4 Tips for Parents – How to Help a Middle School Student Study for a Test

This is a common cry from middle school parents – “My kid doesn’t know how to study!” How can I help them? I have seen parents read the textbook out loud before bed to the child, hoping that somehow the kid will remember all that information. I’ve seen parents make review sheets and study sheets with way too much information on them. I’ve seen parents create too many flashcards in handwriting that the child can’t even read. If you are one of these parents, you are not alone. Let me give you a few suggestions.

Let me preface this by saying I am an English and Social Studies teacher with over 25 years of experience. Most of these tips are for ELA and SS. You might be able to use some of these strategies for other content areas, give it a try if it makes sense to you.

Tip 1 – Think about BIG IDEAS

Ask your child to explain what they remember about the topic. Have them write it all down in a “brainstorm” or a brain dump. Reassure the child that he/she has learned and that they are on a good path! Positive reinforcement goes a long way.

Tip 2 – Memorize important vocabulary

If the teacher has provided a study guide or a review sheet, read all of the vocabulary words. Are there words the student already knows? If so, praise him/her for knowing some of them.

Take the other words are make flashcards. Have the student make flashcards using fun colored cards or fun markers. Studying is hard work, so make it fun with the materials that the student uses. Allow the student to draw a picture to go with the word or to add a fun sticker on the card. You never know a sticker of a tree might help a child remember the idea of separation of powers for a government test. PRACTICE using the flashcards! Group the flashcards by subtopic. Have the student pull two words out of the stack and ask the child to explain how they are connected or related. If they don’t connect, explain why they don’t.

Use the flashcards as a tool to help start the conversation. It is in conversation that your child is thinking, memorizing and internalizing the words.

Tip 3 – Who are important people or places that you need to know?

Write the names of people – each one gets his/her own card. Have the student brainstorm what he/she remembers about the person. Have the child think of 3-5 important facts about the person. Why was that person important in history? What did the teacher focus on in class? It might help to put the “people” cards in a different color from the “vocabulary” words. Do the same thing for important places if necessary.

Tip 4 – Make it relate to something that the student knows or understands

This is where things can get a little silly, but it is sometimes necessary in order for the information to stick. You may need to relate something to you. For example, I always tell my students my trick for remembering how to spell desert and dessert. I don’t want to be the only one in the desert but I will always eat TWO desserts! So desert has one s and dessert has 2. It’s a silly trick, but it always helps me remember!

Don’t be afraid to act out scenes or stories. Ask them questions, imagine what it would be like to hang out with James Madison at the Constitutional Convention. It would have been pretty hard because he would have been so busy taking all the notes during the meetings!

It is not possible to study like this in one night. Your child should study over a few days or even a week. These study habits need to start during middle school. You will have a more peaceful home each night. Good luck! You can do it!