I also come across students with minimal commitments who struggle to plan their day, often spending more time checking their Snapchat streaks than studying.

The difference between students who are busy and successful and those with too much free time and failing is effective time management.

No matter where you fall on the ‘busy’ spectrum, managing your time effectively is key to advancing in your studies, career, and extracurricular activities.

Whether you’re an overachiever, a procrastinator, or a perfectionist, you need to know your daily schedule inside out to make the most of your time! Here are a few handy tips and tricks I recommend to my students for planning their week to have effective time management:

Tip 1. Use a Diary 

It doesn’t matter what format it comes in-just use one!

Using a diary is one of the simplest ways to manage your time. How you use your diary will determine how effectively you manage your time. The most important thing is to make your diary work for you.

I believe you can’t go wrong if you write everything down in one place. Scattering reminders on different pieces of paper will lead to confusion, especially when you have lots of loose sheets flying around.

So, first things first, head to a shop and buy a notebook. Write everything down in there. If pen and paper aren’t your style, use technology to your advantage. Set reminders on your phone, share your Google calendar with colleagues and friends, or use popular organisational apps like Trello or Asana.

Think of pen and paper as your tools for building organisation. If they don’t work for you, it’s like trying to build a house with an axe. Find a hammer that suits you better.

Next step: personalise your method! Personalising a diary lets you be creative and reflect your personality on paper. If you need a motivation boost to start ticking off your daily tasks, add some inspirational quotes or a weekly goals page.

Ticking off accomplishments at the end of the week is a little reward for yourself. If those goals build towards bigger goals, you can see the path you need to take to achieve them.

A diary is a daily tool, so make it look appealing! If you’re using an online app like Trello, be creative with your boards. Set your background to an image of a place you wish to visit-it’ll motivate you to work harder!

Tip 2. Prioritise!

Prioritising your commitments is essential, especially if you tend to overcommit. Always know when something is due!

If you get an assignment due at the end of the term, note that due date in your diary or on Trello right away. Even mark it with a sticky note so you know you have an upcoming task.

A trick some students use is marking commitments with different colours based on their priority. Use red for high-priority items, yellow for medium-priority, and green for those due later. Work through the red items first, then yellow, and finally green.

Tip 3. Take regular study breaks

Regular breaks are crucial for peak academic performance. Your ability to process information diminishes the longer you study. So, the longer you study without breaks, the less productive you become.

The Pomodoro Technique is a recommended method. Spend 25 minutes on a task, then take a 5-minute break. After four 25-minute sessions, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes to recharge.

Alternatively, try the ‘power hour’ technique: study for an hour, then take an hour break.

Switching study modalities can also help. Alternate between reading, drawing diagrams, and watching videos to keep things fresh and aid knowledge retention.

These techniques prevent overlearning, where prolonged study sessions decrease your ability to recall information. Instead, stagger your learning for the best results and give your brain a chance to rest.

Tip 4. Say goodbye to procrastination

Procrastination is normal, but excessive procrastination is problematic. To minimise procrastination, eliminate distractions.

Social media is a big one. Close your Facebook tab and log out if you must. Put your phone on ‘do not disturb’. Mute group chats and turn your phone face down.

Notifications can distract you, causing you to lose focus and waste time refreshing your memory. This could add up to an hour of wasted time!

Sometimes procrastination stems from fear of failure. Students might put off assignments or avoid tasks because they’re unsure what to write or feel overwhelmed. This anxiety can lead to further avoidance.

Acknowledge what’s preventing you from completing work and plan a method to tackle it. Simply talking about why you’re procrastinating can help reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.

Tip 5. Schedule time for yourself

While staying busy is important, your mental health and wellbeing are paramount.

Make sure you schedule time for yourself. If you’re eating lunch at your desk while trying to finish work or consistently putting off self-care activities like going to the gym or attending social events, you need to make a change.

Decide what activities you want to do in your ‘me’ time. Be specific. Instead of just pencilling in ‘downtime’, identify how you want to spend that time. This will make you more likely to follow through.

Tip 6. Learn the word “no”

It’s okay to say no! Sometimes taking on too many commitments can overwhelm you and hinder your success. Feeling overwhelmed can make it hard to relax or cope with difficult situations.

Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) is common. You might feel pressured to join activities because your friends are doing them. But FOMO often stems from perceptions, not your true desires.

Tip 7. Get a good night’s sleep

Finally, ensure you get enough sleep to function effectively. Some students think cutting sleep will give them more time to work, but this is counterproductive.

Lack of sleep affects your cognitive skills, hormone regulation, and decision-making abilities. It can lead to ‘sleep debt’, which impacts your future sleep patterns.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests the following sleep ranges:

• School age children (6-13 years): 9-11 hours.
• Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours.
• Young Adults (18-25): 7-9 hours.
• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours.

If you’re short on time, a power nap can give you a quick alertness boost. However, don’t rely on naps as a substitute for proper sleep.

The most important takeaway is to find a time management solution that works for you. Good time management is a skill developed over a lifetime, influenced by your personality, upbringing, and social circle. Reflecting on these factors will help you understand and improve your time management skills.

Click Here TO FIND A TUTOR WHO CAN HELP TEACH YOUR CHILD EFFECTIVE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

The post 7 Effective Time Management Tips For Students appeared first on A Team Tuition.

1. Plan Ahead

Preparing for an exam should begin as soon as the content is introduced. Ensuring students have all the note-taking materials they require is a must. Notes should be taken every time new material is covered in class. This allows for not only a reduction in stress but eliminates the need as a student to be cramming the content the night before the exam. Note-taking supports your brain in making connections and transfer vital information from the short term memory to the long term memory. 

Being organised and having a study schedule in place is integral. Once the teacher has announced when the exam is occurring, this is a good time to begin planning when to study. Consistent and quality study of already prepared notes again aids the transfer of information from the short term memory to the long term memory.

2. Organize a Study Area

When considering ‘how to study for an exam’, a study area is a vital resource. A consistent and distraction free zone is a must. Organize a prepared and clean study area. A clear space can enable a clear mind, ready for quality and effective study. 

When preparing this area, think about finding or creating a comfortable environment that works for the student. Ask yourself as a student, what might you need? Snacks, water and music may be study tools that are effective for your concentration. 

Having an organised and well-prepared study area is essential to being in the study zone. The right mindset is also heavily influential in leading to the successful study. Start by learning how to get into the study mindset.

3. Avoid All Study Distractions

Eliminate all possible distractions. This may be turning down the TV in the other room, people chatting, or just having a phone nearby. Make sure your child has distraction free study sessions by asking your child to let your family know when they are going to study, and having them turn off their phone and devices onto to flight mode – better yet, put them out of sight. Although multitasking is heavily tempting, remind them to be strong and let their brain stay focused on one thing – study. 

