Planning For Success
One aspect of life that is important to everyone regardless of age is education. Education is a lifelong process. It is the main focus of your life if you are still at school or in any form of full-time learning. It is also very important at work as you will need to learn about your professional responsibilities. You might have a hobby or other interests that you might one day want to make into your career or just do for the love of it. You might be a parent who would like to help your children in their education. This section will help you to be successful in any of the above situations.
Study and revision can be stressful. When you think about all the work that you need to cover in all your subjects, it can be frightening. The only way to reduce and eliminate the stress is through preparation and it starts right now. In fact, your study plan starts before the first day of lessons. To guarantee success in your education, you should read your textbook ahead of the lesson. You should spread your workload over the academic year and not wait until just before an examination.
Start with the correct attitude towards your education by:
1. Reading ahead in your textbooks
2. Getting a homework diary
3. Drawing up a homework timetable
4. Making notes in each lesson
5. Reading through your notes and organising it an effective way
6. Drawing up a study timetable (a week-by-week plan)
7. Drawing up a revision timetable (at least six weeks before your exams)
8. Sticking to your plan
Reading ahead in your textbooks prepares you for the work that you will cover in the lesson. It increases your understanding of the work and you can write down questions to ask in class that will further increase your understanding.
Using a homework diary allows you to record your homework under the date it is given and allows you to record the due date. From your homework diary, you can easily draw up a homework timetable. Your homework timetable tells you when to do each subject and allows you to complete and hand in your homework on time.
It is a good practice to make notes in each lesson. You might get additional notes in class that is not in your textbook and will become very important when you are revising for your exams. You should read through your notes, at home, as soon as possible after you have written it. You might have done additional research on the internet or at the library and it is an opportunity to organise your notes under specific topics, headings and sub-headings. You can use bullet points, numberings, underlining and the use of capital letters to make your notes easier to understand and remember.
Drawing up a study timetable for each week in the academic year will allow you to insert each topic that you have covered in class and gives you a specific time to cover each topic. That is when you read through and organise your notes.
Drawing up a revision timetable is done at least six weeks before your exams and it allows you to remember things that you already know. You insert all of the topics that you need to revise into your revision timetable. Tick off each topic as you progress through your revision. Stick to your plan and your education will be a rewarding experience.
Making Your Homework Timetable
(Use a pencil so corrections can be easily made)
1. Make copies of the blank homework timetable on the next page or draw them by hand
2. Write in the day and date on your first blank
3. Enter the first subject that gives homework
4. Enter the date that the homework is due
5. Write in the homework
6. Continue entering your homework for the rest of the day
7. Complete each homework before the due date
8. Ask your parent to check that the homework is done and then print and sign his/her name in the space provided
9. Hand in your homework on the due date
10. Do the same for each day until it becomes a habit
Making Your Study Timetable
(Use a pencil)
1. Make a copy of the blank study timetable provided (also used for revision timetable)
2. Enter the hours you are at school
3. Enter all your non-school activities, such as training, T.V. programmes that you want to watch, going out with family or friends, meal time, etc.
4. Enter each subject on the appropriate day. That will be the time to do your homework, do research, organise and read over your notes, and read ahead in preparation for your next lesson
5. Make sure that all of your subjects are included into your study timetable
Making Your Revision Timetable
(Use a pencil)
1. This is the first thing that you do before you start revising for your examinations
2. Make a copy of your revision timetable for each week up to your exams
3. Enter your times in class
4. Enter all your non-school activities, which include time for rest and refreshments
5. Make a complete list of all the topics that you need to revise for all of your subjects (on a separate piece of paper)
6. Start entering the topics from your list onto your revision timetable. Start with the topics that will need more time because they are more important or complicated, or they are your weak areas
7. make sure that all of the topics are entered at least once during the weeks set aside for revision
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