STUDY STRATEGIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS When teenagers hear the word “study,” some would prefer to retreat to the nearest mall or movie theater. As the school year ends, students may want to study even less. Here are some quick and easy ways to motivate your high school student. First, your teenager should have a quiet, comfortable and well-lit study area, with necessary supplies such as pencils, paper, index cards, folders, rulers, calculators and computer access nearby. This will help keep your child from wasting valuable study time looking for supplies. Secondly, studying should occur at the same time each evening before other activities, such as watching television. High school students should study 30 to 40 minutes per subject or three to four hours each night, including weekend study groups, to master important subjects. Using the Cornell System Review Study Guides. Use only one side of the paper. Draw a vertical line 2.5 inches from the left margin. This column is for recall; later, key points will be written here. During the lecture, record notes in the right-hand column in paragraph form, using abbreviations and writing only the general concepts. Use lines or spaces to indicate the end of each idea. After the lecture, have your child reread the notes and summarize. Cover up the right hand column and recite the general ideas of the lecture. Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review (SQ3R Method). Encourage your child to use the SQ3R system. First, survey the information. Read the title, boldface subheadings, the introduction or summary and review any graphics or illustrations. It also is helpful to read chapter review questions. Second, question to engage the mind by changing the boldface headings into questions that could be answered in that selection. Next, read each section with the questions in mind while looking for the answers. Recite to retain the information by stopping after each section, recalling the questions and answering them. Do not go onto the next section until you can recite the answers. Finally, review to build your memory. Once the chapter has been read, go over the questions from the headings and see if your child can still answer them. If not, look back to refresh the memory and continue. Armed with these powerful study skills, your teenager will be less inclined to become a mallrat before the next big test. By Jessica Samons Kutz