We often see how reluctant children react when they are told to study. When given homework to do, they mostly do it for the sake of not getting scolded by teachers and parents, even in the classroom they listen and try to understand the topic that is taught half- heartily. But just listening to teacher or doing homework isn’t enough for better understanding of concepts and topics and to remember them for a long period of time. For this they have to do self- study.
Self- study: There are many types of learning but self- study is a method of learning where students study on their own without any strict supervision from anyone. Self- study helps students in self- experiencing and self- reflecting, as they study and learn their strong and weak points on their own, then improve themselves. Students do self study by reading books, making notes, watching educational videos on their own to study.
Importance of Self- study
Self- reliance: When students sit to study ,guiding themselves to find the solutions to the problems that they face while studying.This makes them self- reliant in long term. As they learn to know how to get things done, how to find solution to their issues.
Better Understanding If after studying at school students do self- study, this helps them to revise the taught topic in school in better way. They can read and learn more deeply about the taught topic . This helps them to remember whatever they have learned for a long period of time, making them not just mug up their chapters but to understand them on deeper level.
Better Results: When students do continuous self- study from the very beginning of their new session and not leave anything to study at last minute before the exams. Their results come positive automatically. And it gives them enough time just to revise the topics and not worry about studying new topics, this gives them ease of mind and they can give their exams with relaxed state of mind.
Learning in their own way: Self- study gives this freedom to the students to use any method, means,tools to gain knowledge. They can study from books, from videos, online classes, or any other way they find suitable and from which they can learn easily and effectively.
Studying at their own pace: Unlike in classroom lectures where students have to listen, understand and make notes at the same time, in the period of 45 minutes of lecture. In self study students decide which topic they want to study, how to study, and how many times they want to study, for example: if a student didn’t understand the topic of light in physics he can study it as many time until he fully understand it.
Tips for Self- studying
- Make a fixed time- table for every subject and follow it religiously. So that you can give equal attention to each subject without lacking behind in any of your subjects.
- Allot a fixed number of hours only for self-studying, in those hours you will only study.
- Eliminate distractions that create hurdles in your self-studying. If it’s your phone, turn on silent mode, if it’s the television ask your parents to turn down the volume or study in a quiet place of your home.
- Use that medium, tool or way of learning which suits you the best and from which you get better results.
- Set a goal for each of your self-study session and try to accomplish it. For example: if you have decided to complete a topic while preparing for your JEE entrance then try to complete it.
- Make notes, notes come very handy at the time of quick revision or when you start forgetting anything go through the notes you have made and read it.
- Do self-evaluation and test yourself from time to time, to check your progress and mistakes. Solve mock papers, previous years question papers this is the best way for self-evaluation.
- Take small breaks in between your study sessions. This will keep your mind refresh and keep you motivated to study more. These breaks also result in increased productivity too.