Now that we are back from Thanksgiving break, finals are looming and our students, hopefully, will already have a study plan in place. This is likely not the case for plenty of our students and we know from our own experiences that prioritizing tasks and following an effective time management strategy is difficult. We can go a long way in supporting our students’ success by prompting them to start this planning process now.
Model metacognition and independent learning in class by doing a 5-10 minute check in at the beginning or end of a class session this week to see what students plan to do to manage the stresses and challenges of finals. Ask questions like:
- How will you keep track of tasks, deadlines, and study sessions in a way that will keep you motivated?
- How can you improve a To-Do list task labelled “Study for [class]” so that you start your study session with a clear plan? (i.e. “Create potential exam questions from lecture notes”, “Try to complete review sheet without consulting notes”)
- Where will you study so that your learning environment is as similar as possible to your eventual testing environment? (Talk about how the library can be a helpful space for learning and acknowledge the importance of removing as many distractions as possible, including the siren’s call of phone apps)
- How will you care for your whole self so that you set yourself up for success? (i.e. discuss how important good sleep, moderate exercise breaks, and healthy nutrition should also have a place in their finals plan… and every week for that matter!)
Consider sharing your own strategies, useful apps, and recommendations and encourage students to take advantage of the resources on campus:
- Student Success Specialists can provide personalized consultations for Academic Support,Time Management Tips, Organization Support, Coaching and Mentoring
- The University Learning Center has tutoring, group study sessions, and online resources to help students enhance their learning.
- The LaGuardia Student Technology Center (STC) and Third North STC have Mac and PC computer stations, specialized software, Study Rooms, AV Recording Studios, events and workshops, gaming and VR, a Media Classroom, and presentation/poster printing.
As we make the final sprint to the end of this semester, let your students know that you care about how they are managing the challenges of finishing the semester on a strong note.