Although music is a popular tool used when studying, this claim can be misleading and does not pertain to every student. Some music can aid study, although music can be distracting for some students, and it needs to be the right type of music.

4. Take Regular Study Breaks

As a student, the combination of juggling studying, home, social, and work life can lead to burn out. It is important for your child to preserve concentration and avoid mental fatigue. 

An effective study method, designed to detract from student burn out is the Pomodoro method. This includes a 25 minute focused study session — with 5-minute breaks, repeated in cycles. 

This will help your child eliminate the likely occurrence of interruptions and have a set goal to achieve in the 25 minutes.It is important that your child is mindful of working past the point of optimal productivity or being overly optimistic when it comes to how much they can get done in a single study session.

5. Stay Active

While studying, the body may be resting, but the mind is working for long periods of time. It is essential that after these long periods of sitting, your child exercises and moves their body. This will lead to improved focus and will utilise other areas of their brain. Consider encouraging scheduling frequent exercise when creating their study plan. It is also important that during quick study breaks, your child stand up, stretch their legs, and move their body.

6. Nurture Healthy Eating (and Drinking) Habits

Food and water is fuel for the body. In order to reach optimal productivity and concentration, your child’s food and water are integral resources. 

Make sure your child is eating nutrient rich foods, including the recommended fruit, vegetable, and protein servings. Frequent eating and healthy snacks will help your child maintain healthy energy levels during study. Hydration is also a must and leads to positive study outcomes such as memory retention. A great tip for your child is to always have snacks and water on hand while studying. 

7. Have a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep is integral on your child’s general well-being and brain function, not to mention the obvious – energy levels. When studying it’s important they not compromise on sleep for study. This is ineffective and will likely lead to poor memory retention.

Consider the importance of sleep early on, have them try to plan a set rest and wake time each day and keep it consistent. Their concentration, energy levels and general well-being will thank them. Without these integral factors study and high results are almost impossible.

8. Discover Your Learning Style

Consider different methods of learning while studying, and what works personally or your child. Knowing what works for your learner is integral in successful study and aceing their exams. If your child is aware of what learning style they use this it will aid them in finding the most successful ways to study. There are three main learning styles. Discover your child’s learning style by using the STAR Program or talking it over with them! 

9. Join a Study Group

Have your child consider studying in a group! Working with others can encourage the group to stay on task and creates a motivating environment. Another positive to group study sessions is having someone else to ask questions. 

10. Use Old Exams to Practice

Study is the revision of previously learnt content. But after the exam, this content is usually built upon. This means your child has completed past work and exams that cover related content. 

You may want to suggest to your child that they use old exams as practice resources. Not only will this jog their memory, but it will reenact the exam procedure. Use their success on the re-completion of old exams to motivate and encourage their ability. This way they are familiar with the exam process and have sparked the memory of stored content they require. 

11. Ask Your Teacher/Tutor for Help

Like all learning, when your child is learning how to study for an exam, it is okay to ask for help. 

Remind your child not be afraid to ask a question if they’re unsure. Without filling in missing information and clarifying topics, it becomes really difficult to succeed.

Studying doesn’t have to be a lonely journey, there are many resources designed to aid in your child’s success, such as a teacher or tutor. A great way to improve their grades is to work with someone, such as our tutors that can help your child determine their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and learning language, which in turn helps develop their very own personalised program designed to help them learn “how to study for an exam” and ace it!.

12. Test Yourself

The best way to measure your child’s success in learning, knowing, understanding and applying the content is to have them test themselves. 

Have them gather the required content for the exam and test their knowledge. Perhaps, encourage they use a traffic light system to rate their confidence and ability on those particular topics. This way they can identify areas of success and improvement in time and preparation for their upcoming exam. 

13. Use Flashcards

An easy, reusable and successful method of self testing is flash cards. Not only is their usage as a study method proven successful, the time taken to create this resource aids in revision of content. Flashcards are simple and cost effective to create and can be used in both a study group or individually. This method of self testing prepares students to be able to test the extent of their knowledge and answer a content question without prompt.

You can also get involved by offering to use flashcards with your child and see how they are going with revision for the exam! 

14. Use Diagrams and Flowcharts

For visual learners, creating a visual study aid could be very successful for learning. These could include creating diagrams and flowcharts. Suggest that your child organise topics in a visually appealing and memorable way for them and use different colours and font to spark memory.

15. Pay Attention in Class

Paying attention in class is one of the most important lessons in learning how to study for an exam. Preparing for an exam should begin as soon as the content is introduced. Therefore, ensuring your child know the importance of pay attention in class at all times is a must. This is because notes should be taken every time new material is covered in class. The last thing your child would want is any unexpected questions on the exam. This allows for not only a reduction in stress but eliminates the need for your child to be cramming the content the night before the exam. Consistent and quality study of already prepared notes again aids the transfer of information from the short term memory to the long term memory. 

Need a Helping Hand With Passing an Exam?

Like all learning, learning how to study for an exam takes resilience, consistency, and patience. Tell your child it is okay to ask for help, and don’t be afraid to ask a question if they’re unsure.

Remember, using these tips in combination are the best way to get good exam grades and study of an exam. This can look like asking a teacher for help, forming a study group, or working with a private tutor.  

If your child is looking to learn how to study for their next exam, A Team Tuition is here to help. With our tried and true tutoring and mentoring methods, we can help you excel at your exams with our at-home and online tutoring. Find an Academic Personal Trainer near you today!   

The post How to Study for an Exam: 15 Exam Study Tips for Your Child appeared first on A Team Tuition.

The Relationship Between Goal Setting and Time Management

Goal setting allows students to truly visualise where they are going and motivate them to get there. Without these goals in place they may feel lost, or lack motivation when engaging in the classroom or doing homework. Once goals are set, time management helps your student plan exactly how they are going to achieve their goals and stay on track with not just school, but also work and social commitments.

Why Time Management Is Essential for Goal Setting

Good time management is crucial for students when it comes to achieving their goals. By managing their time effectively, they can prioritise tasks, stay organised, and ensure that they have enough time for studying, assignments, and other important activities. 

With proper time management, students can avoid last-minute stress and procrastination, allowing them to make steady progress towards their goals. It also enables them to stay focused and be more productive during their study sessions.

Goal setting and time management are important to every student. There are many different strategies that can be implemented depending on what your child is trying to achieve and how long they have to get there. There are also many different methods our ‘A’ grade students use to effectively manage their time and prioritise successfully

3 Strategies to Master Personal Goal Setting for Students

The problem with goal setting, is that many students don’t consider that they are actually working towards something while at school. Students benefit when they consider what really matters to them and work towards something they want and feel passionate about.

