With the constant schedule changes in school, Etowah students are learning to adjust to their new learning environment. Some students are becoming accustomed to the current hybrid schedule, where students attend in-person classes twice a week and remain digital for other days, while other students stay fully digital. However, this is all subject to change on October 9th, when the current plan will be re-evaluated by the CCSD Board. 

Regardless of being a digital or in-person learner, here are some pointers to spend less time studying while still learning more:  

Teach someone the concept: 

• It has been proven that when students ‘teach’ a concept to someone they learn more effectively. The learning-by-teaching method helps to better retain and understand the information being taught, making it easier to apply what is being taught in school. 

Keeping an organized study space: 

• Organization is key to studying properly. If students are attempting to study in a messy, cluttered area, chances are they would not be able to retain as much information as they could. It is best to limit any distractions by decluttering the area. 

Study in intervals: 

• Students can remember more if they spend fewer actual hours on the topic but study in intervals. This is called spaced repetition, and it is a useful technique for improving the brain’s ability to recall information. 

Switch up the setting: 

• Studying in different spots can be a great way to increase memory. Research has shown that an unfamiliar environment and a change could promote better memory recall. 

Stop multitasking: 

• Research provides evidence that multitasking negatively affects results and decreases efficiency. To improve learning, distractions need to be eliminated, such as social media, games, texting, videos, etc. 

Study in the morning: 

• For students who have more energy earlier in the day, studying in the morning may work best and can limit distractions. This also ensures ample time to rest at night, which is important for memory retention. 

Schoolwork can be overwhelming at times. Always remember to work smarter, not harder.