School failure is not simply the result of the ineffectiveness of the study techniques used, other skills also contribute to the success of the school career that must be equally developed if we also want to create new opportunities in life.
“You can teach a student one lesson a day; but if you teach him curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.”
Clay P. Bedford
A school day like many others. The teacher comes in and hands out the tests. Her expression doesn’t look good. She puts the texts on the desk and looks at the kids, perhaps even a little disconsolate. Her expression now reveals a question… and the kids, from their seats, look at her waiting for that verdict that perhaps they didn’t want.
“Guys… the test went badly. Very badly. The questions were easy, but you didn’t answer well. Why don’t you study? Why don’t you apply yourself? How do you expect to get anything out of life if you don’t apply yourself?”
These questions are just the introduction to an impromptu speech about the importance of studying, learning, results and (consequent) success in life. I see them all… sitting, speechless, their gazes lost, some playing with pens, others pretending to be interested in a speech that for them is even too much. The hour ends and they approach me (yes… having a psychologist in class is no small thing), they want to have their say to those who can listen to them and understand them and perhaps to hear that they are not a nobody.
- Elisabetta explains that she studies, but in the end her head is like an empty balloon. Why waste time?
- When Alessandra studies she has fog in her brain and can’t remember what she studied
- Roberto can’t understand what’s important and what’s not.
- For Ambra repeating is frustrating and useless..
- Giulio, on the other hand, would like to study, but he doesn’t know how to do it… and so he doesn’t even waste time.
- Andrea pays attention in class (more or less) and… that’s it!
So many kids, all with the same problem: none of them have learned to study .
How to learn to study?
Their school condition is much more widespread than one might think. The inability to achieve academic success is an established fact in all school settings, to the point that they recognize the need to help students develop adequate learning skills, but generally dedicated institutional spaces are not set up or adequately qualified personnel are available to do so.
Learning effectiveness is a topic that many researchers have worked on and over the last 40 years several proposals have been developed : some programs have focused on the use of specific mnemonics, others on the use of information processing strategies or more structured study methods have been developed.
Success in studying is not exclusively attributable to an effective learning methodology. There are many components (cognitive and learning styles, attitudes,emotions, metacognition, etc.) that participate in the learning process .
Learning is an innate process, but we often fail to fully develop the other components, both mental and emotional, that we need and that contribute to academic success . So why not spend some time learning who we are, how our child learns, and how we learn.brain, which strategies does he use and which ones would perhaps be better to abandon? Why not learn to enhance our strengths, to use our time better, to define our objectives and finally to present and communicate effectively?
Committing to improving all these aspects means not only improving learning itself, but using personalized techniques and working methods , developing skills and abilities that will be useful in working life and relationships and that will determine a more aware personal growth of one’s own resources and abilities and of how to best use them to pursue one’s life goals.
“Every time we learn something new, we ourselves become something new.”
Leo Buscaglia
