

You have to use good study methods if you want to succeed in school. The measure of success is not just good grades, though you should see good grades. Your success means that you understand more and that you can use what you learn.

Pep talk

You are your own best teacher. The classroom teacher (and this book) can help you, but you're in charge of your learning. You have to be the leader. And you need to try to be interested in what you’re doing.

Study is hard work. It requires effort,