For your student, it may be something concrete a career choice, or something more abstract like the strengths they wish to cultivate.

Think about it… If your student can associate what they are learning in school with their long-term goals and something that is important to them, they will be more motivated to work towards that goal. The achievement motivation that is created by goal setting, causes your student to strive for success.

‘A’ grade students understand the importance of goal setting and primarily use three different strategies to set and achieve these goals:

1. The Staircase Model

‘A’ grade Students are able to use the staircase model to really focus on those long-term goals by creating smaller goals that build up to where they want to be.



Big dreams can be very daunting. A student in Year 9 that dreams of becoming a doctor may see that goal as far away, intimidating, and frightening. However, if they break up that big goal into smaller short-term goals it will make that big dream of becoming a doctor seem much more achievable. Using the staircase model also gives students something to work for, which adds both motivation and excitement.

So, if you had that Year 9 student that wanted to be a doctor, that would be their big, long term-goal. Then you can work backwards with them to set those smaller goals that will help them get there. Some of those short-term goals may be getting an A in just 1-2 classes, then getting an A in all of their classes, and eventually getting a great mark on ATAR.

2. SMART Goal Setting

SMART Goals are not just used by students, but in all different professions and businesses. Your child can use this strategy to make sure they have significant goals they feel are achievable. Using the SMART goals strategy, your student will be able to write goals that are well-structured, clear, and carefully planned.

Each goal that students create should contain all five elements of a ‘SMART’ goal. ‘SMART’ is an acronym for the following aspects of an excellent goal.

S: Specific

In order for your student’s goal to be specific, they must clearly identify an action; whether that be finishing an essay or reading a certain number of pages. Being specific makes student think about what needs to be achieved.

M: Measurable

When students set goals, being measurable is important for both their motivation and feeling of accomplishment. ‘A’ Students make sure that their goal can clearly be logged, measured, and evaluated. This allows students to check in and evaluate how they are progressing with their goal and be proud of what they have achieved.

A: Achievable

We often assume that goals need to be something we need to struggle for. Whilst goals should be moderately difficult, ‘A’ Students make sure that these goals are realistic enough to achieve. This enables your child to develop that achievement motivation and remain feeling empowered.

R: Relevant

When setting goals, ‘A’ grade students always keep in mind why they want to achieve them and what they will accomplish when the goal is complete . Doing this keeps the goal relevant to their own passion and also contributes to their enthusiasm.

T: Timely

This part of ‘SMART ’goals ties into the time management that comes after the goal setting. All goals should have some sort of deadline, especially with students. The time limit gives your student a challenge, but also provides a feeling of accomplishment once they complete the goal on time.

‘A’ grade students use the SMART goal strategy in many different ways. Some students may set one smart goal for every class, others may group them together into one goal for the term, and some may even set specific smart goals for a certain assessment. The thing to keep in mind is that students use this strategy in all different ways, a goal being ‘SMART’ just allows students to actually think about their goals and ensure that they are effective, regardless of what the goal is about.

3. Areas for Change Model

While the other two tactics for goal setting revolve around creating the goals, the Areas for Change Model allows your student to see what areas they may want to change and set goals for.

The Areas for Change Model shows there are three different areas of a student that can be transformed. They include academic skills, psychological skills, and interpersonal skills. All students have strengths and weaknesses in different areas. This can be based on their learning language, confidence levels, or personality. The model can allow students to think about where they are able to improve and what may be stopping them from achieving their goals.

A student may look at this model and believe they have superb academic and interpersonal skills; they may choose to set goals revolving around their psychological skills such as increasing confidence or stress management. Another student may look at this and see that they are lacking in academic skills. This can be improved by setting goals around study techniques and exam preparation. Whatever area your student chooses to work on, this model can help them visualise what areas they want to focus on when setting their goals.

Once your student has a good system for goal setting, they can move on to improving their skills in time management which allows dedicated time to work on those goals.

4 Systems For Effective Time Management 

Particularly in high school, ‘A’ grade students need to understand the balance between school, work, extracurricular activities and their social life. It definitely doesn’t come naturally or easily, but once your child is able to gain this routine and have tactics that help them manage their time, they will be able to achieve more in school and reduce unnecessary stress.

The key with time management is that students have many different time management skills and approaches. Some students are great with daily time management and making sure that they are actually productive with their time throughout the day, but don’t really know what is going on at the end of the week or the term. Other students may have a good long-term time management strategy but have a hard time finishing their homework or knowing what classes they have during the week.

For that exact reason, there are different strategies that can be used to ensure that your student is successful throughout the term, on a weekly basis, and on a daily basis: 

1. The Term Assessment Planner

Having a diary that shows your student what is coming up throughout the entire term is effective for planning ahead and making sure they are able to complete all of their tasks in advance.  ‘A’ grade students will write down all of their assessments and exams at the beginning of the term so they know exactly what is coming up for each class.

2. The Traffic Light System

The traffic light system creates a weekly or monthly planner where the student identifies all the tasks that are coming up and allocates them with a specific colour that mean different things.

GREEN: This task is still about 3-4 weeks away and should be in the initial stages.

YELLOW: This task is 1-2 weeks away and I should finish brainstorming and start drafting.

RED: This task needs to be completely finished this coming week

As time progresses, students will move their assignments from green, yellow, and red until they’re able to cross them out.

This time management system is perfect for visual learners and allows your student to create a weekly or monthly planner that helps them prioritise their upcoming tasks.
Based on my experience, this strategy is extremely useful during exam periods or busy times. There is also a massive sense of accomplishment when your student is finally able to cross something off of that list.

3. Weekly Management Plan

This time management schedule is perfect for those students who feel like they just can’t get a hold of their homework and designated study times. Using a weekly planner creates an overview of what they should be doing at every hour of a busy period of the day.

It should include:

• Study Time
• Study Breaks
• Homework Time
• Family Time
• Extra-curriculars
• Any other important activity

‘A’ grade students realise that a weekly time management plan can allow them to have a good balance between all of their commitments and study times. It also helps your student plan in advance how they’re going to fit homework and studying into a busy schedule.

4. Daily Time Management Strategy

Another strategy that your student can utilise is a daily strategy. This helps students who are easily distracted or have trouble with procrastination. It is also perfect for a designated “focus day” where your student may choose to do work for a specific subject or assignment.

In this time management plan, they should outline at least four tasks they are going to try to complete, how much time is required to complete the task, and what time they will be working on it. It is also very important that students reflect on how their daily time management strategy went by reading their own performance and raining down any follow-up tasks that need to be completed after the day is over.

Recognise the Importance of Time Management and Goal Setting

When it comes to goal setting and time management, the important thing is that you and your student understand that everyone is different. 

