Good grades increase opportunities for your child. They open doors to college and to careers. You can help your child get better grades by improving study skills.

Set Goals

Goals can provide students with a plan to achieve something positive. Work together with your student to set goals to ensure they are realistic and measurable.

• Work on big goals first. Help your child to create positive, precise and realistic goals. Write them down. Goals should be not too difficult but not too easy.
• Break down the big goal into manageable parts. Have your child write down the smaller steps or mini-goals needed to reach the larger goal. Set up deadlines and discuss your child's progress often.
• Create a plan to tackle the mini-goals. Explain the value of practice and training in meeting goals. Work with your child to schedule time for study rather than cramming for tests or assignment deadlines. Help your student form a study group as well as set aside time for uninterrupted time for homework.

Get Organized

Good organization sharpens your student's study skills. Different colored file folders and assignments and notes filed in a class-specific notebook are signs of organization.

• The Notebook. Notebooks make learning materials easy to find. Folders and binders with dividers are great to organize notes, assignments and test results. Encourage your student to have separate, labeled notebooks for each class.
• Assignments. Suggest writing down assignments for all classes in one designated place. Include due dates and important information for each one. Encourage your student to ask the teacher to explain unclear assignments and keep records of the grades received. Notice the types of assignments that need more work and make sure your student asks teachers for help.

Create a Study Enviroment

Real learning takes time and attention. Reinforce a consistent approach to learning by creating a specific place and routine time for studying. Don't forget to allow for breaks!

• Set a Place. Choose a place that is quiet with few distractions and that has pens, pencils, paper, a dictionary and a ruler at hand. Study space should be well lighted and have music if it helps your child concentrate.
• Set a Time. Designate study time when your child is alert, fresh and relaxed and, ideally, at the same time daily. Don't forget short breaks to refresh the mind and schedule the first one before studying begins. During the break, suggest a walk outdoors or deep breathing exercises. Research studies show that physical well-being promotes mental well-being and renewed energy.