The Peer Mentor as an Academic Role Model
We review here study strategies and approaches that may be very familiar to you as a successful student, but which may not be part of your students' habit of mind as they embark on their first semester of college. Be deliberate in discussions of your study habits and provide opportunities for your students to model these habits (i.e. invite students to group study sessions, invite individual students to study with you in a distraction-free spot in the library, attend a study skill workshop with students). As you become aware of difficulties your students may be having, discuss with them available academic resources. We will review in detail resources available through the Office of Academic Services, empowering you to educate and refer your students appropriately.
1. Modeling good study habits and learning strategies
The best way to support your mentees' academic success is to share and role model instrumental habits, including the following:
- Attend all of every class: Don't go late - Don't leave early - Never miss class, period.
- Prepare for class by reading assigned content BEFORE each class: It improves your understanding of the topic, and it improves your note-taking.
- Take good notes and revise your lecture notes the same day you take them. This improves your memory by 400%! Fill in the blanks you left as you wrote; look up difficult terms; show the main ideas and the supporting details.
- Plan and set aside study time everyday. Research indicates that at least 2 hours for every 1 hours of class is best. Include the time you spend revising your notes. Use the time between classes; don't go home or waste time finding a really good place to study. Guard against interruptions.
Emphasize to students Marcia Heiman's and Joshua Slominanko's four thinking strategies of successful learners as outlined "Learning to Learn: Thinking Skills for the 21st Century" (2004):
- Ask questions: asking yourself questions about new information will help predict exam questions.
- Break tasks into smaller parts: this will help you manage your time better.
- Set goals: being goal-directed will help you find important facts and ideas in the material you are learning and help you assess your progress
- Seek feedback on your learning process: find out what you know…and what you need to know. The first line of defense here is to seek regular feedback from your professors. Visit their office hours, they are here to help!
Encourage your students to incorporate these approaches into their daily routine. If they are concerned about their academic progress or appear to be having problems with their classes, you may refer them to the Center for Academic Excellence.
Drew's Student Success Specialist, part of the Center for Academic Excellence team, will be scheduling workshops that help students build and improve their study skills. Encourage your students to attend!