These are just some of the strategies and tactics that can be used for both setting goals and managing time, which are both very important aspects of being academically successful. Some students may use all of them, and some students may just use one or two. The important thing is that your student recognises which ones they can use and why it’s beneficial to use them.

If you feel like your child could use extra support with effective time management and goal setting, contact A Team Tuition and discover how our tutors can help.

The post Goal Setting and Time Management for Students: Why It Matters appeared first on A Team Tuition.

• Are you easily distracted by the atmosphere and moving environment around you?
• Would you call yourself imaginative?
• Are your workbooks and papers covered in scribbles and small drawings?

If yes, chances are you’re a visual learner.

What is a Visual Learner? 

People with a visual learning style engage with the world around them first and foremost with their eyes. 

Visual learners are what we call “spatially aware” – they remember and take in information mainly through their eyes, storing away thoughts based on what it looks like.

They pay attention to colours, lines, designs, patterns and spatial parameters. Elements of the traditional classroom suit them to a tee, such as the use of whiteboards, smartboards, educational videos and worksheets.

Since visual learners are intimately aware of their spatial surroundings, they tend to make great artists, architects and designers.

Common Visual Learner Characteristics

Although visual learners are spatially aware, this does not mean that they have a photographic memory. They aren’t able to simply look at a whiteboard full of information and remember it easily. Visual learners are not cameras.

The main strength of visual learners is their imagination. In fact, it’s one of the easiest ways to spot a visual learner – by the imaginative mind they possess. That, in and of itself, is the visual part – a visual learner, naturally, would be a visual thinker.

Here are some other indications that someone may have a visual learning style

• an ability to recall seemingly obscure faces and landmarks,
• books teeming with colours,
• sketches and annotations, and
• immaculately tidy and organised workspaces.

5 Learning Strategies for Visual Learners

The most effective study strategies for a visual learning style will engage their sense of sight. Some of the best examples include: 

1. Colour Coding

Often, visual learners will come to class with a pencil case full of different coloured pencils, pens, and highlighters. They will often use rulers or sticky notes, and are quite pedantic about the set up of their workbooks.

Those 4-colour biro pens and multi-packs of highlighters are your best friend. Organising different topics or ideas with different colours is an excellent way for visual learners to subconsciously form connections between content and commit it to memory.

2. Mind Maps, Graphics and Diagrams

Visual learners will also connect really well with making graphs, diagrams, or flow charts, and will often use mind maps for planning. When studying, they’ll often draw up posters, make illustrated flashcards, or construct a ginormous cheat sheet with all the formulas and different worked examples (often in different colours).

Similarly, by reorganising content into mind maps, connections between different materials can be seen much more easily.

3. Educational Videos 

While technology comes with its own set of challenges for students, it can also be very beneficial for their learning. One such example are educational videos – YouTube is a gold mine for visual learners! You can find a video on just about anything these days, including educational animations and infographics. The visual dimension of videos can hammer a piece of information home much more quickly and effectively than a wordy textbook for learners that rely on using their eyes.

4. Organise Your Notes 

It may sound like a no-brainer, but this is particularly important for visual learners. Remembering that visual cues are these individuals’ primary means of interacting with the world, an organised workspace translates to an organised mind ready to learn. 

Use colours and stickers, switch up the size and style of your titles, or add little doodles to make your notes more visually pleasing.

5. Use Flashcards

Flashcards are a great way for visual learners to study more effectively. 

To create flashcards, you can write down key concepts, vocabulary words, or important facts on index cards, along with a corresponding image or picture. The use of images allows visual learners to associate the information with a visual cue, making it easier to remember.

How Tutoring Can Help Visual Learners 

Is your child a visual learner who struggles with traditional classroom teaching methods? Don’t worry, they’re not alone! Many students find it difficult to understand concepts without visual aids. That’s where tutoring comes in.

With the help of a tutor, visual learners can receive personalised attention and support tailored to their unique learning style. Our Academic Personal Trainers not only tutor and mentor, but use visual aids, such as diagrams, charts, and videos, to explain concepts in a way that will make sense to your student.

Contact us for more information on how to improve your child’s academic performance!

The post Visual Learning Style Essentials: 5 Visual Learner Study Tips appeared first on A Team Tuition.

Does Music Help With Studying? 

The short answer is – it depends. Unlike the so-called ‘Mozart effect’ which emerged in the 1990s – a theory that argued that listening to Mozart made you smarter (and has since been dismissed) – the fact of the matter is that there is simply no hard-and-fast rule about music and study. The effectiveness of music on study is dependent on the type of music being listened to, and the type of study being done.  

 What Type of Music Can Help You Study? 

If you want to enhance your study, you should opt for music that relaxes you and puts you in a better mood. This might be a classical piece; it could be an ‘alpha wave’ composition (now very popular for studying and readily available on YouTube and other platforms); or it might just be your favourite song. Ultimately, if our mood is improved and our stress and anxiety levels go down, we are better placed to commit ourselves to potentially unpleasant and challenging tasks.

Music Genres to Listen to While Studying: 

When it comes to specific genres that can help you study, here are some music genres that are often recommended for studying:

• Classical Music
• Instrumental Ambient
• Lo-Fi Hip Hop
• Nature Sounds
• Baroque Music

When listening to music while studying, it’s important to choose music that works best for you individually. Experiment with different genres and styles to find what helps you stay focused and engaged while studying.

What Types of Music Should You Avoid When Studying? 

As a general rule, it is best to avoid music that is too loud, too lyrical, or too fast. Too loud is self-explanatory (protect your ears!). Too lyrical and you will run the risk of being distracted by the music. Too fast? Think about trying to waltz to a disco track. You’d be so out of time it’s not even funny. And this out-of-sync feeling would also crop up if you were trying to study to up-tempo music. Unless you’re writing a thousand words a minute, or solving a question a second, it’s best to select something that matches your work speed. This will help your body and mind work in unison, priming you to enter your study zone, and therefore enabling you to work for extended periods.

Music Genres to Avoid While Studying: 

It’s generally recommended to avoid the following genres while studying:

• Upbeat Pop or Rock
• Heavy Metal or Hard Rock
• Vocal-intensive Music
• Highly Emotional Music

Does Music Help With All Types of Studying? 

Listening to music is not compatible with all types of study. Researchers in Australia and the UK have found that music decreases people’s capacity to carry out reading comprehension and writing exercises. This is especially the case with music containing vocals.

In this instance, you’re asking your brain to process two sets of words at once. Obvious to say, then, that your capacity to comprehend and process study material is going to be impacted if part of your brain is listening to the lyrics.

Evidence suggests that listening to music may help memory retention, but it also advises that people are better able to recall information when they are in a similar environment in which it was learned.

