Student Ninja Study Skills
Students: Want to read more quickly? Want to remember what you’ve read? Want to study like James Madison (pictured in bobble head form here) then go about having a life (unlike James Madison)? We’ve got tips and tricks for that (um…. not the life part). We’ve curated articles and resources on reading efficiently, growth mindset, multitasking (err.. not), and the best ways to learn and study.
Teachers: Do you have an extra 15 minutes at the beginning or the end of your class? Consider giving students one of the following articles, videos, or activities. If you have more time, you could put each assignment in a station and let students move between them. Another option is to give different students different articles and let them explain what they’ve read to each other.
Here at the AntiTextbook, we want students to hone their reading skills. We want them to read the news and history, discuss and grapple with those things, and become informed citizens and knowledgeable voters. But for now, how about some light reading to build practical skills?
Best Practices
Student Ninja Study Skill
Remember What You Read
Having trouble remembering what you read?
Even though it sounds gross, "chunking" is the act of dividing a reading into smaller parts (by paragraph, page, or heading, for example) and then jotting down a short note putting each section into your own words (or better yet, draw a picture?).
Click George Washington's head (above) to learn more about "Chunking" at Facing History and Ourselves. Practice chunking on any of the recommended readings below and compare results within groups or as a class.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Take Notes
Should you take Notes? Yes!
But how should you take notes?
Click on Thomas Jefferson's head (above) to link to "Note-taking: A Research Roundup" from educator and podcaster Jennifer Gonzalez at The Cult of Pedagogy.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Build Your Own Review Games
Build a review game to share with your class. Choose froms: Chakalaka (a game like Candy Crush), Jeopardy, Matching, and many more.
You 'll have to sign up for an account first (make sure not to install anything). Just click Abraham Lincoln's beautiful face (above), or click on the following link: Wisc-Online OER.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Class Bonding
How do you get to know your class without any lame name games?
Discussing your commonalities just might bring your class (or a partnership or group) closer together.
Here are some example questions to get the discussion started: "Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you're going to say?" "What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?"
Click Benjamin Franklin's head (above) to link to a New York Times article with questions guaranteed to bring scholarly love (or at least understanding) to your classroom.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Study for the Test
Do you have a lot of studying to do?
Click on the head of one of our most studious presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, (above) to link to "7 Memory Skills That Will Make you Smarter," an article about getting information to stick in your head from Business Insider.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Build Your Own Crossword Puzzle
Build a crossword puzzle to share with your class at The Teacher's Corner. You type in the questions and terms, and let it do the rest. You can even download, save, and change your crossword puzzles.
Click Theodore Roosevelt's face (above) to get started.
Student Ninja Study Skill
Read Faster
Want to read faster?
Do you need to read every word of your lengthy history reading assignment?
Probably not. You’re welcome. But wait... there's more.
Click John Adams head (above) to link to a Mental Floss article called "7 Tips for How to Read Faster (and Still Understand What You Read)".
Student Ninja Study Skill
Any Perfectionists in the House?
Think perfectionism makes you better
at what you do?
Not necessarily.
Click on Alexander Hamilton's head (above) or the following link to read about "How Perfectionists Can Get Out of Their Own Way" from Harvard Business Review.