Ask any two people how they learn, and you’ll get two different answers. That’s because there are infinite ways to learn - there is no “right way” nor is there the “most effective way,” only a way that is best for you. Instead of cramming in more time to learn and increasing the intensity, consider the methods that you are using to learn and find out if they are truly effective for you. Learning how to learn best for yourself is a meandering and lengthy process, but it’s something that everyone needs to achieve in contemporary society. Once you have made the choice to learn, you should familiarize yourself with the myriad of different options out there, to ultimately achieve the skill of learning. What I can do for you here is provide some general tips and insight into effective ways of learning that I use, to help you advance another step in your journey of discovering how to learn.
Let’s break up the art of learning into the who, what, when, where, why, and how to make things clearer. First of all, who? Of course, it’s you that should be doing most of the learning, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn't ask for help from a trusted teacher/parent/adult. Always try to figure out something you don’t understand by reviewing your notes or finding related articles/videos, but if you’re still having trouble understanding the concept, ignoring it and moving on will not be helpful at all. Learning is cumulative - if you are confused about a certain concept, that means you will have trouble grasping more important and complex concepts in the future. I was surprised at how many of my peers in the SAGE (academically gifted) program had trouble with their assignments because they weren’t sure about certain instructions or concepts. By learning to ask questions when I needed, I was able to progress smoothly towards mastering the curriculum outcomes.
The Settings app on devices acts like the when and where of learning. It helps you form consistent habits, but you are also free to adjust it anytime. Having a planner is very beneficial in forming healthy learning patterns. Know what you need and want to get done ahead of time, and plan out when you will complete the task(s), both at home and at school. Set goals for what you will complete each day, make more room for more time-consuming tasks, and record due dates on your planner and calendar. I prefer planning out tasks as I go since I am someone who receives new tasks with different deadlines often, but others with regularly patterned and predictable tasks might prefer setting a specific day of the week for when they will use their planner. When planning out times to learn, space them out instead of trying to complete everything in a day or two. As a high school student, I like to spend 2-3 hours each day learning, but for elementary students, it may be better to spend 30 minutes - 1 hour each day. It’s important to take consistent breaks while you’re learning to stretch and/or relax in any preferable way for a few minutes so that your brain doesn’t get overworked. It’s also important to have a learning environment where you know that you can learn well, which covers the “where” of learning. This completely differs from person to person, so experimentation is needed to find out what works best. Personally, I prefer to learn with no noise downstairs by my piano with bright lighting. Tweaking small details in the “settings” of your learning can lead to big results.
Understanding what you are learning, why you are learning it, and how you should learn it come together in a package that will pave the way towards academic success. Some people like to find out how their learning is related to real-life situations in order to understand concepts better and why they are learning it. Some believe that memorization is key to understanding, so they spend a lot of their time using mnemonics, flashcards, and study apps. Again, there is no correct recipe for learning, but I believe that learning methods largely depend on the subject of learning. With STEM, memorization, practice, and revision is important. After reading about STEM subjects, it’s helpful to take precise notes and repeat to yourself what you just learned in your own words, and revise every day. Also, the more practice questions you do, the better grasp you will have, and the easier it will be to recall information about your learning. Many people simply read over the information that they need to know, and if it sounds familiar to them, they assume that they have mastered the topic. This is definitely not an effective way of learning. For subjects in arts and humanities, it’s helpful to read as much as you can about what you’re learning (especially for history) and to take inspiration from multiple sources - I enjoy watching Crash Course for inspiration on assignments and gaining extra knowledge and practice on Khan Academy. Learning is an investment that everyone needs to make in order to become an engaged and productive global citizen, and I hope that I have helped you recognize the extent of what you can do to benefit your own learning.
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Resources
Studying 101: Study Smarter Not Harder. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2020, from https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/studying-101-study-smarter-not-harder/
Hoyt, E. (2017, March 27). Secret Study Hacks. Retrieved September 9, 2020, from https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/secret-study-hacks