Can Music Keep You Awake When You Need to Study? 

When it comes to studying, the effect of music on staying awake can vary from person to person. Some individuals find that listening to music helps them stay alert and focused, while others may find it distracting. The key is to strike a balance.

Upbeat and energising music can provide a stimulating effect, helping to keep you awake and engaged. However, ad we mentioned before, it’s important to choose music without distracting lyrics or vocals, as they can divert your attention from studying.

Remember, everyone is different, so it’s essential to find what works best for you. Experiment with different music genres and styles to discover the right balance that keeps you awake, engaged, and productive during your study sessions.

So, unless schools start allowing students to listen to music during tests and exams, it may actually be counter-productive to study with music, particularly if you’re completing practice tests and exam questions.

Explore Other Studying Aids

Did you know that music isn’t the only thing that can help with studying? If you feel like your child could use extra support with focus and study motivation, contact A Team Tuition and discover how our Academic Personal Trainers tutor, mentor and assist with studying.

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What is the Pythagoras Theorem? 

The Pythagoras Theorem states that the sum of the squares of the lengths of the two shorter sides of a right-angled triangle is equal to the square of the length of the longest side, known as the hypotenuse. 

The theorem can be written mathematically as:

a² + b² = c²

Below, you can see a visual representation of the theorem: 

This article will show you how to use the Pythagoras Theorem, but if you are still struggling with the concept, maths tutoring may be beneficial! 

When to Use the Pythagoras Theorem

The Pythagoras Theorem is an essential mathematical concept for right triangles that has a wide range of applications in many fields. 

Here are some of the uses of the Pythagoras Theorem:

• Finding the length of the sides of a right-angled triangle: The Pythagoras Theorem helps you find the length of the hypotenuse (the longest side) or one of the shorter sides of a right-angled triangle, given the lengths of the other two sides.
• Checking whether a triangle is right-angled: If you know the lengths of the three sides of a triangle, you can use the Pythagoras Theorem to determine whether it is a right-angled triangle or not.
• Distance and displacement: The Pythagoras Theorem can be used to calculate the distance between two points in a two-dimensional space or the displacement between two points in a three-dimensional space.
• Navigation: The Pythagoras Theorem is used in navigation to calculate the distance between two points on a map or the distance between two cities on a globe.

The Pythagoras Theorem is a foundational concept that you need to understand to succeed in maths subjects. Mastering the Pythagoras Theorem will help you build a strong foundation in mathematics that you can build on for future maths classes.

How to Use the Pythagoras Theorem 

How to use the Pythagoras Theorem to find a missing side of a right triangle: 

1. Start with: 

a² + b² = c²

2. Put in what you know: 

10² + 24² = c²

3. Calculate: 

100 + 576 = c²

686 = c²

4. Swap sides: 

c² = 686 

5. Square root: 

c = √686

c= 26.2

Therefore, the length of the hypotenuse is 26.2 cm.

Pythagoras Theorem Examples

It is easiest to learn maths by working through examples! 

Question 1: Find the length of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle with legs of length 3 cm and 4 cm.

Solution: Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we can find the length of the hypotenuse as follows:

• a² + b² = c²
• 3² + 4² = c²
• 9 + 16 = c²
• 25 = c²
• c = √25
• c = 5cm 

Therefore, the length of the hypotenuse is 5 cm.

Question 2: Find the length of the shorter leg of a right-angled triangle with a hypotenuse of 10 cm and the longer leg of 8 cm

Solution: Using the Pythagorean Theorem, we can find the length of the shorter leg as follows:

• a² + b² = c²
• a² + 8² = 10²
• a² + 64 = 100
• a² + 64 (-64) = 100 (-64)
• a² = 36
• a = √36 = 6 cm

Therefore, the length of the shorter leg is 6 cm.

Question 3: Determine whether the triangle with sides of length 5 cm, 12 cm, and 13 cm is a right-angled triangle.

Solution: We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to check whether the triangle is a right-angled triangle or not as follows:

• a² + b² = c²
• 5² + 12² = 13²
• 25 + 144 = 169
• 169 = 169

Since the equation is true, we can conclude that the triangle with sides of length 5 cm, 12 cm, and 13 cm is a right-angled triangle.

Question 4: A 15m ladder is placed against a wall so that the base of the ladder is 9m from the wall. What is the height at which the ladder touches the wall?

Solution: We can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the height at which the ladder touches the wall as follows:

Let the height at which the ladder touches the wall be “h.” Then, we can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find h as:

• a² + b² = c²
• 9² + h² = 15²
• 81 + h² = 225
• h² = 144
• h = √144 = 12 meters

Therefore, the ladder touches the wall at a height of 12 feet.

Learn the Pythagoras Theorem Fast!

You know know that the Pythagoras Theorem is a maths theory that you can use to help solve questions about right triangles! It is one of the foundational concepts that will help you succeed in almost every maths subject. If you are currently struggling in maths, feel you need extra support or simply want to get an A in maths, A Team Tuition is here to help by providing one to one support.  

Looking to improve your maths grade but unsure where to start? A Team Tuition is here to help. Our tried and true tutoring methods can help you improve in any subject with at-home and online tutoring. Find a maths tutor near you today!

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Maths learning apps are a terrific way for primary school kids to engage with their classroom content at home, through a medium they find accessible, familiar, informative, and enjoyable. Maths online apps are also perfect for you as a parent to become more involved in your child’s learning. And the best part is, there are so many different online maths app options that will cater for your child’s needs that are free to download and use!   

Here is our guide to help you find the best maths app to help your child’s growth and development. 

The Benefits of Maths Apps for Your Child

There are numerous benefits that mathematics applications can have for primary school students. Maths learning online through the use of maths apps is an important tool for engaging students who do not find the traditional classroom setting, where complex and confusion mathematical concepts are first taught, stimulating or valuable for their learning. Likewise, the variety of free maths apps available online provides the diverse range of topics, skill levels, and learning devices necessary to cater for the needs of every primary school student.  

Maths apps also provide kids with the opportunity to hone their mathematical knowledge and skills on a regular basis, with a fun and engaging learning tool available to them at the press of a button. This is also extremely helpful for you as parents whenever you feel detached from what your child is learning in the classroom and find yourself at a loss for how to assist them when they ask you for help. 

Although there are maths online learning opportunities to suit every type of learning style, it is those primary school children who are visual learners who will benefit most from maths apps. It is important for you as a parent to discover your child’s learning language so you can ensure their work in the classroom and at home is best suited to their unique needs.

Alongside maths apps, one-on-one maths tutoring can also be an effective online learning aid to assist your child, not only with helping them to understand their classroom maths concepts and content better, but also to devise a holistic study plan catered specifically to their needs, abilities, and goals.  

