do as much as you can over the week- end, when you don’t have much other homework and you can concentrate and figure out the tough problems.
b. do a problem or two every day and finish up the remaining work the night before the assignment is due.
c. get to work after dinner the day before the assignment is due. You like to think you do your best work under pressure.
Answers
Did you choose . . .
Mostly a’s? You understand the perils of procrastination. Good for you! If you put off a job until the last minute, you might not have time to give your best effort. You understand just how good it feels to get your work done ahead of time.
Mostly b’s? You don’t intend to put things off, but sometimes that’s what happens. Remember, it’s as important to organize your time as it is to organize your materials. Planning your time for each task and stick- ing to your schedule will help keep you from procrastinating.
Mostly c’s? You probably already know that you are a procrastinator. You put off tasks you need to do until the last minute. You may tell yourself that you do good work when you feel the pressure of a deadline. But what happens when you run out of time to get a job done? Practice planning your time. Break big jobs down into small tasks that you can complete, one at a time. Make a schedule for doing each small task.
Top Tips for
Procrastinators
1. Plan to get done early, not right on time.
2. Use a kitchen timer to motivate
yourself for short bursts of effort.
Set the timer for 5 or 10 minutes (or whatever feels right to you) and don’t let yourself be distracted from the task at hand until the timer beeps. Just keep on working.
3. Use a planner or calendar. Make sure to note due dates and test times, but also plan out what you need to do each day to get the job done.
4. Ask your family to check in about your progress on big projects.
5. Get started! Just digging in can be the hardest part of any task, especially one you don’t enjoy.
Calendar Girl
Feeling puzzled about how to squeeze everything you need to do
into your busy schedule? Use a calendar, planner, or assignment
notebook to see how all the pieces of your school life fit together.
Note all test days and project due dates. Write down what you need to do each day to prepare for upcoming tests or projects.
Note practices, performances, and games.
Write down each homework assignment clearly and completely—that’s always worth the time it takes. Check off each assignment when it’s completed.
Use colored pens or highlighters to make
your pages more fun to look at!
Perfect Packing
Create a checklist to make sure you bring everything you need
home from school and back again. Don’t forget books, forms,
and permission slips!
Ready, Set,
Study!
Learn how you learn, and
become a homework pro.
What’s Your
Study Style?
Pinpoint your learning style to make the most of your study sessions.
Choose as many answers as you like.
1.You like to study for spelling tests by . . .
a. writing out your words.
b. spelling your words out loud.
c. looking at your words in your spelling book.
2. Your favorite topic in math class is . . .
a. math facts, because you love to prac- tice with a partner.
b. geometry, because the shapes help you see math ideas clearly.
c. story problems, because the words show how to use math in real life.
3. To learn how to bake your favorite
cookies, you’d . . .
a. study the recipe in the cookbook, then try it yourself.
b. ask your dad to make them with you and show you what to do.
c. watch a video recipe online.
4. You’d prefer to find out how water
freezes by . . .
a. studying your science textbook.
b. listening to your science teacher explain the process.
c. making ice cubes and observing them as they freeze and melt.
5. Your favorite teachers tend to . . .
a. give exciting lectures.
b. assign interesting reading.
c. create cool projects.
6. You’re studying presidents in history
class. You’d like to find out more by . . .
a. reading an essay.
b. reviewing a graph.
c. taking part in a class discussion.
7.Your teacher recommends a book to the
class. You’d love to . . .
a. read the book right away.
b. listen as the teacher reads the book to the class.
c. put on a skit that brings a scene from the book to life.
8.The activity you’d choose in Spanish
class is . . .
a. practicing conversation with a group of friends.
b. watching Spanish language cartoons.
c. writing stories using new Spanish vocabulary words.
9.For the science fair, you’d choose an
experiment that requires .