Many educators assume that at some point, students have been taught how to study effectively, but I’ve been a high school teacher for nearly 20 years, and I’ve learned that that is typically not the case.
When students rely on ineffective studying methods like highlighting and rewriting notes, they sometimes come to believe that “studying” doesn’t work. By the time they reach my class, I need to break down these misconceptions before they can adopt more effective strategies. That’s why I make a point to explicitly teach study strategies to my sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
In the first month of the school year, I spend a significant amount of class time in my AP Biology course emphasizing study skills that challenge typical study strategies. Although I’m a veteran teacher, every year I’m anxious about students’ performance on their first unit exam; the success or failure on this assessment often sets a tone for my credibility with my classes.
If a student follows my guidance but doesn’t achieve the result they hoped for, I risk losing their trust. Success, on the other hand, is transformative—they will be more likely to adopt these strategies across their classes. The exam feels like a pivotal moment, shaping how hard I’ll need to work to get everyone to trust the process as the year unfolds.