5 Best Maths Apps for Primary School Students

Here are the 5 best maths apps to help your primary school child reach their full potential:

1. DoodleMaths

Available across all devices, DoodleMaths was created by two Maths teachers and is distributed by Doodle Learning, a subsidiary of Discovery Education. This maths app is full of thousands of interactive and fun exercises that focus on the reasoning behind mathematical concepts taught in the classroom and then applying them to problem-solving questions. It is suitable for children aged 4-to-14. It is perfect for primary school students, as the companion app allows you as parents to monitor your child’s progress in DoodleMaths and provides insight into the best way you and their teacher can tailor their learning accordingly.

2. Vegetable Maths Masters

Vegetable Maths Masters is available for free on Android and Apple devices, and helps kids aged 3 to 7+ to learn basic maths skills using vegetables! Although it contains different levels for different age groups, every child picks a character to play with and then “feeds” them vegetables throughout the game based upon their answers to maths questions. The character will provide your child with feedback on how well they are engaging with the content. The app is designed to be fun and attracting to kids, giving them a sense of identification, ownership, and accomplishment regarding their own learning. It is funded by the British Psychological Society.

3. Maths Training for Kids

Available on Android devices, Maths Training for Kids is a maths online learning tool for any child over 3 years of age that focuses on the four basic algebra concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This is done through fun and engaging activities, and it gives ample time to practice. This is one of the most straightforward and user-friendly apps on the market for your child!

4. PhotoMath

Available on all devices, PhotoMath is one of the most innovative maths apps on the market. PhotoMath allows you to take photos of any maths problems in your child’s text or homework book and the app will then provide you with a detailed explanation of how to solve it! This is an extremely useful tool for helping your child with learning and understanding maths concepts that you have forgotten how to do fully as an adult. PhotoMath was created by Damir Sabol, an engineer and entrepreneur, after he struggled to help his own child with their maths homework. This maths app can be used by all ages. 

5. Brainscape Flashcards

Brainscape Flashcards, available on Android and Apple devices, is unique because it allows the user to upload the maths concepts they are working on in classroom time, which the app will then turn into flashcards to help with revision. This app is most suitable for ages 5-to-11+. This maths app provides you as a parent with an excellent tool to overcome the stress and hassle of organising and implementing a detailed revision program with your child, especially when they need to memorise a lot of complex formulas. The repetitions of the flashcards the app generates during a revision session are timed according to your child’s ability. It is recommended by teachers and education scholars globally.

Reap the Benefits of Online Maths Learning Through Our Tutoring Services

As technology advances in the post-2020 world, online learning is becoming more prevalent and it can take many forms. Maths apps, on your computer or smartphone, are just one example, but online maths tutoring is another option you and your child can explore. 

Need a helping hand with primary school maths? A Team Tuition is here to help. With our tried and true tutoring methods, we can help your child get better at maths with our at-home and online tutoring. Find a tutor near you today!

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So if you’re wondering how to get motivation to study here are 7 tips on how to get motivated to study and into the study mindset.

1. Physically and Mentally Prime Yourself to Study

Being in the zone requires the use of your subconscious mind. It’s pretty well impossible to get into a flow with something if your brain hasn’t had previous exposure to it, and the chance to map its terrain. Imagine learning any new activity for the first time (driving, swimming, baking, making pottery) – your mind is simply too alert, too conscious of trying to develop new skills to enter a state of flow. For this reason, your best chance of getting into a study mindset is with something you’ve physically done beforehand, or at the very least thought intensely about. 

Try and spend 5 or 10 minutes visualising the task at hand before starting, thinking about what needs to be done step by step. You might try doing this just before bed, or in the shower in the morning, but give your mind some time to process and store this mental preparation so it can filter into your subconscious.

It’s also important to prepare yourself physically. You won’t just roll out of bed and get straight into the zone. Just like a car engine needs some warming up, your brain needs some oxygen, and some stimulation to get going. Some form of exercise (a walk or jog, some push-ups or star jumps) or deep breathing will get oxygen flowing to your brain, and give you a better chance of getting into a flow.

2. Find or create the right working environment.

Everyone works differently. Some people will thrive in the quiet atmosphere of a library; others may need the stimulation of a busy café. The trick, however, is to try and identify what works best for you, and this requires some reflection or observation. Try and recall times in which you worked productively or efficiently, and see if you can identify any similarities between them. Alternatively, become aware of your concentration levels in different spaces in the moment. Then, once you’ve recognised what working environments suit you best, gravitate towards those as often as possible. Your ideal working environment is closely linked to your learning style so make sure to identify the conditions that work best for you.

Additionally, it is important to complement your working environment by ensuring your study space is optimally set up. This means having everything you need at hand, including study materials, water, and possibly some food.

If you do get in the zone, you want to stay in it for as long as you can! Getting up for anything, even if it’s just once to get a snack, will break your concentration and bring you right back to reality.

3. Remove all distractions.

For better or worse, modern society has become inundated with sources of distraction. Just think about how many alerts your phone might receive in a single day from messages, phone calls, alarms, emails and social media! As mentioned, it is impossible to get into the zone if your mind is continually brought away from the task at hand.

When learning how to get into the study mindset, try switching your phone onto ‘do not disturb’, aeroplane mode, or off altogether. Better yet, leave it in another room (out of sight, out of mind). Also, if you’re working on a computer, make sure you mute all notifications.

And on the theme of distractions, multitasking must absolutely be avoided. While there is always the temptation to multitask in today’s world, it is simply incompatible with getting into a state of flow. If you want to enter a state in which you can perform at your absolute peak, you need to be solely focused on one task.

4. Use music.

Some people may disagree with this, but there’s a reason that so many elite athletes have got their headphones on in the moments before a big event. Music can help! Music connects to our emotions, and thereby activates our physical and mental spheres. In this way, it helps to get our body working in harmony as one unit, which is a necessary precondition for getting into the zone. That being said, it is important to choose the right kind of music for studying.

5. Challenge yourself.

Doing things that we find easy just doesn’t get our brains going the way a challenge does. Part of the trick with getting into the zone is to stretch our mental comfort zones a little. Our minds need to be stimulated and focused, but without feeling deterred or overwhelmed by something that’s too difficult. 

Try engaging with some more advanced content, or some more challenging questions, or even turn study into a game and set yourself time-based tests – How many questions can I answer in 10 minutes? How many words can I write in half an hour? Setting stimulating goals for yourself will help motivate you to study with enhanced focus.

