Teaching a smart kid to study

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is *he* interested in learning study skills that he doesn’t need right now? It’s hard to force that. If he recognizes that he may eventually get material that doesn’t come as easily and wants to prepare now for how to study it, you’ve got a laudably mature kid.

That said, there are a wide variety of study skills that vary based on subject matter and personal preference. If you’re looking for widely-applicable foundational guidance, maybe ask your school’s academic center for some resources to get you started.

Ha ha ha. No, not at all. No one would describe him as "laudably mature."

In that case, I think you may have trouble trying to convince him that this is an area he needs to work on. If he’s resistant to the idea, you’ve aren’t going to get far. He’s going to have to figure it out in his own time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just finished 9th grade at a school that dcum considers to be rigorous. He got straight As without studying for finals and minimal studying during the year. How can he learn how to study when he clearly doesn't need to?

In 9th grade, he took honors math, the only honors class available to 9th graders. In 10th grade, he will take honors math and science, the only honors classes available to 10th graders.

What exactly do you want him to study?
Why is his parent stupid?

I want him to learn to study because eventually he will need to develop study skills/executive function. If he doesn't learn how to study in high school, college will be really hard.

You want him to study material he already knows?

[Anonymous]

Has he not had to write essays, learn a language, research a topic, memorize historical events and dates? Those are all study skills.

I'd recommend a summer class (at community college or online) in art history. It will require him to stretch in ways he probably hasn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has he not had to write essays, learn a language, research a topic, memorize historical events and dates? Those are all study skills.

I'd recommend a summer class (at community college or online) in art history. It will require him to stretch in ways he probably hasn't.

He's written essays and research papers that definitely stretched him. Whatever memorizing he's had to do for history and language was not challenging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has he not had to write essays, learn a language, research a topic, memorize historical events and dates? Those are all study skills.

I'd recommend a summer class (at community college or online) in art history. It will require him to stretch in ways he probably hasn't.

He's written essays and research papers that definitely stretched him. Whatever memorizing he's had to do for history and language was not challenging.

Then he has a good memory, and that will serve him well. He’s fine.

[Anonymous]

DD was the same in 9th grade…straight As from a rigorous private school with minimum effort. As it turned out, she has severe ADHD (inattentive) but very high processing speed.

[Anonymous]

Dual enrollment summer school classes at a community college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What exactly do you want him to study?
Why is his parent stupid?

Why are you being rude?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is everyone going crazy on OP? They care enough to ask. In college, he will need to study. It’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

My high school was super easy and if you had an a you skipped finals. College was a rude awakening

[Anonymous]

I didn’t study in high school and also didn’t study much in college. You figure out what you need to do as you go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn’t study in high school and also didn’t study much in college. You figure out what you need to do as you go.

The first was me too but I went into engineering and had to figure out how to study really quickly.

It's like trying to fix an airplane while it's in flight. I did it but it was hair raising and my GPA wasn't quite as high as it could have been limiting some opportunities.

Not much you can do except try to figure out what his interests are for after graduation and try to give him a taste of what level of rigor is required to succeed in that field.

[Anonymous]

Does he do any ECs that engage/challenge him? My kid developed a lot of great organizational and research habits through his.

[Anonymous]

He can study for an AP exam and take it even if he’s not taking the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dual enrollment summer school classes at a community college.

These are going to be a joke compared to Big3 classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD was the same in 9th grade…straight As from a rigorous private school with minimum effort. As it turned out, she has severe ADHD (inattentive) but very high processing speed.

Exactly our kid too. Inattentive ADHD, processing speed off the charts, incredibly bright. When medicated he/she is not distracted and plows through material at warp speed. Never requested accommodations. Went through a Big3, never doing more than 15-30 minutes of homework per evening, except when writing papers and got straight As. Headed to a top Ivy unhooked this fall.