6. Practice mindfulness.

Mindfulness is quickly becoming a bit of a new age cliché, but for good reason. Its practice is a relatively simple one, with significant and wide-reaching benefits touching many areas of our lives (not least of which is mental health). Concerning the ‘zone’, mindfulness practice has some crucial similarities, including the unity of the physical and mental spheres, and an unwavering concentration on one object. 

Practising mindfulness, through things like meditation or yoga, helps condition your brain for long periods of concentration, greatly improving your chances of getting into the study flow and staying there.

Getting in the zone to study is not always easy, especially when it comes to high-stakes exams. We hope that with the help of the seven tips we shared you’ll be able to enter the study mindset with less friction. 

If you still find it hard to get into the study mindset, our team of academic personal trainers can help you learn how to get into a study mindset! Click here to find high school  tutor near you!

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Visual learners are intimately aware of their spatial surroundings, and therefore tend to make great artists, architects and designers.

Visual Learning Style Definition

Indications that someone may have a visual learning style include:

• an ability to recall seemingly obscure faces and landmarks,
• books teeming with colours,
• sketches and annotations, and
• immaculately tidy and organised workspaces.

Studying to the Strengths of a Visual Learner

The most effective study strategies for a visual learning style will engage their sense of sight. Some of the best examples include:

• Colour coding. Those 4-colour biro pens and multi-packs of highlighters are your best friend. Organising different topics or ideas with different colours is an excellent way for visual learners to subconsciously form connections between content and commit it to memory.
• Mind maps. By reorganising content into mind maps, connections between different materials can be seen much more easily.
• Using videos. YouTube is a gold mine for visual learners! You can find a video on just about anything on these days, including educational animations and infographics. The visual dimension of videos can hammer a piece of information home much more quickly and effectively than a wordy textbook for learners that rely on using their eyes.
• Use graphics and diagrams. Visual learners remember things they see. Supplementing written material with graphics or diagrams will dramatically assist their ability to recall material.
• Organise your notes. It may sound like a no-brainer, but this is particularly important for visual learners. Remembering that visual cues are these individuals’ primary means of interacting with the world, an organised work space translates to an organised mind ready to learn.

Does your child sound like a visual learner?
Find a tutor today that knows how to best engage visual learners and can teach your child the best strategies for effective study!

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Aural learners tend to make great readers, writers, speakers and musicians. Their intimate understanding of rhythm and sound allows them to analyse and employ language (including the language of music) masterfully.

Aural Learning Style Characteristics

Signs of an Aural Learner include:

• being immensely distracted by noises (like television from the next room),
• constantly humming or singing, and
• ‘zoning out’ or appearing not to be concentrating while someone speaks

Aural Learning Style Strategies

The best and most effective strategies and activities for aural learners are those that engage their sense of sound, including:

• Reciting flashcards aloud. While flashcards are great for visual learners, reciting them out loud brings the ears into the fold, adding a rhythmic dimension.
• Teaching content to someone else. It is often said that you don’t truly know something unless you can teach it to another. Having an aural learner try and express content through speech is a great way for them to synthesise and remember their thoughts and ideas.
• Engaging in discussions. Bouncing ideas off others allows aural learners to hear their thoughts out loud and analyse them more effectively, and also provides an opportunity to soak up other perspectives.
• Using podcasts. The trend of the 21st Century! The world of podcasts is continually expanding, and you can find one on just about anything these days. Podcasts may be a great way to get some introductory knowledge on a topic, or to complement what may already be known.
• Recording notes for playback. Think of this one like a DIY podcast. If you’ve got a smartphone, it’s as simple as speaking your written notes into the voice recorder, hitting save and then pressing play. Voila, a bespoke educational podcast!
• Inventing rhymes or songs. Aural learners probably know the tune to the alphabet song as well as the order of the letters themselves. Creating rhymes or songs is a fun and effective way to use sound to make content more engaging and memorable.

If your child is an Aural Learner, book them in for a session with our tutors who specialise in helping kids learn how to effectively study in a way that works best for them.

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Kinaesthetic learners remember what they do, and store information through action. Their intimate feel for the world means they tend to thrive in more hands-on professions like cooking and carpentry, and they often make great athletes!

Kinaesthetic Learning Style Definition

The most obvious sign of a kinaesthetic learner is simply a need to learn by trial and error. Forget instructional videos or manuals, they just want to be thrown into a task and figure it out as they go.

Kinaesthetic Learning Methods

The best learning strategies for kinaesthetic learning style are those that engage them physically in some way, including:

• Use a stress toy or a fidget spinner. These kinds of toys may be seen by some as nothing but a distraction, but for a kinaesthetic learner they are a fantastic way to bring the hands into play while engaging in other tasks like making or reading notes.
• Create physical, hands-on activities and games. Get creative! Grab the costume box and do a Shakespearean role play, or set up an at-home supermarket to practice budgets and working out change. Anything hands-on will have a lasting impact on these learners.
• Try note taking on different platforms or devices. Recent technological innovations like the iPad are perfect for the tactile learner. Even the subtle difference between typing on a laptop and drawing using a touch pen can make a world of difference.
• Carefully curate a suitable study environment. As discussed, kinaesthetic learners are intimately aware of their surroundings. Too hot, too cold, too bright, too dark – if their study space is even slightly out of balance it can be hugely distracting. Creating a comfortable environment is critical.

Tutors for Kinasesthetic Learning Styles

Finding a tutor that can help your kinaesthetic learner is especially important. They often show fidgeting behaviours, such as tapping their feet or fingers, or chewing and playing with pens and pencils. They find it very difficult to sit still, and so will stretch often in class.

The teacher doesn’t see the student’s learning language being acted out – they simply see a student who is refusing to pay attention to the content.

This puts a kinaesthetic learner in a vicious loop: they fail to fully take in the content due to their distraction, but their distraction causes their teacher to feel negatively about them, which makes the student feel ostracised in class, which discourages them from learning and moves them to continue to be distracted.

Over the years, A Team Tuition has seen thousands of students facing this very problem. They are frustrated, yet shrug it off, pretending as if they don’t care about school. They simply believe that they are dumb, and will never achieve anything academically.

Instead, find your child the right tutor who can help them develop the right strategies to make the most of their learning style

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We at A Team Tuition are incredibly excited about this schooling year, and all the wonderful things that will happen! You’re probably getting ready to get back into the swing of school life. We want to help you get your best foot forward – so here are our top 5 back to school tips and tricks to get ahead of the education game right from the very start of the year!

Tip 1. Plan for the year ahead

If there’s anything this blog is aimed at doing, it’s making plans for the year ahead!

It’s so important in life to have a specific plan in mind for whatever you’re tackling. Without having a plan, it’s guaranteed that you will be caught unaware, and react last minute to new things that suddenly happen in front of you.

This is especially true when it comes to school. A Team Tuition firmly believes that school is not something you should simply stumble through blindly – your education should be an opportunity for you to succeed, and it needs specific strategies and planning to tackle it effectively.

The best way to do this is to plan, using the resources that are provided to you. Many schools have Academic calendars available with lucrative due dates for your assessments (this can sometimes be called an assessment calendar).

These are vital to helping you succeed! Having these due dates will allow you to pencil them in ahead of time, and therefore plan when to start them, what days to work on them, when to study, and so on!

If your school doesn’t provide an assessment calendar, don’t fret! Assignments and exams actually have a typical term structure anyway – you will usually have an assessment of some kind during weeks 5 to 6, and then again around weeks 8 to 9 of term. This is because your teachers will typically measure your progress halfway through term, and see if you grow in understanding and level of effort through until the final weeks.

To help you plan for this, consider having a diary or day planner! They are super useful not just for school, but also for helping you plan extracurricular activities, social events, and any other personal events!

Make sure, too, that you allow breathing space for things to not go according to plan. Make sure you have things in place, like extra time/days or potentially people to help you, if you find that what you originally had in mind becomes far too much! Life can suddenly throw things at you without notice, be it sickness, a sudden holiday, or any other event or element.

Tip 2. Set goals, review goals

Yes, yes, we know – you hear this all the time when a new year comes around. Everybody’s telling you to set goals, be practical, use the SMART method – trust us, we hear it from everyone too!

However, there’s definitely a reason we have included it in our back to school tips and tricks. Setting goals is one of the main ways to help yourself stay on track and focus on something specific, rather than just blunder around in the dark.

Having goals, essentially, is having vision.

Vision is so important because it helps to give you direction and purpose; without it, the decisions you make are usually influenced by how you feel in the moment. In school, this usually results in avoiding things (like homework) until you have no choice but to do it (hello all-nighters).

This is vital in any area of life, not just school. Imagine yourself as an archer, hoping to shoot an arrow into a bullseye for a grand $100,000 prize. With clear sight of the board in front of you, it’s far easier for you to hit the target, and nab yourself a ton of cash.

But imagine if someone suddenly puts a blindfold over your eyes, and you can’t see anything, or aim for anything in particular.

That’s what not having goals is like. You still have a chance of achieving success, but without the clear vision and focus that goal-setting provides, there’s a far heavier chance that you’ll miss.

My advice? Set your goals this year. Make them SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Don’t make your goal “I want to shoot a bow and arrow” – focus on setting boundaries, and allowing it to be SMART:

“I want to be able to shoot an arrow into a bullseye within three months

time so that I can win $100,000. To do that, I will practice shooting with

a bow and arrow every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday for the next

three months until I can shoot a bullseye.”

Now that might feel like an incredibly long goal, but it’s specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. You also essentially have two goals in one – one overarching goal, with a set place to get to, and another goal that will allow you to get to said set place.

Doing this for school also helps you grow and develop your goal-setting ability for your other areas of life! A Team Tuition strongly believes that you should have more than just school goals – it’s also important to have personal goals, and career goals.

We want you to achieve success in every area of your life, and having clear goals towards that success helps hone in your talent and abilities. Once you’ve got a clear vision, being successful becomes far easier!

Tip 3. Have an accountability partner

The reason most people fail in achieving their goals is because they attempt to go into it alone. An accountability partner is someone who you tell your goals and aspirations to, and who then help keep you on track towards achieving those goals.

You’ll find that if you establish an accountability partner for yourself, you will be kept on track far more than if you just stumbled around alone. Even with clear goals set in mind, having someone back you up and keep you accountable is amazing for the days where you genuinely just don’t feel like putting in the effort, or you’re struggling to have the confidence to believe in yourself.

When picking an accountability partner, you should be very particular about who you go with! Pick someone who is dedicated to their school work, but will not hesitate to encourage you, help you, or pull you back in line if you’re slacking off. This can be a good friend, a class partner, or, ideally, your Academic Personal Trainer! Tutors have been trained to keep their students accountable and help them through any struggles they’re facing in meeting their goals.

You should aim to utilize them – and any other accountability partners you have – as a way of discussing your strengths and weaknesses with someone who can help you develop and grow! They also should be able to help motivate and inspire you, especially when things don’t go according to plan (as mentioned in tip 1) or you struggle to meet your goals (tip 2).

Tip 4. Become familiar with your learning style

Very few people will think to familiarize themselves with their learning style. However, we at A Team Tuition believe that your learning style is the crux of your schooling, and one of the most important things you need to know about yourself.

We won’t go into too many details as to what a ‘learning style’ is – you’re welcome to read our previous blog all about it to gain some insight. The most important thing to know is that your learning style helps classify the exact way you learn best. This is the more vital back to school tips and tricks!

There are three main learning languages: visual (learning through what you see), aural (learning through what you hear), and kinaesthetic (learning through what you do). Figuring out which one you are might seem tricky – luckily our tutors are trained specifically to help you recognize your learning language, and how to fit it to the way you learn and study!

For more info on learning languages, make sure you read our other blogs all about the different types and how they help optimize your learning! It’s incredibly important to do so, as it affects the next tip greatly:

Tip 5. Know & grow your study habits

Study habits are vital to helping you become the absolute best student you can be.

To do your best work, you need to know how you learn best. Whilst the aforementioned learning languages are an important factor of knowing your study habits, there are so many more aspects to consider.

Have you ever thought about when your mind is most active? Or what environment you feel most comfortable learning in? Or if you have different ways of learning for different subjects?

If not, you definitely need to!

Being self-aware about your learning and personal habits is incredibly important. It helps stimulate comfort, and helps make learning feel like something you want to do, rather than something you have to do!

For example, when I write, I hate sitting still at a desk or staring at a blank wall. I would much rather be sitting on a comfy, soft couch, or propped up on my bed, typing away for hours. I love to be surrounded by visual aids like mind maps or pages of hand-written colour-coded notes.

My mind also doesn’t feel active at all in the early mornings, so my best writing tends to come when I write from mid-afternoon onwards.

Now, I can still write if the conditions aren’t what I like best, but my writing will actually take longer because I’ll be feeling sluggish, and often even get frustrated at the work I’m doing.

I know all these things because I sat down with people who helped me reflect on myself and my habits, and what habits were being detrimental. Since doing that, I’ve been able to make my writing better, and be faster at it as well!

There are so many other habits, and definitely ones that factor in with your learning style – such as which study methods are best for you, or what your best study habits inside the classroom would be.

I would encourage you to do some self-reflection on your schooling, either by yourself, with a studious friend, a family member, or your A Team Tuition tutor.

Within no time, if you pay specific attention to the back to school tips and tricks, you’ll find yourself finding school not only much easier, but also a lot more fun!

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